Agenda and draft minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at the meeting.

No questions had been received in advance of the meeting and there were no members of the public or press in attendance at the meeting.

There were no communications to report.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28^th January, 2026.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28^th January, 2026, be approved as a true record.

Emily Parry-Harris (Director of Public Health), Andy Wright (Chief Superintendent) and Jess Brooks (Public Health Specialist) to present an update on the Combating Drugs Partnership

Jess Brooks, Public Health Specialist and Combatting Drugs Partnership Lead, presented an update on the Combatting Drugs Partnership with the aid of the following powerpoint presentation:-

Background

·        The Rotherham Combatting Drugs Partnership (CDP) was jointly Chaired by Rotherham Council’s Director of Public Health and South Yorkshire Police’s District Commander for Rotherham and has a vision to:

“Work together to combat illegal drug use in Rotherham – reducing crime, saving lives and challenging the notion of ‘recreational drug use’ which fuels a violent and exploitative market”

Membership

-        The Combatting Drugs Partnership was made up of strategic decision makers across key partner organisations involved in addressing the challenges of drug related harm.  These included but were not limited to:

·        Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC)

·        Rotherham Alcohol and Drugs Service (ROADS) provided by WithYou

·        South Yorkshire Police (SYP)

·        The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (formally South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office)

·        Probation Service Yorkshire and The Humber and Barnsley and Rotherham Probation Delivery Unit (PDU)

·        Voluntary Action Rotherham and the Rotherham Recovery Community

Aims

-           Work together to understand the local population and how both drugs and alcohol were causing harm in Rotherham

-           Identify challenges in the system and the changes needed to address them

-           Identify, consider and/or support external funding opportunities to enhance or increase the Partnership’s ability to deliver its responsibilities and objectives

-           Complete key tasks as set out by the Joint Combatting Drugs Unit (JCDU) – the Central Government cross-departmental body responsible for the Drug Strategy

Delivery Plan

-           Pursue – to reduce drug supply and related crime and bring perpetrators to justice

-           Protect – to protect those in treatment and recovery, their families and the wider community

-           Prevent – to stop individuals becoming involved in drugs and support recovery and reduce harm when they do

-           Prepare – to build community resilience to reduce the impact of drug harm

Prepare

        Objectives

-           Facilitate improved information sharing including with IT systems, increased intelligence and information sharing around exploitation of vulnerable people

-           Explore training needs across the system and equip workers by providing education for professionals to improve reporting, referrals and information sharing and aid in early identification.  Including communicating to workers the harmful impacts of drugs and alcohol

-           Develop combatting drugs communications and engagement approach aiming to reduce use and tackle stigma

Key Progress

-           CDP report for sharing key data on progress was refreshed and presented at each Partnership meeting

-           South Yorkshire Police Intelligence Reporting form had been promoted to partners to provide intel to disrupt organised crime groups

-           Drug and alcohol training offer expanded to include training on families, anti-stigma and bespoke training sessions for hospital teams

-           New workstream and resource for implementation of new Challenging Stigma work being developed in  collaboration with the Rotherham Recovery Community and learning for individuals with Lived Experience

Present

        Objectives

-           Develop continuity of care in criminal justice pathway including use of Court Orders, better prisoner release and connections with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health Specialist, and Rachel Copley, Public Health Practitioner, to present the refreshed Action Plan

Ruth Fletcher-Brown, Public Health Specialist, and Rachel Copley, Public Health Practitioner, presented the refreshed Loneliness Action Plan.

Rotherham’s first Loneliness Action Plan was developed in 2020 having had input from Health and Wellbeing Board partners.  The Plan was refreshed in 2023 for a further 3 years.  With the current plan ending in 2025, work had commenced with partner organisations to reflect on the work that had been achieved.  The following powerpoint presentation was provided on the 2026-30 Action Plan:-

Rotherham Loneliness Action Plan 2026-230

Our Vision:  Rotherham residents of all ages and backgrounds feel connected to others and the community around them

History of Rotherham Loneliness Action plans

·        The first Rotherham Loneliness Action Plan was implemented in 2020 following a workshop event with key stakeholders in 2019.  This followed on from the national strategy “A Connected Society” published in 2018

·        2020-2022 Action Plan.  Completed actions included started rollout of Making Every Contact Count training, assisted Link Workers in understanding their local communities and the assets available which supported good social connections, inclusion of loneliness as a theme in the Be Well at Work Scheme and promotion of GISMO to people who lived and worked in Rotherham

·        2023-25 Action Plan.  Completed actions included increased community hub capacity including Warm Welcome sites, ‘Spot the Signs’ campaigns used to raise awareness of the safeguarding risks linked to loneliness, updated Loneliness JSNA section including personal quotes, conducted several focus groups across the Borough about loneliness and mental health, inclusion of loneliness questions in Tenant Health Check, expansion of Loneliness MECC training throughout library venues, evaluation from COVID funded projects for the over 55s and Holding Difficult Conversations training delivered to frontline partners 6^th October 2022 to help them tackle the drivers of hate

Governance of Loneliness Action Plan

-        The implementation of the 2026-2030 Action Plan would be overseen by the Better Mental Health for All Group.  These meetings were chaired by Public Health and had representation from Health and Wellbeing partners.  The multi-agency group met bi-monthly and was tasked to implement the Plan and the Better Mental Health for All Action Plan.  Progress against the action plan would be reported to the Mental Health and Learning Disability Transformation Group, a sub-group of the Rotherham Place Plan Board.  Annual updates would be given to the Rotherham Health and Wellbeing Board.

The partners represented on the Better Mental Health for All Group included:-

·        Adult Health and Care Network

·        Age UK Rotherham

·        Children, Young People and Families Consortium

·        Crossroads

·        Healthwatch Rotherham

·        NHS South Yorkshire

·        RDaSH (mental health provider)

·        Rotherham NHS Foundation Hospital Trust

·        RMBC – Adult Care, Housing and Public Health (including Neighbourhoods)

·        RMBC – Children and Young People’s Services

·        RMBC – Communications

·        RMBC – Culture, Sport and Tourism Service, Regeneration and Environment

·        Rotherham Federation

·        Rotherham United Community Trust

·        South Yorkshire Police

·        Voluntary Action Rotherham

Why is Loneliness a Public Health Issue?

·        Mental Health impacts – increased risk of Dementia and cognitive decline, links to poor mental health and suicide

·        Physical Health impacts – increased  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

Oscar Holden, Corporate Improvement Officer, to present

Further to Minute No. 33 of 26^th November, 2026, Emily Parry-Harris, Director of Public Health, presented the reviewed 2026/27 forward plan which had been structured to clearly align with Strategy aims whilst maintaining the statutory responsibilities of the Board.

The following powerpoint presentation was provided to support the report:-

2025/26

Looking Ahead

All items should

-        Be clearly linked to at least one Strategy aim

-        Demonstrate clear improvements and impact for Rotherham residents

The Board will look to

-        Maintain a good balance across all 4 priorities

-        Maintain a strong link with the Health Select Commission and liaise where items may be better suited to their agenda

-        Continue to be flexible to upcoming changes within partner organisations

The Executive Group will

-        Return to meeting ahead of each formal Board meeting

-        Assess the forward plan intermittently

June 2026 Agenda

-        Strategic Needs Assessment refresh

-        Suicide Prevention Action Plan update

-        Breastfeeding Friendly Borough progress update

-        Best Start Local Plan

-        HWBB Annual Report

-        Physical Activity/Moving Rotherham Board Update

-        Place Board escalations and BCF

September 2026 Agenda

-        Director of Public Health Annual Report

-        Family Hubs Update

-        Health Protection Assurance Report

-        Neighbourhood Health Update

-        Healthy Homes Update

-        Carers Update

-        Place Board escalations and BCF

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

-        The NHS Neighbourhoods Plan would be considered in further iterations of the plan.  A small working group would consider the guidance and work on the role of the Board and Rotherham Together Partnership

-        There should be ability to be flexible and add any agenda items as necessary

-        The Board had a statutory remit of its own but also recognised the Rotherham Together Partnership and the importance of agenda planning

Resolved:-  (1)  That the implementation of the aim-aligned meeting focus, as outlined at the meeting, by asking each presenter to outline any links between their item and the aim theme of the meeting be approved.

(2)  That partners ensure future agenda items met the agreed strategic criteria demonstrating contribution to the outcomes and alignment with Health and Wellbeing Strategy aim theme.

Majella Kikey, University of Sheffield - Ethnicity and Unequal Ageing: Experiences in Rotherham and Sheffield Project – to present

Majella Kilkey, Jo Britton, Lois Orton and Aneta Piekut, University of Sheffield, were in attendance to present the UKRI-funded research project ‘Ethnicity and Unequal Ageing’ led by the University of Sheffield, co-produced with community partners including Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance (REMA).

The Board received the following powerpoint presentation:-

Ethnicity and Ageing in Rotherham

-        Rotherham was ageing – 1 in 5 people were aged 65 years and older

-        Rotherham was a diverse place with 252 unique ethnic groups

-        5% of households with at least one member whose main language was not English

-        Rotherham’s diversity had grown over time

-        The increasing diversity of Rotherham would change who was ‘older’ in the town

Not everyone in Rotherham reached older age in the same position.  Census date tell us that:

-        The Roma and Irish Traveller ethnic groups were consistently excluded across most aspects of society

-        Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi groups were doing well in education and employment outcomes

-        Ethnic inequalities were consistent across age groups demonstrating the enduring effect of ethnicity across the life course and over generations

-        Need to unpack the census data to see what drives the outcomes

What did this project do?

-        A multi-methods intersectional, life course framework, combining quantitative analysis with qualitative participatory methods

-        Primary data collection in Rotherham and Sheffield:

·        Go-along and life history interviews with 80 people (37 in Rotherham/43 in Sheffield) aged 50+ identifying as Muslim, African, Roma or Irish, men and women

·        Creative co-production involving participatory arts-based workshops (12 in each place) with 40 of those individuals

·        Stakeholder engagement involving 15 individual interviews and 3 group meetings

Project Findings for Rotherham

-        “Racially minoritised people/communities”

·        Individuals and communities minoritised through social, political and cultural processes of power and marginalisation linked to racialisation

·        ‘Minority’ in terms of position of powers not in numbers

·        Often majority populations, globally

Loneliness and Social Isolation was a Key Challenge

-        Issues specific to racially minoritised communities in Rotherham

·        Some were new arrivals – challenges of rebuilding lives in new places (especially in later life)

·        English was not first language including for longer established communities – barrier to participation and accessing services and support

·        Stereotype of close knit family life in some communities – stigma around loneliness and assumption that intervention was not needed

·        Economic induced constraints to participation were likely sharper due to inequalities in socio-economic status

·        Health-induced constraints to participation were likely sharper due to accumulated life course disadvantage

·        Places where some racially minoritised communities lived contributed to isolation

·        Racism, and fear of, limited where people ‘felt safe’

Sustaining Community Assets – BAMER-led voluntary organisations were lived-experience ‘assets’

-        Addressing Health Inequalities – saving lives during Covid-19 pandemic and support for ongoing health issues e.g. Dementia, Diabetes

-        Community Wellbeing – tailored activities to combat loneliness, isolation including community outreach

-        Citizen Advice and Advocacy – support with legal help e.g. pensions, citizen rights and in financial difficulties

-        Translation and Interpretation – providing free of charge language services  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

There were no issues to be escalated.

Minutes of meeting held on 17^th September 2025

The minutes of the Rotherham Place Board Partnership Business meetings held on 17^th September, 2025, were noted.

Minutes of meetings held on 17^th December, 2025 and 21^st January, 2026

The minutes of the Rotherham Place Board ICB Business meeting held on 17^th December, 2025 and 21^st January, 2026, were noted.

There was no information to report.

Wednesday,            10^th June  , 2026                                                       

2^nd September                                                 

18^th November (move to the 2^nd December)                       

27^th January, 2027                                           

24^th March                                                       

all starting at 10.00 a.m., venue to be confirmed

Resolved:-  That meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board be held during the 2026/27 Municipal Year as follows:-

Wednesday,            10^th June, 2026                                                       

2^nd September                                                 

2^nd December

27^th January, 2027                                           

24^th March                                                       

all starting at 9.00 a.m., venue to be confirmed