Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Culture, Leisure and Tourism

and Service Lead – Active & Healthy People.

The Service Lead Active and Healthy People presented the report which provided a further update from March 2023 for Members on work undertaken and planned under the Live and Move Strategy, across Exeter and Cranbrook, with the aim of increasing health inequality and physical activity. The report also provided an opportunity to highlight the Council’s programme of work around physical activity and well-being in local communities, an update on the Sport England delivery pilot and an explanation of a focus and data collected from survey work carried out over the last 12 months to highlight the work in the city The team had embarked on a process to extend their work with Sports England, making an application for funding until March 2028.

A combination of the report and a background presentation (attached to the minutes) detailed the main points in the survey.

The Service Lead Active and Healthy People advised that an independent academic evaluator from Exeter University ensured that an objective robust evaluation was made of all of the work the team does.  The level of data from the enhanced local active live survey was unique to Exeter, which together with feedback information from residents and their focus groups meant the team  were able to target their resources and work where it was needed the most.  The enhanced survey had been carried out in May 2023 and targeted 2,000 residents in the 20 priority areas in the city with the highest rates of inactivity and the poorest health outcomes. The study period from April 2022 until March 2023, analysed behaviour for the period when moving out of the pandemic, and a further evaluation would be made in a year’s time to study any further physical activity habits.

The Service Lead Active and Healthy People responded to the following questions:-

·           all of the data and information feeds into the digital strategy work led by Jo Yelland, Director as part of the Council’ customer services and strategy work.

·           the target for Active Travel England was agreed through the development of the Exeter Transport Strategy. The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) was a local target that aligns with best practice and was set in advance of Active England’s targets.

·           the important objective within the Playing Pitch Strategy was to develop a network of community sports hubs, such as the Exwick Sports hub which was created in partnership with Exeter College and managed by the Exeter Community Trust. The aspiration was to develop more sites and continue explore options for community led projects, and that might include seeking community assets transfer opportunities. As part of this theme, there had been some discussions relating to the changing rooms at the King George V Playing Fields. They team would have to reflect on their capacity to secure additional investment in their current programme of work.

·           regarding the facilities at Bromhams Farm Playing Field, he would continue to engage with local partners, including Exeter College, the café owner, the Devon Wildlife Trust and the Exeter Spitfires baseball club who would like to consider that as their base.

·           the data output covered the 20 priority areas.

·           the priority areas did not include a student classification, but the team were aware that younger people had contributed to the city wide data which showed an increase in young people walking and an exercise to compare the data with the 20 areas and the city wide data would offer a breakdown of the people walking in the city.

·           rather than any behavioural tracking devices which would have meant a significant investment for the Council and Sport England, the surveys were conducted by field work on the door step and covered a 12 month period.

·           key policy interventions in relation to cycling, would require a systematic approach at national and local policy level. There should be a balance of infrastructure and behavioural change on the ground, working with schools, residents and community activity organisers who set up the local walking and cycling groups and who understand the local area. It was about having the positive experience of going for a walk and cycle and that could only be done if the investment in the infrastructure was in place.

·           data from the Devon County Council, and Public Health data had informed the 20 priority areas and the Live and Move team were working in those parts of the city using information from the JSLA, and Sport and Active Lives. The data collected was being fed back to Public Health colleagues to include that information on their web sites and help inform policy decisions. 

·           in the context of walking and cycling the team have contributed significantly to the development of the walking and cycling infrastructure plan with Planning, the Parks and Open Spaces team, and the focus on walking and cycling as the first mode of transport. There was further consultation in this regard and he awaited the detail.

·           he would ensure Members were included to the discussion with local stakeholders on the future of the changing rooms and wider Playing Pitch infrastructure at Bromhams Farm Playing Field.

·           Cowick Barton Playing Field had been included in the survey. There was the potential to work with the community there, to improve activity levels, encouraging people to use the space for walking, cycling and informal recreation. An approach from local organisations in relation to the changing facility at Cowick Barton Playing Fields would be explored by both the Parks and Open Spaces and the Corporate Property teams.

·           a further update would be provided in six months, and he would also continue to provide information on the data though the web site and the Scrutiny Bulletin.

Strategic Scrutiny Committee noted the progress made against the strategy, and its contribution towards key priorities in the City Council’s Corporate Plan.