Adopted: Full Council, 088/26, 07.09.2026

Authority

The Health & Wellbeing Working Group is appointed by and solely responsible to St Agnes Parish Council. The Working Group’s purpose and duties are defined and agreed by Full Council, which may resolve at any time to modify them. The Working Group is an informal advisory body. It has no delegated decision-making or spending power and cannot commit the Council to any decision, policy, contract, action or expenditure. It will present recommendations to Full Council, or to the relevant Committee where Full Council has assigned a matter, for consideration and decision. The Working Group may only deliver or lead work that Full Council has expressly authorised. Any expenditure or use of Council resources must be supported by appropriate authority, approved budget provision and appropriate officer arrangements.

Purpose

The Health & Wellbeing Working Group will support the Council to develop, maintain and review a practical, evidence-led Health & Wellbeing Strategy for the Parish. The Strategy will bring together the Council’s existing work relating to children and young people, Library Outreach, community engagement, grant funding, communications and partnership working, and provide a clear framework for future priorities, actions and budget considerations.

The Strategy will be developed in thematic chapters. The Council’s existing Youth Strategy will be incorporated and will continue to form the basis of the children, young people and families chapter. Further chapters and action plans may address matters including mental wellbeing and social connection; financial wellbeing, advice and food security; physical activity, sport and play; accessibility and inclusion; community safety and crime prevention; emergency preparedness and lifesaving; healthy environments and green wellbeing; community facilities, Library Outreach, public information and digital inclusion; and governance, funding and measuring impact.

The Working Group will use local data, public consultation and partner insight to identify the health & wellbeing issues affecting the Parish, including loneliness, digital exclusion, access to advice, youth opportunities, food poverty, crime and perceptions of safety. This list is not exhaustive. Its work will focus on what the Parish Council can realistically and lawfully deliver, support or influence within its powers, resources and capacity, rather than creating broad or unachievable commitments.

The Working Group will not duplicate or assume the functions of Cornwall Council, health services, the police or other statutory or specialist bodies. It will coordinate with relevant Council Committees, Working Groups and officers where responsibilities overlap and refer operational or decision-making matters to the appropriate body.

Remit

The Working Group will:

  • Health & Wellbeing Strategy: Prepare, review and monitor the Strategy and its chapter-based action plan; recommend priorities, measurable objectives and updates to Full Council; and undertake an annual review.
  • Evidence and needs assessment: Gather and assess local data, consultation findings, community feedback, partner insight, service and outreach information, and outcomes from commissioned or grant-funded work; identify needs, gaps, barriers and Parish-wide priorities.
  • Children, young people and families: Incorporate and review the existing Youth Strategy; support the Council’s oversight of the Parish Youth Project and wider youth provision; promote youth voice; and recommend annual youth priorities and any associated budget requirements.
  • Library Outreach and community engagement: Work with the Outreach Coordinator to review and develop accessible Outreach for early years, children, young people, older and isolated residents and other identified groups, including literacy, creativity, intergenerational work, digital inclusion and access to Library services.
  • Public information, guidance and signposting: Recommend clear, accessible and trusted information through the Library, website, newsletter, social media and community contacts. This may include health and social care, financial wellbeing, access to advice, digital exclusion, scams and fraud, online safety, community safety and appropriate reporting or signposting routes.
  • Community safety and partnership working: Liaise as appropriate with Neighbourhood Watch, police, health and social care partners, schools, Citizens Advice, voluntary and community organisations, commissioned services, sports and recreation groups, community facilities and other stakeholders. Identify opportunities, share evidence, avoid duplication and recommend appropriate collaborations.
  • Funding, grants and commissioning: Consider how the Strategy should inform Council grant, commissioning and budget priorities; identify external funding opportunities; and recommend proportionate outcome measures. The Working Group may not determine grant applications or commit expenditure.
  • Practical and measurable action: Distinguish between what the Council can deliver, support, fund, commission, influence, advocate for or signpost. Recommendations should identify the intended outcome, lead responsibility, resource or budget implications, timescale, dependencies and how impact will be assessed.
  • Play Parks: Work with officers and the Asset Management Committee to develop and report recommendations on the long-term future of Parish play park, including accessibility, play opportunities, investment, external funding and any possible phased redevelopment.
  • Consultation and reporting: Support proportionate and inclusive engagement across the Parish; ensure public-facing material is approved through the appropriate Council process; and provide progress reports, findings and recommendations to Full Council or the relevant Committee as required.

Method

The Working Group will ensure that its goals, actions and recommendations are S.M.A.R.T.:

  • Specific: Well-defined, clear and unambiguous.
  • Measurable: Supported by appropriate outcomes, criteria and measures of progress.
  • Achievable: Attainable within the Council’s powers, resources, officer capacity and available partner support.
  • Realistic: Relevant and proportionate to the Parish Council’s role and the needs of the Parish.
  • Timely: Supported by clear starting points, target dates and review arrangements.

The Working Group will also ensure that its work is evidence-led, consultation-led, accessible and inclusive; targeted according to identified need, Parish benefit and feasibility; coordinated with existing Council and partner work; mindful of safeguarding, data protection and confidentiality; realistic about staffing and financial capacity; and transparent through regular reporting.

Membership

  • Membership will consist of a maximum of seven people, with a minimum of three appointed Parish Councillors.
  • Councillor members are established at the Annual Parish Council Meeting and thereafter, if Councillor vacancies arise, by the Full Council.
  • The Working Group may appoint community representatives.
  • The Working Group may elect a Chair, who shall be responsible for calling and running meetings and delegating actions with support from the Clerk.
  • It has the discretion to elect a Vice Chair.

Quorum

The quorum will be three members, to include at least one Parish Councillor. Where a meeting is not quorate, informal discussion may take place and notes may be recorded, but no formal recommendation may be agreed. Any proposed recommendation must be considered again at a quorate meeting.

Frequency of meetings

The Working Group will meet at least twice each year and additionally on an ad hoc basis as required. Meetings may take place physically, virtually or in a hybrid format where consistent with the Council’s arrangements.

Public Participation

There is no legal right for the public to attend Working Group meetings, as the Working Group is not a decision-making body of the Council. Admission of members of the public to a meeting will be at the discretion of the Working Group.

Public consultation and community engagement are separate from attendance at internal Working Group meetings. Public input should normally be gathered through agreed methods such as surveys, public events, written representations, stakeholder contact, the Council’s website, newsletters and social media. Any consultation material or public-facing information must be approved through the appropriate Council process before publication.

Record of meeting

Meeting minutes will be produced and submitted to Full Council at the next available meeting. When tasks are created and delegated, each will have a designated person of responsibility. They will have the duty of reporting on their task progress at each Working Group meeting, either in person or by way of a written report.

Review & termination

The Working Group may review its Terms of Reference as required and make recommendations to Full Council. Only Full Council may resolve to amend these Terms of Reference. The Working Group is ongoing and will terminate only by resolution of Full Council.