How to increase physical activity levels in North Northants on Executive agenda
Parks, sports and leisure09 January 2025
North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive members will meet next week to discuss a new Active Communities Strategic framework - comprising of three strategies - designed to boost physical activity levels in the local area.
The new Framework sets out active communities’ priorities for the next 5 years and will feed into and influence other plans across the council. It also sets out the vision for North Northamptonshire Active Communities:
Creating cohesive communities where everyone can live active, happy and connected lives.Vision for North Northamptonshire Active Communities
Following extensive work, Executive will be asked to approve and adopt three new strategies, which sit within the Framework:
- Active Communities Strategy which provides an overarching vision for the future of physical activity, leisure and sport in North Northamptonshire.
- Leisure Facilities Strategy which looks at planning for appropriate leisure facilities to meet the needs of the increasing population in the area.
- Playing Pitch Strategy which provides evidence on the supply and demand for sports pitches to ensure there is suitable provision in the future.
If approved, the strategies will provide evidence to help with gaining external funding, including S106 (developer) funding, to help make projects and the actions identified a reality.
As part of the work to create the Framework, an analysis of all the active places across North Northamptonshire was undertaken, including country parks, leisure centres, the Greenway and community centres to help understand how they meet residents’ needs and where improvements could be made. This analysis will help the council understand what needs to be completed to help encourage more and better choices for active lifestyles. Work has already started on certain elements of the action plan with funding secured and work commencing on projects.
There has been a tremendous amount of time and effort to get to this point and I am so pleased we are now in a position to seek approval from the Executive for these important strategies, which carry on the great work already being completed by our Active Communities teams. A number of the projects highlighted in the action plan are already progressing following successful funding applications.Cllr Helen Howell, the council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism
The benefits of exercise and keeping active are well documented and the Chief Medical Officers have said that if physical activity were a drug, we would refer to it as a miracle cure. It is vital that we look at the service provision and when you look at the strategies together, they really would have so many benefits for residents both current and future and help the council work with partners to increase physical activity levels across North Northants.
As a council, we always aim to be forward-thinking, through our corporate and Big 50 visions, and these three strategies do just this. They take a wider look at the council’s approach to increasing physical activity and the broadest possible view of the types of activity, the environment and infrastructure which helps makes being active the easy choice for our residents.Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council
If the report is approved, these strategies will help inform future plans including securing external funding to deliver the recommendations in the Leisure Facilities and Playing Pitch strategies.
The Executive will meet on Thursday 16 January at 10am at the Corby Cube and the papers are now available to view online. The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube.