“Leisure centres play a key role in supporting the recovery of the nation; enabling active lives and tackling health inequalities through the provision of safe, low cost facilities.”
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said:
“The Government’s new Health Incentives programme is an exciting approach to encourage people to get active and make healthier choices. The LGA supports drawing on the resources of businesses, public and private sectors to work collaboratively in opening up opportunities to residents of all ages and backgrounds. However, to enable people to exercise, it’s vital that they have access to high quality facilities, which will require significant government investment of at least £700 million to redesign, upgrade and renovate to the standard needed.
“This is supported by a recent Moving Communities report, which highlighted that 86 per cent of respondents prefer exercising in a leisure centre. The report also revealed that leisure centres were also the preferred way to exercise for those living in more deprived communities.
“Leisure centres play a key role in supporting the recovery of the nation; enabling active lives and tackling health inequalities through the provision of safe, low cost facilities.”