The Health and Wellbeing Board of Hertfordshire Council met on Monday 20 April 2026 to discuss a range of critical public health and wellbeing initiatives. Key decisions included the endorsement of the Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Strategy for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) for 2026-2029, and the agreement to extend the current Health and Wellbeing Strategy until March 2027 due to ongoing system uncertainties. The Board also noted progress on the Neighbourhood Health Framework and the establishment of a Neighbourhood Delivery Committee for Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire Multi-Agency Strategy for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Helen Maneuf, Head of Service for Strategic Partnership at Hertfordshire County Council, and Katie Vaughton, Senior Development Manager, presented the new Hertfordshire Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy 2026-2029. This strategy expands upon previous domestic abuse initiatives to encompass a wider spectrum of harm, including sexual abuse, stalking, harassment, FGM, and forced marriage. The strategy has been developed in partnership with various agencies and, crucially, with significant input from survivors of VAWG.

Key priorities of the strategy include:

• Priority 1: Act before harm occurs: Focusing on prevention, education, challenging harmful norms, and early intervention.
• Priority 2: Identify and stop those causing harm: Strengthening perpetrator identification, risk management, accountability, and behaviour-change programmes.
• Priority 3: Increase safety for victims and survivors: Improving identification, risk assessment, referral pathways, community services, and safe accommodation.
• Priority 4: Support after harm has occurred: Enabling long-term recovery through holistic, accessible, and community-based support.

Councillor Allison Wren commended the strategy as an excellent piece of work, and Neil Tester highlighted the thoroughness of the Equalities Impact Assessment. Jonathan Ash-Edwards noted the importance of relentless pursuit of perpetrators alongside support, while David Evans Evans expressed full support from the trust perspective, particularly regarding support for women with reduced mental capacity. The Board was invited to note the strategy and discuss how they, as senior leaders, could support its delivery.

Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy Refresh – Development Framework

Helen Maneuf, Executive Director of Adult Care Services, presented a framework for refreshing the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding NHS reconfiguration, local government reorganisation, and national reforms, it was proposed to pause the full refresh until April 2028. This approach aims to provide continuity and stability, avoiding duplication of effort.

Sarah Perman, Director of Public Health, expressed a preference for continuing the work, suggesting increased rigour in monitoring the current strategy's effectiveness. Ed Knowles, Director of Place, Neighbourhood and Partnerships for Hertfordshire Central East Integrated Care Board, proposed that work on neighbourhood delivery plans could inform a future strategy refresh. Neil Tester supported continuing intelligence gathering and analysis, emphasizing that delaying this aspect would only increase the workload later. Kate Vaughton welcomed the pragmatic approach, highlighting the opportunity for more ambitious collaboration.

The Board agreed to extend the current Health and Wellbeing Strategy until March 2027. They also agreed that a refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), strategy dashboard, and a progress report on the current strategy would be presented at the July meeting to support ongoing oversight.

Neighbourhood Health – National Framework, Planning, Governance and Programme

Ed Knowles, Director of Place, Neighbourhood and Partnerships for Hertfordshire Central East Integrated Care Board, introduced the national framework for Neighbourhood Health. This framework aims to organise health and care services around local communities, with Health and Wellbeing Boards playing a central role. The framework outlines five national goals, including improving health outcomes for priority groups, enhancing access to general practice, and improving patient experience.

Hertfordshire's Neighbourhood Delivery Committee (NDC) is proposed to translate national policy into local delivery arrangements, ensuring integrated planning and monitoring of neighbourhood health. The NDC will be a subcommittee of the ICB board and will have a strong connection to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards raised concerns about ensuring Hertfordshire receives a fair proportion of resources from the wider ICB. Ed Knowles assured the Board that place is central to the new structure, with resources aligned to Hertfordshire. Elliot Howard-Jones stressed the importance of retaining innovation and challenging national directives to meet local resident needs. David Evans Evans and Sarah Perman also spoke in support of the proposal, emphasizing the need for immediate action on the delivery plan and the importance of empowering local healthcare partnerships. Anthony Rowlands noted the potential for NHS structures to misunderstand the role of elected councillors, a point Ed Knowles acknowledged and committed to addressing. The Board agreed to note the proposed next steps and the establishment of the Hertfordshire Neighbourhood Delivery Committee.

Better Care Fund Framework 2026-27 and Expectations for Alignment to Neighbourhood Health

Helen Maneuf, Executive Director of Adult Care Services, presented the Better Care Fund (BCF) Framework 2026-27. The BCF has been successful in driving integration and already aligns with neighbourhood health principles. The report highlighted strong performance in key national metrics, including emergency admissions and discharge delays.

Councillor Alison Wren emphasized the importance of ensuring villages in rural areas are equally involved in neighbourhood health initiatives and can utilize local facilities as hubs. Sarah Wren highlighted the crucial role of the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector in prevention and the need for continued funding and engagement. Neil Tester raised concerns about national targets potentially overshadowing individual experiences and inequalities. Ed Knowles acknowledged the BCF's long-standing role in integrated care and its alignment with neighbourhood health. Fiona Turl and Hayley King provided further detail on the BCF's focus on adult services and its role as a funding pot for neighbourhood health. The Board was invited to approve the BCF Q3 2025-26 report and note the 2026-27 framework.

Age Friendly: Live Better Strategy and Delivery Plan

Mark Hanna, Chief Executive of Age UK Hertfordshire, presented the Age Friendly: Live Better strategy and delivery plan. The programme, funded by Public Health Hertfordshire, focuses on improving the quality of life for older people across eight domains, with an emphasis on health, wellbeing, and inclusion. The strategy has been developed through engagement with older people and multi-agency partners, leading to a focus on four key pillars: Community Health and Wellbeing, Participation and Employment, Home, and Transport.

Anthony Rowlands commended the programme and acknowledged its long-standing roots, thanking Mark Hanna and Natalie Kelly for their work. Sarah Perman highlighted the programme's alignment with NHS and social care priorities, particularly care closer to home, frailty, and end-of-life care. The Board was invited to endorse the strategic objectives and delivery plan, and to champion the programme through various means, including signing up to the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge.

Healthy Places and Whole Systems Healthy Weight Programmes

Claire Laurent, Associate Director and Consultant in Public Health, presented on the Healthy Placemaking and Whole Systems Healthy Weight programmes. These initiatives aim to reduce health inequalities by focusing on the environment and wider determinants of health. Healthy Placemaking involves designing places that support physical, mental, and social wellbeing, with a framework developed to embed these considerations into planning. The Whole Systems Healthy Weight programme addresses the complex factors influencing weight, shifting the focus from obesity to healthier weight and acknowledging issues such as underweight and malnutrition.

Sarah Perman emphasized the importance of national policy and regulation in driving change, alongside local efforts. Victoria Leitner provided details on Welwyn Hatfield's adoption of the Healthy and Safe Places Framework, scoring nine out of ten. The Board discussed the need for integrated working across all programmes and the importance of monitoring delivery. Councillor Allison Wren highlighted the need for a focus on rural areas and the potential for local facilities to act as hubs. Claire Laurent confirmed that the programmes would report back annually and that a public health dashboard was in place for monitoring.

Health and Wellbeing Board Sub-Boards – Progress Highlight Reports

Christine Oker, Senior Programme Manager, presented the progress highlight reports from the HWB Sub-Boards for Quarter Four (January to March 2026), along with feedback from the Community of Practice. The reports detailed activities and achievements from the VAWG Partnership, Drug and Alcohol Joint Strategic Board, Children and Young People's Commissioning Oversight Group, Better Care Fund Board, and the Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity Health and Care Partnership. Feedback from the Community of Practice highlighted support for the new Young Carers Service and the proposed approach to refreshing the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The Board was invited to note the progress, comment on the reports, and advise on any areas for deeper review.

The Board noted the dates of future meetings, with the next meeting scheduled for 22 July 2026. The meeting concluded with thanks to all attendees and contributors.