The Merton Council Health and Wellbeing Board met on Tuesday 10 March 2026 to discuss progress on key health and wellbeing initiatives across the borough. The meeting focused on the Merton Better Care Fund, updates on the Healthy Places strategy, and the annual public health report.

Merton Better Care Fund Q3 Report 2025/26

The Board received and noted the Better Care Fund (BCF) Q3 report for 2025/26. The BCF is a pooled fund, jointly managed by Merton Council and the South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB), aimed at integrating health, housing, and care services. The total fund for 2025/26 is £26,885,638, with 78% spent by the end of Quarter 3 across 50 schemes. While the target for avoiding hospital admissions for those aged 65 and over was not expected to be met, mitigations were outlined. The report detailed expenditure across various objectives, including proactive care, home adaptations, supporting carers, preventing hospital admissions, facilitating timely hospital discharge, and reducing long-term residential care.

Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy – Healthy Places Action Updates

The Board received updates on the seven actions within the Healthy Places priority of the Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030. These actions cover creating healthier environments, increasing physical activity, enhancing local employment opportunities, implementing climate strategies, improving housing standards, creating safe environments, and reducing poverty.

Key achievements highlighted included the launch of the Borough of Sport initiative, which has seen significant increases in active participation, and the development of a new playing pitch strategy with over £2.6 million invested in sports facilities. Active travel initiatives have seen the installation of segregated cycle routes and a borough-wide 20mph speed limit. The Employ Merton job brokerage scheme has helped place residents into new jobs and supported over 500 individuals. Climate action has included the installation of rain gardens and the planting of new street trees. The Safer Streets Neighbourhood Wardens team was launched in July 2025, and a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy was set to launch in February 2026. The Cost-of-Living Strategy has supported residents across five key areas, with numerous events and initiatives providing financial and practical assistance.

The Board was asked to support the development and progression of these activities, with members encouraged to champion initiatives within their own organisations and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Annual Public Health Report 2026-27: Merton on the Move

The Board discussed the Annual Public Health Report, which focused on physical inactivity. The report highlighted the importance of physical activity for both physical and mental health, noting a general trend of increased sedentary behaviour across England. It explored the barriers to physical activity for different groups, including societal, environmental, and technological changes impacting children and young people, and lack of time or family commitments for adults. Merton's Borough of Sport initiatives have been successful, rolling out over 45 programmes and reaching over 42,000 participants. The report's recommendations were endorsed, and it was agreed that paper copies would be provided to those with digital restrictions. The report's findings will inform the second year of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Merton Alliance Development

The Board noted the progress on the Merton Alliance development, which aims to formalise structures for collaboration between partners to address opportunities and challenges over the next 12-24 months. A memorandum of understanding was agreed in December 2025, outlining collaborative ways of working and an operating model for neighbourhood health and care.

Strong Communities Dashboard and Actions

The Board noted the Strong Communities Dashboard, which tracks seven key items. The dashboard highlighted an inequality in life expectancy between the most affluent and deprived areas of Merton, with males in the most affluent areas predicted to live 8.3 years longer than those in the most deprived areas. The Board also noted updates on actions related to community engagement, capacity building within the voluntary and community sector, aligning grant funding, and establishing an annual Health and Wellbeing Board celebration event.

Strong Communities Action 4: Support Community-Led Initiatives

The Board noted the report on supporting community-led initiatives through the Civic Pride and Community Climate Action Funds. These funds support projects aimed at upskilling residents, with examples including Merton Garden Streets and The Wheel. A further report was scheduled to go to Cabinet in February.

Healthwatch Update

The Board noted the update from Healthwatch Merton. It was reported that proposed national changes to Healthwatch organisations, including their potential abolition and the transfer of functions to other bodies, would require legislative changes. While there is no immediate impact on Healthwatch Merton, which is funded until March 2027, concerns were raised about safeguarding the independent, local voice beyond this date.

Joined-up Services Highlights

A verbal update was provided on the progress of joined-up services, highlighting significant reforms across health, care, and wider services. The focus is on earlier intervention, local working, and integrated support around individuals, families, and communities. A pilot programme in the Morden Primary Care Network, initially focusing on residents aged 65+, is due to start in September and will be extended to other population groups.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy Year 2 Actions

A verbal update was provided on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Year 2 Action Plan, covering priorities 1-4. The plan reflects on Year 1 activities and sets out actions for Year 2, with potential activities for Years 3-5. Key areas include children and young people's plans, child poverty, family hubs, healthy eating, and mental wellbeing. The strategy also embeds health and wellbeing considerations into planning and regeneration projects, with initiatives such as tree planting and the installation of sustainable urban drainage systems in schools. The report also touched upon the need for good quality temporary accommodation and the focus on employment and skills within the Growth Plan. Discussions also covered breast cancer screening services and work to tackle gambling addiction.