LGA responds to Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report on health in coastal communities

“No community should miss out on the opportunity for better health and wellbeing, if we are to build back better from the pandemic.”


Responding to the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report, which includes a recommendation for a cross-government national strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of coastal communities, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

“Coastal areas, despite being associated with holidays and beaches, often mask significant pockets of deprivation and poor health, as this report highlights.

“Port cities, seaside towns and coastal villages should have access to the same opportunities as everywhere else if we are to level up the country. Councils would be able to better plan how to provide services and meet the needs of people if there was greater collated information by government on the health of local populations.

“Local authorities are already finding new and imaginative ways to reach out to their residents to help them live healthier lives, such as offering stop smoking services, weight loss classes and providing exercise activities.

“No community should miss out on the opportunity for better health and wellbeing, if we are to build back better from the pandemic.”