Health Improvement Provisions of Parks and Leisure Facilities
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AGENDA ITEM SCRUTINY: HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE REVIEW GROUP 9 DATE OF MEETING: 15th June 2016 REPORT OF: Mike McMahon/ Alex Constantinides REPORT AUTHOR: Adam Divney/ Barry Timms TEL : 01582 547850 SUBJECT: Health Improvement: Provisions of Parks and Leisure Facilities PURPOSE 1. To provide Members with an update in respect to the current work programme to increase participation in health related activities within parks and leisure facilities. RECOMMENDATION 2. For Members to note the report and provide feedback, as appropriate. REPORT Luton’s strategic framework for increasing participation in sport and physical activity 3. Recognising the significant health and participation challenges that Luton is faced with regards to high levels of inactivity and therefore relatively low levels of participation in sport and physical activity, the Council has been working closely with Sport England and a range of local partners, including sports clubs and voluntary groups, sport national governing bodies, County Sports Partnership, Active Luton and local schools to introduce a strategic framework for increasing participation in the town. This has lead to the creation of three key documents, as detailed below. 4. The ‘Strategic Vision for Sport and Physical Activity in Luton’ (2013), provides an outcome-based framework and outlines the Council’s ambitions, aims and objectives in relation to sport and physical activity. The Strategic Vision also aims to provide: Clarity of priorities in times of austerity A means of securing resources through a clear, needs-based approach Ability to maximise use of resources through informed decision making A meaningful post 2012 legacy A framework to realise Luton’s sporting ambitions A platform to influence decision makers and ensure coordinated, evidence based approach to addressing physical inactivity across agencies. 5. Luton’s Playing Pitch Strategy (2014) and Indoor Sports Facilities Strategy (2015) both seek to provide a clear strategic framework for the maintenance and improvement of existing outdoor and indoor sports facilities and ancillary facilities until 2021. Specifically these strategies aim to: To protect and enhance levels of indoor and outdoor sports facilities To address issues of quality and management with regard to facility provision To maximise access to all indoor and outdoor facilities and in particular educational facilities To maximise investment into indoor and outdoor sports facilities 6. With the recommended strategic framework in place, LBC has taken the lead on setting up four distinct delivery groups to progress the many facets of the work, including a Sporting Environment Group, Sport and Skills Development Group, Health and Wellbeing Group and a reinvigorated PE and School Sports Strategy Group. 7. Herein follows information on a selection of the key projects, programmes and initiatives that the wider delivery group are currently focusing on to increase participation and therefore increase positive health outcomes for the local population. It should be noted that the focus of these updates are largely on the target population groups, as identified in Luton’s Strategic Vision for Sport and Physical Activity, and therefore doesn’t cover all of the activity that currently takes place in parks and leisure centres. 8. Increasing participation levels in women and girls. Me Time’ is the targeted and tailored offer from Active Luton for women and girls. There are a number of activities taking place across Luton, including on evenings and weekends, providing the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and fitness programmes. 9. As well as physical activities, the programme also provides links into coaching and mentoring to help develop local female leaders, mentors and coaches who can then in turn motivate others into participating. 10. In line with demand, the programme of activities continues to grow including, various aerobics classes (e.g. Yoga, Boxfit, Core Stability, Legs, Bums and Tums), Fit to Push (buggy fitness), Nordic walking, Circuit Classes, trampolining and also women-only gym and swimming sessions. 11. In addition to the community based sessions, all Active Luton gyms, swimming pools and classes can also be accessed. Sessions are delivered at a variety of venues, including leisure local centres and parks, but also those deemed ‘non- traditional’ and ‘community-based’, such as Maidenhall Primary School, Farley Community Centre, Denbigh Pool, St Peter’s Church and the Active Support Unit (Britannia Estates). The non-traditional venues are considered key in providing a local and familiar location for those people who may not have the confidence to take part in activity at larger facilities. All women and girls who register receive a Free Go for Less Card and a ‘10 sessions for £10’ voucher. The aim is to create sustainability by offering accessible, affordable activity at a local level. 12. Me Time is now in its final year (Yr3), with a total of 3500 women and girls aged 14+ engaged so far, 40 of which have attended training in leadership/sports and have gained an accredited qualification. 13. Increasing participation levels in disabled people. The ‘No Limits’ Project is a partnership between the Disability Resource Centre (DRC) in conjunction with the County Sports Partnership, Team Beds and Luton and Bedford Borough Council who secured funding from Sport England to create more sustainable opportunities for disabled people to take part in sport in Bedfordshire. Their key success story has been the launch of the Adapted Cycles, which are now available at Stockwood Park and provide the opportunity for disabled people to take part in regular sport, physical activity & exercise. 14. In terms of leisure centre activities, Active Luton has also now achieved Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) status at Inspire, Lewsey and Lea Manor Centres. The IFI accreditation scheme recognises the achievements and commitment of leisure facilities that enable disabled people to become physically active. The accreditation provides an inclusive platform for disabled and non-disabled people to be active together. 15. Increasing participation levels of BME communities. Building on previous evidence, Sport England and LBC commissioned Sporting Equals to undertake research in Biscot, Dallow and Saints wards to further understand the participation challenges associated with BME communities. Sporting Equals are a voluntary organisation that actively promote greater involvement in sport and physical activity by all communities that are disengaged, especially the black and minority ethnic (BME) population 16. The initial phase of this research saw a desk-based exercise completed, with the product being a report and Faith Centre Audit. The second, and crucial phase, saw Sporting Equals hold focus groups and ‘one to one’ interviews with key stakeholders to further understand the perceptions, motivations, influences and where sport fits into wider lifestyle trends. These explored why current provision isn’t meeting need and helped to gain insight into how offers can be developed to reach BME markets to help increase and sustain sporting behaviour. 17. Upon completion of the research report, a diverse working of group of local providers, officers and residents have come together to create a group named the ‘Central Activity Network’, who are now meeting regularly and taking forward the recommendations from the research. 18. In terms of leisure centres activities, Luton Borough Council and Active Luton have recently invested over £35K to reconfigure the changing rooms at Inspire Sports Village in order to ensure that they are more appropriate for culturally sensitive activities. New privacy blinds have also been installed at Lewsey Pool. 19. Increasing participation levels for young people. LBC, Active Luton and Sport England worked with the university on a ‘Practice Weeks’ project aimed at investigating the barriers to sport and physical activity for 16-25year olds. Practice Weeks are now an integral part of the University programme and aim to add a practical dimension to students learning to compliment their theory studies. Over 550 University students participated in a project with students designing questionnaires, online surveys and social media, as well as carrying out visits to the leisure centres, with a view to further understanding what some of the underlining motivational and behavioural issues may be with regards to young people’s participation. The results have been feed back to Active Luton in order to help shape their future service delivery in respect to the leisure offer for young people. 20. Another programme aimed at young people is KITS (Community Integration Through Sport), which has engaged with 420 hard to reach young people aged between 14-25 years using football, basketball, boxing and the gym as a tool to motivate this age group. In May 2016, a football tournament was help at LTFC with over 200 young people attending from all over Luton. Participation in sports activities – 21. Park Sports - the recent participation rates for parks sporting activities for the main sports have followed the pattern that has now been established over many years namely; football is continuing to decline in take up and in the table below sets out the number of pitches being made available for hire for the local leagues and clubs 14/15 15/16 Adult pitches 34 32 Junior pitches 36 35 Total 70 67 Cricket demand continues to grow for the same nine cricket squares with an increase in requests for booking up by 10% for the 2016 season. New facilities are required to be provided to satisfy this demand. With the focus on bowls the demand from the clubs has remained stable but this still means that there much spare capacity. 22. In terms of indoor sports, LBC has also been awarded funding from Sport England to complete a swim project that will be targeted at engaging those residents who cannot swim or do not currently participate in swimming. The initial insight work is to be completed during July-September 2016 by an external agency, with the intention to run a new programme throughout 2017.