Jo Turl (NHS Devon) and Matt Ward (Head of Strategic Development Projects) delivered the ‘West End Health Hub’ update to the Committee, and highlighted the following points-

a)     Plymouth’s planned West End Hub formed part of the national Cavell programme. Plymouth was one of the largest and most advanced of the 6 pilot projects;

b)    The National Cavell Board had expected to secure capital funding through the last Spending Review however, were unable to submit the case in time. The project had since received revenue funding of 2.6 million, which had been utilised to fund the project team and develop a fully compliant business case, which could be ‘shovel ready’ to commence building works as soon as capital funding was attained;

c)     The National Cavell Board had since been informed that there was no capital funding available within the current spending review, and were awaiting the results of the Autumn Review, which would be released shortly;

d)    The National Cavell Board were composing a business case to submit to the Treasury, for inclusion in the next spending review;

e)     The project was ‘live’ from a national prospective and supported the ‘Fuller stocktake’, promoting integrated services for health and wellbeing;

f)      Consultation had been undertaken with the public regarding future improvements and access to services;

g)     The National Cavell Board had always been clear they did not yet have the necessary capital secured to undertake this development;

h)    A full business case had been signed off by the Local Cavell Steering Group and sent to the Integrated Care Board, and region for approval. While not yet fully approved, initial responses had indicated that the business case met all criteria, except the acquisition of funding;

In response to questions from the Committee, it was reported that-

i)      The proposed site of Plymouth’s West End Health Hub was located in a ward with the highest levels of health inequalities and deprivation in Plymouth. News of funding delays were a significant disappointment to many;

j)      Significant resources had already been committed to the project, including the demolition of buildings and clearance of land. The Committee questioned the organisation and communication surrounding the project, which had not previously featured doubt of completion.

The Committee thanked Jo Turl and Matt Ward for the update and agreed-

1.     To reaffirm its strong support for the West End Health Hub project, part of the national Cavell Centre Programme;

2.     To recommend that the ICB should consider funding the project through their capital programme unless this risks the maintenance of critical health infrastructure;

3.     That at a future meeting of the committee, the ICB reports on the use of capital funding in Plymouth;

4.     To welcome the offer of Right Honourable Robert Jenrick MP to visit Plymouth and to broker a meeting. The committee requested that his successor honour this offer and visit to facilitate the meeting between the ICB, Council, effected GP services and NHS England to identify innovative or creative solutions to move the project forward.

Following this, the Committee considered passing a resolutionunder Section 100A(4) of the Local GovernmentAct 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meetingfor the following item of business on the groundsthat it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information asdefined inparagraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, asamended by the Freedom ofInformation Act 2000.

Councillor Tuffin proposed this motion;

Councillor Pengelly seconded this motion;

The Committee agreed this motion.