Agenda item

Mental Health

It was moved by Councillor Mary Lea, seconded by Councillor Nasima Akther, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that:

(i)         1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year;

(ii)        the World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020;

(iii)       mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone;

(iv)       people with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK; and

(v)        there is often a circular relationship between mental health and issues such as housing, employment, family problems or debt;

(b)       believes that:

(i)         as a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health;

(ii)        mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning; and

(iii)       all Councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis; and

(c)        resolves to:

(i)         sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and YoungMinds;

(ii)        commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the Council;

(iii)       seek to identify a member of staff within the Council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health;

(iv)       support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces;

(v)        work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community; and

(vi)       work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Richard Shaw, seconded by Councillor Roger Davison, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (b) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (b) and (c) as new paragraphs (c) and (d):-

(b)         welcomes the steps taken under the previous Coalition Government by Liberal Democrat Health Minister, the Rt. Hon. Norman Lamb MP, to tackle inequalities in treatment between physical and mental health, such as:

(i)      introducing the first waiting time targets for mental health treatment;

(ii)     putting an extra £1.25bn into children and adolescent mental health services;

(iii)    improving access to talking therapies and early intervention; and

(iv)    improving diversion of people with mental health problems from the criminal justice system;

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-