Decision details

That the  Cabinet Member for Health and Communities approves

a)    the continuation of the Social Connectedness work across the County for a further year from 01 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.

b)    the allocation of £0.200m from Public Health grant reserves to strengthen Social Connectedness work in Derbyshire Localities from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025 in accordance with the breakdown of allocations in section 4.13 of the report.

Social isolation has increased as a result of the pandemic. The Social Connectedness project outlined in this report will contribute towards building community resilience and provide continuity as we develop longer term plans.

: This is not recommended as social connectedness remains a priority across all localities.  This is also not recommended as the networks and infrastructure that have developed as a result of the social connectedness funding could form part of a future public health approach to community engagement, to building resilient communities through social connection and to the implementation of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Public Health departmental strategy.  This approach will be developed over the next 12 months.  Maintaining the social connectedness funding through this review period will allow the benefits to continue until a longer-term approach is developed. 

.  This is not recommended as the need for the (Covid) community champions work is now less acute than it was during and immediately after the pandemic and the activity is not clearly aligned with public health outcomes.  Projects and ways of working are now well established with a great deal of overlap and integration with the social connectedness work.  The most effective elements of the community champions project that support ongoing need can be fully integrated into the social connectedness work within the allocated financial envelope for that work.