Summary of Consultation Comments Received on the Warrington Wellbeing Strategy May - July 2012
Comments received during the consultation period 28th May – 6th July *(note where several comments have been received on broadly the
same subject, these may have been merged).
Comment
General (strategy overall, vision, principles)
Various suggestions regarding plain English,
typos, use of language etc.
Overall vision statement should reference
health & wellbeing & bullets underneath
should reference the need to promote active
lifestyles, deal with changing systems and to
need to change perceptions & culture as
well as using resources well
Query as to who the partners are, how they
were elected and whether they have
necessary expertise. How is inclusivity
ensured?
Warrington lacks culture, arts and
possibilities for play. This is noticeable by its
absence in the visionary statement.
Vision should include reference to people
taking responsibility for their own wellbeing
Response/ Action Taken
Corrections made & suggestions incorporated where appropriate
Changes made to the bullets below the vision statement to try and address these
comments.
Partners include all key public sector agencies in the borough (Police, Fire, Local Authority,
PCT/ Commissioning Consortium, Golden Gates Housing Trust etc) plus representatives
from the private sector and the community/voluntary sector. Essentially, partners may be
any organisations in the borough who are involved with delivering or commissioning
services. The Warrington Partnership Board and the Health and Wellbeing Board are the
owners of this strategy. However, clearly it is not possible for each individual organisation in
the borough to be represented on the Warrington Partnership Board or the Health and
Wellbeing Board (although they may be linked into the various sub boards & groups that
feed into these boards). Therefore, every effort has been made over several years to
ensure a representative spread of sectors and agencies on these groups.
Increased communication about the role of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the
Warrington Partnership is an identified area for development.
No changes made. The relationship between culture/ recreation and wellbeing is drawn out
in different places in the strategy, including various actions around ensuring access to
cultural services, participation in leisure activities and tackling isolation.
This is picked up in principles for citizens.
1
Comment
Major cultural change required to fully
achieve principles for partners (both within
organisations and between organisations)/
the need for greater integration, increased
tolerance and less competition.
Do partners understand the scale of the
challenge in terms of cultural change and
what needs to be done?
How useful is it to draw distinctions between
individual citizens and community? And
what do we mean by community – is it
neighbourhood or communities of interest?
The inclusion of statistics (e.g. life
expectancy) may mean the strategy dates
more quickly
Consider re-naming the strategy a vision
The tone is a little depressing. Can we
include a section on successes?
More emphasis should be put on challenges
of welfare reform including Warrington’s
status as a pilot for welfare reform and
reference should be made to NHS changes
Several comments on how the strategy links
with other strategies & how it will be
implemented monitored, delivered.
Are objectives SMART? Measurables not
Response/ Action Taken
Partners recognise this is a major challenge and an area for development. Governance and
joint working relationships & arrangements will be reviewed and strengthened on an
ongoing basis and it is recognised that new relationships will need to be forged through
different and innovative ways of working.
The strong partnership relationships we have will help us move forward but the issue of
whole organisational culture change is a key issue for partners, particularly as we strive to
integrate services.
This question had previously been considered and the conclusion had been reached that it
was useful to include specific reference to individuals as well as collective reference to
different communities (which may be local communities in local areas but may also be
communities of interest – e.g. ex service personnel, sport clubs, church groups etc).
No change. Statistics have been kept to a minimum in the document. However, the
statistics in there are taken from the 2011 borough needs assessment and provide the
evidence base for what we are saying are priorities at this moment in time. Both the needs
assessment and the strategy will be refreshed in 3 years so the inclusion of these statistics
now means there is a baseline to measure progress against.
No change. Whilst the strategy has been deliberately kept aspirational and high level in
order to provide scope for a wide range of delivery plans to feed into it, it is too detailed to
simply be called a vision.
Positives are included already in most sections. It is important that the document stresses
the major challenges and the imperative to work differently so as to avoid complacency,
which we cannot afford. However, an additional “positive” paragraph has been added to the
introduction and additional points have been added to to the section on “a living
environment that promotes wellbeing”
Welfare reform is already referenced in the document. However, the most up to date
information has now been included and additional references to welfare reform have been
included at relevant points (e.g. under the housing section on p. 13)
The strategy has been kept deliberately high level in order to ensure all partners can see its
relevance to their areas of work.
The specifics on implementation are addressed in supporting plans and strategies (e.g.
2
Comment
always given.
Response/ Action Taken
housing strategy, LDF core strategy, public health plan etc). Partners who have signed up
to the vision & principles in the strategy should refer to it when developing their own
specific plans and programmes.
In addition, an outcomes framework to monitor progress against the strategy will be
completed by September and will be available as an appendix to the strategy itself.
Principles for citizens are good but will fail
without the right infrastructure to support.
Similar comments also received regarding
principles for communities – people can only
make the right choices if choices are
available to them. How are you going to get
people to buy into the principles?
How will the strategy be funded?
Getting buy-in to the principles for communities and citizens is an identified challenge and
should be picked up in the various implementation plans around community engagement
and community involvement. The actions in the strategy aim to address this issue and help
move further towards a community where it is possible for everyone to make good lifestyle
choices.
Essentially, the strategy is not about “new” funding; it is about all partners in the borough
working most effectively together in order to maximise the value of the resources we
already have at our disposal.
All partners are aware of the challenge of continuing to provide good services and promote
wellbeing against the backdrop of challenging economic times and cuts to public sector
spending. The imperative to work smarter and work differently is clearly articulated in the
strategy and the various actions around integrating services, developing multi agency
approaches and targeting resources aim to address these challenges.
The 4 Identified Cross Cutting Priority Issues (Alcohol, Ageing Population, Resilience & Mental Health & the Need for a
Preventative Approach)
Alcohol may be the biggest issue but
We recognise this and substance misuse is referenced specifically at various points in the
substance misuse in general is a big
document, both specifically and as part of our ambition to “reduce risk taking behaviour”
challenge.
which could cover a range of things including substance misuse.
These are huge issues, as are the other
Partners recognise this and this is referenced in the “living & working well” chapter.
issues in the document. The staff and
However, this is an important point and will be flagged up with the boards and partner
volunteers delivering all these services may organisations.
well need support with their own wellbeing.
Include reference to welfare reform under
Partner agencies are acutely aware of the potential challenges posed by welfare reform
3
Comment
mental health & resilience
Education and skills for all ages will play a
large part in delivering the outcomes – these
are not highlighted.
The town is “home” to several national
organisations who could play a part in
delivery of the strategy – how will they be
linked in? Also what is the role of the 3rd
sector in delivery?
Closing the Gap Priority
Consider including more detailed description
of what deprivation is (ref. IMD doc)
Positive response to emphasis on closing
the gap.
However, there are pockets of deprivation in
other areas of the borough which are just as
bad as some of the inner wards – these
should not be forgotten in the focus on the
13 “closing the gap” designated areas.
Suggest mentioning the impact of Welfare
Reform on Housing Benefit in terms of
benefit cap, decrease in income if under
occupied, under 35 wanting to live alone
etc. Plus include in housing box p4
Diagram on p4 – NEETs should be added to
employment box.
Response/ Action Taken
and a cross partners working group has been established to focus specifically on this issue.
Welfare reform already features in several places in the strategy and additional references
have been added in at key points following the consultation. The welfare changes will also
be identified as a key risk to delivery of the outcomes in the strategy’s risk register.
Although welfare reform is likely to have an impact on mental health, it is one of several
factors that will do so and has therefore not been added in specifically here.
Education and skills are referenced throughout the document with specific actions in 3 of
the 5 chapters.
The voluntary/community sector has a vital role to play in delivering the outcomes in the
document. This will be taken fully into account as we develop our multi agency working and
develop new ways of engaging & involving the community in service design and delivery.
The point about national organisations is a good one and will be highlighted to the boards
for consideration of how stronger relationships can be developed with these organisations.
Short explanation added.
The closing the gap area identifies a cluster of communities in the centre of the borough
which are classed as the most deprived in the borough based on the index of multiple
deprivation. However, it is recognised that there are other areas within the borough where
there are pockets of deprivation and this is one of the reasons for our ambition to provide
services on a sliding scale according to need.
Increased reference to welfare reform included throughout the document, including in the
specific section on housing.
Added in as requested
4
Comment
Pg 12 What are we going to do?
5th statement – Could be extended to
include a statement about conditions
existing in which to make healthier choices.
Access to safe and pleasant green spaces
for recreation, exercise and access to nature
is often a problem for those in deprived
communities – and is important for health
and wellbeing.
The quality of parks and open spaces is key
encourage more active life styles within the
deprived wards of Warrington. Lack of
investment and poor management means
that they have become no go areas for
many parts of the community.
Building Safe Sustainable Communities
Include reference to the importance of a
home to people’s health & wellbeing
Are there specific actions that will help
reduce CO2 and the impacts of climate
change?
Lack of opportunities for recreation (for all
ages), play and activities for young people
should be addressed
Response/ Action Taken
Bullet point amended.
The importance of access to nature and green spaces is recognised in the document.
WBC held open space provision data suggests that the borough may have a below
average quantity of open natural spaces, which may therefore represent a challenge.
However, on the positive side, access to nature from the “closing the gap”/deprived areas is
actually better than average based on English Nature accessibility standards (aided for
example by the presence of Sankey Valley Park).
Comments and concerns raised about availability and access to green space will be fed
back to relevant service areas such as the planning policy team at WBC.
This has been added in.
This strategy has been kept deliberately high level to avoid being too prescriptive about the
content of the strategies and plans that sit underneath it.
The decision was made early on to try and avoid reference to specific operational delivery
projects in this strategy. Specific projects are therefore not referenced in the Wellbeing
Strategy itself as these should be picked up in the various carbon reduction/ climate
change adaptation plans which either have been or are being developed and will feed into
the high level document.
The need to ensure opportunities for recreational and cultural pursuits and activities where
people can get involved in communities is recognised in the document. Comments relating
to this will be fed back to relevant service areas and partners (planning, neighbourhoods,
Livewire)
5
Comment
Isolation is not just an issue in deprived
areas – it can affect all areas.
Desire to increase sense of belonging and
pride in Warrington
Reference is made to local food production.
It is not clear whether this means
opportunities for people to grow their own or
whether it refers to opportunities for people
to buy local food. Local food production is
generally taken to mean the growing or
manufacture of food by local food producers.
More emphasis should be put on the
importance of both managed and wild green
spaces (including woodland) for recreation,
exercise and to improve wellbeing. There
could also be more detail about the types of
natural environment required to help people
make healthy lifestyle choices.
The need for more integration with various
cultures and the raising awareness of
tolerance
Housing is a major issue. Why are there no
outcomes related to it?
Need more community hubs/venues – if
libraries & leisure centres all close and other
Response/ Action Taken
There is increasing recognition that in fact isolation may be a major challenge in more rural
areas, especially for those people who do not own a car. This should be picked up in a
number of ways – for example in the refreshed older people’s strategy, which will be
developed later this year or in the scheme supported by the sub regional local enterprise
partnership supporting rollout of super fast broadband to all communities.
All partners are committed to this and would hopefully be supportive of community
initiatives that aim to increase pride and a sense of belonging in the area.
In the context of this strategy, where reference to local food production is made in relation
to health and wellbeing –promoting outdoor activity, local food production refers to the
opportunity for people to grow their own.
The importance of green spaces and access to nature is recognised in the document.
However, several comments were received about the importance of access to nature for
wellbeing and this area will be highlighted to the partnership and the health & wellbeing
board, as well as to land use planning policy officers as a key area of concern raised by
respondents.
These points party of the desire to increase sense of community and make Warrington a
place we can all be proud to live and work. Partners take their role in fostering good
community relations and promoting equality and tolerance seriously; most partner
organisations have specific equality and diversity policies and/ or commitments. However,
everyone in the community has a role to play in promoting tolerance and integration as
well. The hate crime partnership leads on tackling issues and/or crimes where tolerance
and integration have not been achieved leading to someone being singled out as a victim
due to their race/religion/ disability or other protected equality characteristic.
Housing is recognised as a major challenge and actions on tackling issues of availability,
affordability and quality are identified in the document.
Partners in Warrington are committed to continuing to provide the best possible services
against a backdrop of steadily decreasing public sector funding. They are also committed to
6
Comment
community venues do not survive where will
the community be able to come together?
Response/ Action Taken
targeting scarce resources into the areas that pose the biggest challenges for the borough.
This may sometimes mean difficult decisions being taken regarding what can and cannot
be funded or it may involve developing new and innovative ways of working with
communities to ensure that important community hubs, venues and facilities are remain
available or are developed.
Additional Information on Living
Strategy content has been cross-checked with this information and relevant additions/
Environment: Additional information that had corrections made.
been requested from Environment/ Planning
policy was received during the consultation,
including the Environment JSNA chapter.
A good start in life and transition to adulthood
There is no transition from children’s into
adults’ services. This lets people down all
the time and needs urgent review.
Young people’s and teenage obesity should
be included as a priority
Family support is needed early for problem
families – the sooner the better and
prevention is better than cure
Pressure on accommodation for young
people – in particular as we get overspill
from Liverpool & Manchester & teenage
pregnancy also impacts on housing need
More emphasis on reaching potential at
school & interventions at school to promote
wellbeing
This is a recognised issue, is referenced in the strategy and is one of the drivers behind the
development of a youth strategy.
Obesity is referenced in the challenges section of the relevant chapter. However, based on
evidence from the JSNA, it has not been drawn out as strongly as some other issues due to
the fact that Warrington still performs better in this area than national average figures. This
does not mean it is not an important issue – simply that, based on the evidence available, it
is an area where we perform reasonably well compared to other areas so it has not been
highlighted in the same way as some issues (e.g. alcohol).
The existing family pathfinder model recognises and addresses this, as does the
developing LIS approach and our work on the national complex families initiative. The
imperative to develop early intervention and multi agency approaches is a key message in
the strategy.
Housing pressures are identified as a major challenge in the document & areas for action
are included on affordability, availability and quality of housing.
These issues are picked up in the children & young people’s strategy which is one of the
documents supporting the wellbeing strategy.
7
Comment
Living and Working Well
further actions should be added on mental
health:
 to continue to expand and develop
community based initiatives, such as
Positive Thoughts groups or Creative
Remedies, that can both prevent
mental health problems from
escalating and can reable people who
have lost confidence and contacts
due to mental health problems.

Response/ Action Taken
Line added to actions p. 21 “including further development of community based initiatives
aimed at integrating people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.”
Specific projects not referenced as these should be picked up in mental health strategy or
equivalent which feeds into high level document. Decision was made early on to try and
avoid reference to specific operational delivery projects in this strategy.
To prioritise community initiatives that
support the integration/ engagement
of people with learning disabilities or
mental health needs in community
activities and employment
These should be listed as a proposed
actions under "Living and Working Well" and
"Promoting Well Being for Older People"
Would welcome examples of specifically
how you will promote healthy lifestyles.
Suggestions include:
Focus on getting people out of their private
cars in favour of walking/cycling/buses when
travelling around the borough. This is winwin because it both reduces C02 and
improves health. As the price of fuel
inevitably spirals further, we will all be better
off if we can reduce our dependence on it.
The strategy has been kept deliberately high level in order to avoid being too prescriptive to
the strategies that sit beneath it and support delivery. Regarding these particular points, the
local transport plan would be where most of the specific actions are picked up along with
some point for colleagues working closely with employers in the brough.
All of these suggestions will be fed back to the boards and to the various service areas who
are best placed to implement them.
8
Comment
So, some specifics such as the following
would be welcome:
a.. Get on with implementing the 20mph
speed limit in residential areas (and enforce
it!)
b.. Increased priority for pedestrians and
cyclists, extend cycle lanes, etc.
c.. Encourage local employers to
incentivise their staff to make healthy
lifestyle and commuting choices (another
win-win). For example subsidised cycle
equipment/gym membership, provide
shower facilities, etc.
d.. Encourage greater bus use, especially
for travel in and out of the town centre. For
example, it should be cheaper for a family of
four to take a return bus ride into town than
to take their car.
Should consider the gender split in wellbeing
(e.g. men at more risk of isolation following
breakdown in relationships, national
research suggesting men are dealt with by
criminal justice systems but women are
dealt with by social services – do we know
what the situation is in Warrington?)
Many voluntary organisations are overly
dependent on one or two key people who
give up huge amounts of their time. There is
a need to take a different approach to
encouraging volunteering – and reaching out
to those who have not previously
Response/ Action Taken
This point will be considered as we develop our outcomes framework for the strategy and
the Warrington Wellbeing survey
There is an identified challenge around how to engage the community more in service
design and delivery and how to encourage “civic participation” such as volunteering.
All partner agencies are very aware of the need to do this and will be considering a range
of ways in which we can create the right conditions for increased community involvement
and volunteer activity. This suggestion will be fed into these discussions.
9
Comment
volunteered. Would it be possible to give
small reduction in council tax to those who
regularly volunteer?
Support for carers of those with disabilities is
important. Family and carer support for all
those with caring responsibilities is a key
issue.
Increase employment support for all
disabled people – especially those assessed
as fit for work in the recent reforms
Ensure greater use of the third sector local
knowledge and expertise by retaining
funding for local 3rd sector organisations –
concerns expressed that many services
previously provided by local voluntary
organisations are now provided by external
organisation with less knowledge of the
borough.
Hate crime an issue for those with
disabilities
Reduced levels of obesity should be linked
to healthy weight strategy and included as
an outcome.
Partner agencies should commit to ensuring
their own working practices promote
wellbeing – stress and other mental health
issues being of particular importance at the
moment. Efforts should also be made to
engage with private employers in the
borough to promote workforce wellbeing.
Response/ Action Taken
Carers are identified as a key vulnerable group within the strategy.
This is identified as an area for action within the strategy.
The voluntary/community sector has a vital role to play in delivering the outcomes in the
document. This will be taken fully into account as we develop our multi agency working and
develop new ways of engaging & involving the community in service design and delivery.
These issues are picked up in the new hate crime awareness strategy – out for consultation
July 2012.
Obesity now referenced in the outcomes. The healthy weight strategy is one of the
strategies from where indicators will be drawn to monitor progress in the outcomes
framework which is being developed for the overall wellbeing strategy.
This is referenced in “living & working well”. However, it will be flagged up with the boards
and partner organisations in relation to their own working practices.
Comments on engagement with private sector employers to be fed back to relevant teams.
Promotion of healthy lifestyles for staff
generally (especially weight/alcohol) within
10
Comment
our own workforces also flagged up by
multiple respondents.
The impacts of drug and alcohol
dependency on the wider community should
be better drawn out
Is domestic violence recognised as an
issue?
Should be more emphasis on diet and
exercise
Response/ Action Taken
Alcohol is identified as one of our key cross cutting challenges in the front of the document,
highlighting that it impacts on a wide range of areas. Substance misuse is picked up in
various other strategies, including the DAAT strategies, public health strategies, community
safety strategies and others.
Domestic violence is recognised as an issue and is addressed in the community safety
partnership plan. The community safety partnership receives regular updates and
performance reports on domestic violence prevention work taking place across the
borough.
Making good lifestyle choices is an ongoing theme in the document. Specifics about diet
and exercise are picked up in a number of the plans that underpin the strategy (e.g. the
healthy weight strategy, the public health plan).
Point on commissioning added into the document
Should expand point about increasing
understanding of mental health to include
commissioning a range of services that
promote mental health & wellbeing.
Wellbeing for Older People
Transport a major barrier to tackling isolation Various comments have been received regarding accessibility/ transport etc. These will be
fed back to the local transport team to be picked up in the local transport plan.
Importance of well adapted homes to
These issues will be picked up under the actions to review and undertake initiatives to
enable older people to stay in their own
ensure housing suitable housing availability and affordability. This comment will be fed
homes for longer & for the right mix of
back to colleagues working on these issues (planning policy & housing).
housing within a very local area to enable
people to downsize without moving out of
their community.
Need to increase respect for the elderly and Part of commitment to building strong communities. Also will be picked up in the refreshed
recognise the value they bring to society
older people’s plan and fed into discussions at older people’s partnership baord.
There is too much reliance on the system to This is a difficult area to address but is picked up in the strategy under the principles for
look after the elderly – community & family
communities & citizens and also within the priorities around increasing community
must play a role
involvement. It is an area for development as we work to implement new methods of
service commissioning and delivery that have greater input from the community in both
planning and delivery.
11
Comment
Better health checks and sign posting
needed by GPs
There should be more support for elderly
people who still work
Need actual measure to reduce social
isolation
Need a real focus on an environment where
older people are able to make healthy
lifestyle choices
Response/ Action Taken
This and other similar points will be fed back to the Warrington Health Consortium and will
will aim to work with GPs to ensure they have a good understanding of the breadth of work
going on in the borough and are therefore better able to signpost their patients.
Older people looking for work are identified as a key group in the strategy. However, this
relates to those aged 50 plus. Comment will be fed back to the Employment Learning and
Skills partnership.
Some of the ambitions in the strategy relate to issues (such as isolation) that are difficult to
measure. This is being considered and measure developed as we work up the outcomes
framework for the strategy.
A number of comments were received on the importance of living environment and will be
fed back to the relevant teams. The commitment to promote an environment where older
people are able to remain active is already in the document but these issues will all be
highlighted to the boards and to other service areas for consideration in their plans.
12