People Scrutiny Committee

8 October 2025

Report of the Director Housing and Communities

Neighbourhood Model Update

Summary

1. This report, supported by slides at Annex A, updates the committee on work taking place towards implementing a neighbourhood working or ‘Integrated Neighbourhood Team’ (INT) Model. The model aims to deliver improved outcomes for individuals, for communities, and for the wider system of services in the city.

2. Since approval of the design principles in December 2024, partners have been developing the practical building blocks for implementation, including a Shared Outcomes Framework, Neighbourhood Operating Principles, revised ward funding arrangements, and case study prototypes such as Frailty High Intensity User Teams.

Background

3. On 5 November 2024 the Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee received a report on the development of a York Neighbourhood Model (see Background Papers). This discussion then fed into the Executive Report where the design principles of the model were approved in December 2024.

4. At the November 2024 meeting, the scrutiny committee supported the devolution of services within the proposed Neighbourhood Model and welcomed further scrutiny as plans developed.

5. Since the Executive decision, teams have been considering how the model will be implemented across the four agreed areas. The attached slides (Annex A) provide the committee with an update on key workstreams underway, including:

a. Shared Outcomes Framework (co-produced with partners to align priorities across the system)

b. Staff Area Directories (building on the LiveWellYork platform to support navigation)

c. Neighbourhood Caretakers and Community Champions (roles to strengthen local resilience and pride-in-place)

d. Learning from other local and national models

e. Work with partners.

6. Further work is also underway to establish Neighbourhood Partnership Meetings, align ward funding governance, and prototype the first Integrated Neighbourhood Team focused on Frailty High Intensity Users.

Consultation

7. The York Health & Care Partnership Executive has been engaged in discussions around this model since March 2024, and the York Health and Care Collaborative is actively involved in development.

8. The Communities team has been undertaking ongoing engagement, facilitating conversations in community settings, community hubs, meetings and events. These conversations have been built around a series of themed prompts around ‘Environment and Green Spaces’, ‘Your Community’, ‘Connecting to Services’, ‘Getting About’.

9. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive in valuing local green spaces and the difference that having somewhere local to walk and relax is important. Also featuring highly in conversation was the importance of community hubs, somewhere local and accessible where people can socialise and find support if needed. The importance of social connections and access to information to know what is on locally came out strongly with suggestions of local newsletters and posters. Some sample comments:

· ‘Sometimes feels difficult to know who to talk to about what’

· ‘I can make a difference by encouraging friendships, looking out for my neighbours, and trying my best to reduce loneliness’.

· ‘There are some volunteer litter pickers which is good to see’

10. These conversations have also offered an opportunity to share local information and volunteering opportunities.

11. York Health Care Collaborative brings together health and community professionals and with a focus on developing a whole system approach utilising the neighbourhood model framework to maximise the impact of delivery to address health inequalities and support residents to lead healthy lives.

Options

12. There are no options to consider as this is not a decision-making report.

Council Plan

13. The Council Plan for 2023–27 One City, for All sets out the Council’s vision. Four core commitments underpin the Plan, and successful implementation of the Neighbourhood Model will support these as follows:

· Affordability – Accessing information, support and care closer to home, alongside financial advice, will positively impact those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

· Environment – The Neighbourhood Model will link with York’s emerging Movement and Place Plan, reallocating road space to create safe, sustainable networks for walking, wheeling, cycling, and reliable public transport.

· Equalities and Human Rights – The model is person-centred and holistic, supporting equity of access and tackling inequalities, in line with the Council’s statutory duties.

· Health Inequalities – NHS reforms and the Government’s Neighbourhood Health Centre initiative focus on prevention and community-based delivery. The Neighbourhood Model positions York ahead of these national reforms.

14. The model is also aligned with the NHS Long Term Plan (10-year health plan), which commits to shifting more care into community settings, strengthening multi-disciplinary teams, and tackling health inequalities.

Implications

15. Implications will be assessed as part of the Executive decision process. There are no direct implications of this update report.

Risk Management

16. Risks of working across council, community, voluntary sector and health partners were included in the December 2024 Executive Report and include:

· The challenge of defining a shared understanding of ‘integrated care’, which may result in different practices and priorities.

· Financial constraints and existing workforce pressures for both the council and health partners.

· Governance and data-sharing concerns limiting joint working.

· National policy change, given the scale of NHS reforms underway.

17. These risks are being mitigated through participation in the University of York’s Realising the Potential of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams programme, the development of shared outcomes, and the establishment of neighbourhood-level governance structures.

Recommendations

18. The committee is asked to note the progress made on workstreams and consider any comments or recommendations for consideration in the November report to Executive,

Reason: To enable Scrutiny to contribute to the development of the Neighbourhood Model ahead of further work and reporting to Executive.

Contact details

For further information please contact the authors of this report.

Author:	Chief Officer Responsible for the report:
Laura Williams Assistant Director, Customer, Communities and Inclusion Housing and Communities	Pauline Stuchfield Corporate Director, Housing and Communities
	Report Approved	ü	Date	26 June 2025


Wards Affected: List wards or tick box to indicate all					All	ü

For further information please contact the author of the report

Authors

Background Papers:

· ‘Design Principles of a ‘Neighbourhood Model’ for York’, Executive, 12 December 2025, Agenda for Executive on Thursday, 12 December 2024, 5.30 pm (item 68)

· ‘Locality Model – York Neighbourhood Model’, Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee, 5 November 2024, Agenda for Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 5 November 2024, 5.30 pm (item 28).

Annexes