Agenda item

-           Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services to report.

Councillor Doyle, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services, which set out details of the 2014 Borough Wide Lifestyle Survey Report.

The report included plans to distribute the lifestyle survey report to schools, the schedule for presenting the findings of the report and the on-going actions supporting the lifestyle survey results.

The Lifestyle Survey was a valuable piece of consultation capturing the views of young people in Years 7 and 10 at secondary school asking their opinions on:-

·                Food & Drink

·                Health, Activities and Fitness

·                Being In School

·                Out of School

·                Young Carers

·                Bullying & Safety

·                Smoking, Drinking & Alcohol

·                Sexual Health

·                Local Neighbourhood

Further information was highlighted in specific areas where the outcomes had improved such as smoking cessation, participation numbers in the survey, young people having breakfast, tackling bullying, favourite snack amongst young people, sexual health and also the correlation with alcohol and teenage pregnancy.

Each year the results were shared with key stakeholders to ensure that activities were built into team plans to address any issues to make changes to improve the lives of young people and comparisons were made each year to see if the changes made were making a difference.

Secondary schools would receive a copy of the borough wide report and their individual school report, so they could see what pupils at their own school were saying and compare this against the borough wide average.

The Healthy Schools Service would also receive a copy of the individual school reports, so they could identify which school needed support in specific areas.

Cabinet Members welcomed the increased participation in the survey by young people and asked a number of questions relating to the reason for one secondary school’s reluctance to participate, development of the action plan particularly around the newly added questions about safety in and around the town centre, sexual behaviour and the correlation with alcohol and contraception, which had been raised at the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services explained the reasons for the secondary school’s withdrawal and the development of the survey which included a constellation of issues linked to teenage pregnancy, the raising of aspirations for young people, their motivation and their reasons for engaging in risky behaviour.

The Cabinet Member for Business Growth and Regeneration took account of the marked increase of young people’s visits to the town centre since 2013, which was indicative of the increased shopping and leisure activities now available.

However, the raising of young people’s aspirations was a valid point and the ambitions and abilities needed to be harnessed in Years 11 and 12.

Whilst it was noted that 40% of young people had visited the town centre, there were still 60% who had not and more work was required on improving safety in the town centre.  This would be picked up with the Transport Authority around the transport interchange management.

The Senior Scrutiny and Member Development Officer gave a brief update on the work on the town centre undertaken by the Youth Cabinet which formed of Children’s Commissioner Day.  A progress report was to be submitted shortly to the Improving Places Select Commission and which would feed into the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board during February, 2015.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contents of the Education Lifestyle Survey Report 2014 be noted.

(2)  That the action plan which be used to ensure that issues were actioned following completion of the survey.