“As place-shapers, local authorities are at the forefront of this delivery and stand ready to support the development and implementation of this plan”.
Responding to a new report from The House of Lords Committee on a National Plan for Sport and Recreation, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture Tourism and Sport Board, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson said:
“The LGA is pleased to see that this report acknowledges the need for a radical shift in thinking and delivery at national level to better reflect the contribution sport and recreation makes to wider policy objectives. In addition to their vital role in supporting the health of the nation, increasing activity levels and tackling inequalities.
“We fully support the report’s recommendations to introduce a long-term, cross-government national plan to integrate sport and recreation services into health systems and to invest in sport and recreation at grassroots and community level. With inactivity levels rising and statistics showing disparities in physical literacy across the country, the current delivery and funding streams are fractured and ineffective to tackle inequalities. It’s vital that we embrace new ways of working and ensure communities have the same levels of access to achieve healthier lifestyles.
“We agree that a new, dedicated Minister for Sport, Health and Wellbeing leading this work would have an enormously beneficial impact on the health and wellbeing of residents in this country while reducing the burden on over-stretched NHS and public health resources.
“As place-shapers, local authorities are at the forefront of this delivery and stand ready to support the development and implementation of this plan".