HEALTH ISSUES NEED TACKLING, SAY LIB DEMS

10.25.32am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Oct 2007

Liberal Democrat Councillors Alan Faulkner and Ruth Pentney have tabled a motion for the next Full Council Meeting (on 30th October) calling for the reinstatement of the Council's Health Scrutiny Board so that issues raised by a recent Health Report can be dealt with.

Their Motion says:

Torbay Council notes the Director of Public Health Annual Report - Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The report outlines a health crisis in our Community.

The Council notes in particular the warning signs in the report for Torbay in relation to smoking, mental health, sexual behaviour (including teenage pregnancy and abortion rates), child poverty and high levels of addictions, such as to drugs and alcohol. If they continue to be ignored, these problems will lead to severe public health problems in the future.

This Council also notes the high number and quality of the reviews undertaken by the former Health Scrutiny Board.

Councillors' regret that the work undertaken by the Health Scrutiny Board is now subsumed into the larger Stronger Communities Board.

This Council believes that the Stronger Communities Board is not focused enough to deal with the issues raised in the Health Report.

Torbay Council resolves that, in order to deal with the issues raised by the Health Report, the Health Scrutiny Board be reinstated.

Councillor Alan Faulkner said, "The Director of Public Health Annual Report raised a number of serious health issues that are facing Torbay. If the Council does not start tackling them now, then Torbay will have serious health problems in the future."

Councillor Ruth Pentney said, "The Council needs to have one stand alone Committee to look at the health issues facing Torbay. Health should not be part of a broader committee. The Health Scrutiny Board was in existence until the Conservative administration took over in May, and should be reinstated."