Agenda item

In December 2007 the Authority introduced the ‘Champion’ role and allocated a notional budget per Member in respect of 4 subject areas.  These positions were currently filled by:

·        Community Safety – County Councillor Mark Perks;

·        Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Councillor Zamir Khan;

·        Health and Wellbeing – County Councillor Tony Martin;

·        Road Safety – Councillor Fred Jackson.

Reports relating to the activity of the Member Champions were provided on a quarterly basis to the Authority.  This report related to activity for the period up to December 2018.  During this period all have undertaken their respective role in accordance with the defined terms of reference.

Community Safety

County Councillor Perks presented his section of the report.  It was noted that the Age Safe Group had a planning meeting scheduled in January to confirm the activities for 2019 and were currently helping to develop the Winter Safety Campaign to run from January to March 2019 with the focus on fuel poverty and reaching out to LFRS for advice and help. The Dementia Task Group had continued to provide joint partnership Dementia Friends Sessions with Lancashire Police and were currently considering venues for the next event.   County Councillor Perks was still involved in attending fire safety meetings and had attended home visits with community fire safety staff.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Councillor Zamir Khan presented his section of the report. The Service celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, with a dress the desk competition, which raised awareness and understanding about the festival. As part of our fundraising work for George House Trust, the Trust ran a HIV awareness Training Session, the purpose of which was to provide some basic knowledge around HIV and its effects on staff.  Dyslexia Awareness week was 1-7 October 2018 and this was an opportunity to launch a new policy and the opportunities to support staff.

Health and Wellbeing

County Councillor Tony Martin presented his section of the report.  He supported the launch of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) which was introduced into the Service in May this year. The TRiM Practitioners were trained volunteers who had pledged to support peers by providing person-centered structured support in a safe environment where staff could feel comfortable discussing the impact a traumatic incident was having on their mental/physical health. TRiM Practitioners were not counsellors or therapists, but understood confidentiality and were able to listen to what staff had to say and they offered practical advice and assistance and signposted staff to services which could support them. The next steps were to fully embed TRiM support across the service and to enhance the wider Peer Supporter roles to support staff who were finding it difficult and not coping as well as they usually did.

County Councillor Martin advised that he would like to talk to officers further to look at the impact of the large fires (such as the Winter Hill incident) on the wildlife and environment.

Road Safety

Councillor Fred Jackson presented his section of the report.  He advised that he continued to attend the Road Safe Thematic Group.  He expressed thanks to all those involved in road safety education which, although difficult to quantify, he believed had made a positive difference in the behaviour of young people on the road.

RESOLVED: - That the Authority noted the report and acknowledged the work of the respective Champions.