OVER the past year, the council has taken on a larger role in public health, working with our partners in the various parts of the NHS.

One area of focus is mental health, and Friday, October 10 marks World Mental Health day. A special event is being held tomorrow at the Central Library, where numerous local organisations will be on hand with free information and advice and I encourage people to go along.

According to Public Health England, around one in four of us will be affected by a mental health problem at some point in our lives.

This can place a huge strain on the individuals, their families, and friends, which is why we’re committed to promoting mental wellbeing and, working with our partners, supporting those experiencing mental illness.

The Swindon Health and Wellbeing Board, which I chair, considers mental health and wellbeing a priority for Swindon and has conducted several needs assessments relating to mental health to help achieve this.

Together with the Clinical Commissioning Group, which consists of local GPs and other health professionals, the council commissions a number of voluntary sector organisations to support people. This includes help for those recovering from poor mental health, as well as preventing their mental health from deteriorating, and these services cover all ages, from children and young adults to older members of our community. Our efforts to help people cope with dementia are also part of this wider programme.

We support the national Dementia Friends campaign, helping raise awareness, and improve people’s understanding, of the condition, which due to our ageing population is increasingly common. Awareness sessions are being held for council staff and out in the community in venues, such as libraries.

The council’s public health team is leading the development of a dementia strategy, which will work across providers to increase awareness, enhance services offered and improve the experience of those living with dementia and their carers.

Sometimes you will hear the term “a dementia friendly society” used to describe this work.

We also commission a Mindful Employer Scheme, which works with Swindon employers to help them understand and support their employees who may be experiencing poor mental health. All of this work is vital, and it marks a radical departure from the Council’s traditional role. One of the reasons we spend less money on universal services like street lighting, grass cutting, or litter picking is because we now, as part of our statutory duties, focus more on our caring roles, providing personalised support for more vulnerable members of the community.