The Better Lives Board leads the long-term strategic direction for Adults and Health services in Leeds. It brings together senior leaders, practitioners, and community representatives to make sure services support people to live well, live independently, and stay connected to their communities.

The Board is responsible for overseeing key priorities such as those outlined in the Better Lives Strategy – Leeds City Council’s commitment to making Leeds a place where people who draw on care and support can enjoy fulfilling lives. The strategy focuses on three key themes:

-Better conversations – valuing people’s voices and experiences

-Better living – promoting independence, dignity, and choice

-Better connections – supporting inclusion, relationships, and community

The Better Lives Board meets every two months, providing a space to monitor progress, share updates, and align city-wide efforts to improve adult social care and support. It also oversees important documents like the Leeds Local Account, which highlights how well services are performing and where improvements are needed.

To ensure that lived experience is at the heart of decision-making, Leeds Involving People (LIP) supports community representatives to sit on the Board and contribute directly to discussions. These representatives are trained and supported by LIP to:

-Review board papers in advance through a pre-meeting session

-Identify how community views and experiences relate to key agenda items

-Speak up on behalf of their communities during meetings

-Influence strategy and hold services to account

This community involvement helps the Board stay grounded in the reality of people’s lives. It ensures that decisions are informed not only by policy and data, but also by the real-life experiences of people who use health and care services in Leeds.

LIP’s Chair, Dr Margaret Wilkinson, also co-chairs the Better Lives Board, reinforcing the importance of lived experience and partnership at every level.