Image
The strategy will set out the council’s priorities to improve physical activity participation, while reducing inequalities in activity levels across the area over the next three years (2023-2026).
Residents are being invited to share:
- how active they are,
- how important being physically active is to them,
- which activities people take part in, where and when, whether they take part alone or with others, and their reasons for taking part in activities, and
- details of any barriers that prevent them from being active.
The views provided within the consultation will help council officers to understand what residents want and see as priorities. It is planned for the strategy to be published in late 2023 once it has been considered and approved by local health and place scrutiny panels.
Councillor Mike Bell, North Somerset Council’s deputy leader and executive member for health, said: “We are a council that cares and wants to empower communities to live healthy and happy lives. Part of this is making sure all of our residents and communities have the chance to be physically active and move more – whether that’s through everyday activity or in formal sports and fitness groups and classes.
“We want to create opportunities to help everyone in North Somerset be active, regardless of age or fitness levels. As well as supporting physical and mental health, we want our new Physical Activity Strategy to help connect and strengthen our communities and local economy. Your views will help us prioritise our work to do this and reduce inequalities.”
Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council's executive member for neighbourhoods and community services, added: “Participation in physical activity is affected by a range of factors including time, health, support, confidence, motivation, cost, facilities, transport and knowledge of local opportunities.
I encourage people to take part in the consultation – the survey is quick and easy to complete – so that we can design a strategy that aims to address these barriers and really make a difference to the quality of people’s lives. We are a council that is committed to being open and transparent. That’s why we ask our communities for their views, we’ll listen and show we’re listening.”
During the five-week survey period, the council is also seeking feedback from organisations including formal and informal sports and physical activity clubs, groups, schools, town and parish councils.
To find out more and take part in the survey before 2pm on Friday 28 October, visit: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/physical22.
To find out more about North Somerset’s Physical Activity Strategy, visit: www.betterhealthns.co.uk/information/pa-strategy.
This project is being jointly led by the council’s public health and leisure teams. The public health team delivers physical activity programmes to support residents to be physically active. Their focus is to help inactive groups and reduce inequalities in participation. For further information about local physical activity offers and support available, visit the Better Health website www.betterhealthns.co.uk/get-active.
The leisure team focuses on the delivery of the council’s Sport and Leisure Facility Strategy. This identifies the need for the provision of new facilities associated with new housing developments, community development and works closely with contractors on the continued delivery of leisure facilities across North Somerset.