5 - Health & Wellbeing

5. Health & Wellbeing

From the Parish Plan survey: Residents regard health & wellbeing as important, with a third of leisure journeys involving walking or cycling; footpaths are rated as important by two thirds, cycleways by nearly hald and bridleways a third. Greatest demand for activities in the village was various forms of keeping fit (1 in 5 respondents). Two thirds of respondents would like a doctor's surgery in Hatton Park.

6. Road Congestion & Air Pollution

An important issue for the parish which relies almost exlusively on the busy A4177. Just over hald of respondents consider the volume of traffic or the dangerous junctions on this road to be a problem.

Most households depend on cars, three quarters for work and half for school, shopping and leisure. A third use buses for school, but less than a tenth for shopping trips and 5% for work and leisure journeys. Half of the journeys made by bus are to Warwick and a third to Leamington. Overall this travel pattern is not conducive to sustainable development nor helpful in combating climate change.

Hatton has very few public facilities. the Ferncumbe School at Hatton Green is thriving and very popular, but probably has limited scope for expansion. There are village halls at Hatton and Hatton Park, a very small shop at Hatton Park and all weather sports area and children's playground at Hatton Park. the shop has almost closed on at least one occasion and the Hatton Park Village Hall has struggled to find volunteers to run it.

Scenario 1 with its low levels of growth would most closely match the views of Hatton residents and be most appropriate for this Parish.

The uncertain future of the economy is an issue of concern to everyone in the Parish.

Residents would wish to see economically strong, vibrant and attractive town centres given that they rely on them for many of their needs and services.

5 - Health & Wellbeing

Provision of polyclinic at Priory Road should be considered. A strategy for improving the quality of Warwick's parks and open spaces would provide mulitple benefits, socially, economically and in health terms.

6 - Traffic & Air Pollution

Volume of traffic passing through Warwick town centre. Air quality needs improving in Warwick town centre.
Accessibility at and to-and-from Warwick rail station is poor.

5: Health & Wellbeing
As noted, the Scenarios with average to high levels of new development will put pressure on existing facilities. Planned housing growth over coming years will put a strain on the existing infrastructure and any impact upon heritage and cultural assets should be accounted for in spatial strategies. We would argue that a proportion of funding from any new developments be ring fenced to ensure adequate levels of cultural and heritage facilities are maintained, to meet increased demand.

Data and resources available:
The standard charges for our sector were developed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with the Department for Communities and Local Government, and other non departmental public bodies (MLA, ACE, CLOA, nalgao, TT, SCL, SA, NA).

These charges build on the results of systematic survey research designed to assess appropriate levels of provision for cultural at local level. The survey covers cultural provision which is community based and managed by local authorities, or otherwise regularly publicly funded.

Detailed geographical mapping of public sector heritage and cultural facilities in Warwick District and surrounding areas, including drive times from venues, catchment areas, venue type(s) and floor space. The mapping allows us to see distribution and reach of facilities, and to identify 'cold spots'.

6: Congestion & Air Pollution
I believe Adrian Hart and Alan Law recently met with your Gary Stephens to discuss our highway and transport input into the preparation of the Local Plan. It was agreed that WCC would carry out some technical work on transport, with a view to providing him with the results of this by the middle/end of August 2011. These will be used to inform the District Council's decision relating to future levels of growth.

5: Health & Wellbeing

We are also surprised at the omission of any expression of the necessity for improving psychological well-being, or happiness. It appears only obliquely in point 5 and as the negative of 'crime and the fear of crime' in point 10. In our view, improving the quality of life requires a focus on non-materialistic as well as economic success. It can be contributed to, for example, by helping cohesion across generations, by broadening opportunities for participation in decision-taking, and by strengthening the sense of place and belonging. This important issue should be added to those to be dealt with in the plan.

We have read thorough the New Local Plan and the Appendices/Background Technical Papers. Our concerns are not around the New Local Plan (NLP), but rather the evidence with under pins it.

We are pleased to see that our data in from the Active People Survey is being used. Data is released on an annual basis (with interim figures released every six months). We would suggest you utilise the most recent figures available figures and these are included in the Local Sport Profile (free to download via the following link http://www.sportengland.org/research/local_sport_profiles.aspx) this illustrates a baseline figure from the Active People Survey (APS) 1 (1,000 sample for each local authority area October 2005/ October 2006) of 25.7% measured against 3 x 30 minutes of moderate activity per week and a figure from APS 3 and 4 (a combined 1,000 sample October 2008 to October 2010) of 25.3%. While this decrease is not a statistically significant it is nonetheless a trend which the New Local Plan should contribute to reversing in ensuring provision for sport and active recreation within the District. These figures also demonstrate that Warwick figures are well above both West Midlands and England-wide averages.

Sport has been shown in successive studies to play an important role in improving health and well being. PPG 17 in its introduction states: health and well being - open spaces, sports and recreational facilities have a vital role to play in promoting healthy living and preventing illness, and in the social development of children of all ages through play, sporting activities and interaction with others. P 9 of NLP point 5 highlights that health is an important issue which the plan would seek to address, particularly for young people and teenagers to have access to sport. DCMS publish the Culture and Sport Evidence Programme http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/5698.aspx. In July 2010 a report 'Drivers, Impact and Value of Engagement in Culture and Sport' demonstrated the contribution sport makes to wider societal good. This highlights the positive benefits in numeracy for young people involved in sport and particularly the very positive contribution involvement in sport can have in under-achieving young people (see http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/research/CASE-supersummaryFINAL-19-July2010.pdf (page 27 of 42)) Page 38 of 42 of the same document measures the long-term public benefit of engagement focusing on health gains from taking part in sport. A model based approach was utilised in line with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. It estimated the impact of doing sport on the likelihood of experiencing four different health states: chronic heart disease (CHD), colon cancer, stroke, and type II diabetes. These effects were then valued in terms of health costs avoided and health-related quality of life gains. It shows the healthcare cost savings and the overall economic value (health care costs saved and improved health-related quality of life) generated by doing sport. These vary between £1,750 per person (badminton) and £6,900 per person (health and fitness), and that the total economic value generated by doing sport varies between £11,400 per person (badminton) and £45,800 per person (health and fitness). The variation in value is a result of two factors: the intensity level of the activity, and the duration and frequency with which a sport is undertaken.

We would once again urge WDC to carry out a robust playing pitch assessment. It is the only Warwickshire Local Authority who has not started this vital piece of work. In the same vain, most Warwickshire authorities have either commissioned or are completing a Sports facility strategy. These piece of work not only help to define how need for a number of sports are being met currently but they also highlight shortfalls which need to be addressed.

Once these assessments have been completed and strategies have been produced, it allows for targeted external funding to be sought. For example Sport England has recently launched its Protecting Playing Field imitative. One of the pre-requisites for a local authority bid is a robust playing field strategy. Currently Warwick District Council would be unlikely to achieve a successful bid to this fund.

Returning to the aspiration for having sports facilities to meet the needs of the district, another of our tools, Market Segmentation, which can be used to get a overall picture of the current interest in specific sports from the local population: (http://www.sportengland.org/research/market_segmentation.aspx). This can help target resources to where they can be most effective. These will help the council be better informed in tackling issues raised on p13 of the NLP by creating the best opportunities for specific sports in certain areas.

Sport and active recreation have also been proved to be important contributors to local economic health http://www.sportengland.org/support__advice/local_government/shaping_places.aspx
. Sport can lead regeneration by engaging the communities in the improvement of their area, creating employment and training opportunities. It would therefore be appropriate, in our opinion to include the benefits of sport in the overall vision.

It is also important to recognise that those working in and visiting business parks and town centres will generate additional demand for sport and recreation activities. This tends to be at the peak times early morning at lunch times and late afternoon and early evening. Sport England recommends that this is fully assessed and that appropriate consideration is given in the core strategy to this issue. Recreational and sports facilities in or close to town centres can provide additional attractions that can support the viability of centres.

The economic benefits of sport in the West Midlands is also recognised and a Sport England survey in 2008, showed continued growth from 2002 with over £2.1 billion spent on sport-related goods and services in the region in 2008. In the same year, consumer expenditure on sport accounts for 2.9% of the total expenditure in the region, the highest percentage among the English regions. Compared with 2005, there is a 39% increase in sport-related consumption. During the period 2003-2008, the proportion of total consumer spending on sport has increased from 2.4% to 2.9%.

Sport and associated industries are estimated to employ 54,200 people in the West Midlands. This represents an increase of 23% over the period 2005-2008. During the aforementioned period, the percentage of sport related employment in the region increased from 1.8% to 2.2%. Employment linked to the sport-retailing sector increased very strongly during the 2005-2008 period, reaching 5,400 people employed. The region bucked the recession trend in all sport related indicators. Sport therefore plays a vital role in the economy in the West Midlands and in particular in Warwick DC. The Local Sport Profile for Warwick identified above also incorporates economic performance in sport data for the District area. This illustrates that in terms of Sports Business Birth Rates, Warwick's growth is above that of West Midlands over a similar period (2006-2009) but below England figures. Equally Warwick performs well in comparison with regional figures in terms of new sports businesses as a proportion of all new businesses. Overall there is a fluctuating picture in terms of employment in sports related businesses compared to whole local economy employment when comparing Warwick, regional and national figures.

The headline findings for the participation in sport, the number of sports related business and an indication of the main interests in particular sports, can be found on our web site; http://www.sportengland.org/support__advice/local_government/local_sport_profiles.aspx We are enclosing a copy of the headlines for Warwick District Council. (This takes information from Active People and Market Segmentation.)

Sport England has developed extensive guidance for local authorities to assist them in the development of LDF policies and documents that include policies for sports facilities. The link to general guidance on policy development for sport on Sport England's website is below:-
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning.aspx

The advice on Sport England's website specifically includes policies for inclusion in core strategies and includes a checklist of potential policy content relating to sport and some examples of good practice. This can be accessed at:-
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/developing_policies_for_sport.aspx

Core Strategy Policies should also place a strong emphasis upon designing quality places, which includes high quality public places and the promotion of walking and cycling. A document you may wish to draw upon in developing your approach (and refer to in your list of useful document) is Active Design, which suggests practical ways in which good design can facilitate a more active and sporting community. This can be downloaded from our website at:-
http://www.sportengland.org/facilities__planning/planning_tools_and_guidance.aspx

Sport England believes that the Core Strategy should contain within its vision and objectives the ability to maximise the opportunities for and the benefits of sport in the community and to integrate future developments with the existing community. A series of recent publications by Sport England have been prepared under the banner of 'Shaping places through sport' which emphasise this opportunity.
http://www.sportengland.org/support__advice/local_government.aspx

Sport England would also like to advise that, the previous National Sports Strategy, 'Game Plan', the Government's strategy for delivering sport and physical activity, has been replaced by Sport England's Strategy 2008-2011. This can be accessed on our website at:
http://www.sportengland.org/about_us/what_we_do.aspx

In conclusion, Sport England believes the baseline data in certain areas is not to be robust enough to underpin the aims and objectives of the emerging Warwick Local Plan. We would therefore advise that WDC employs the tools we have set out above to create a robust evidence base for sport within the local authority boundaries.

We trust that these comments and observations are helpful and we would be grateful if you could keep Sport England apprised of the progress of the New Local Plan in the coming months. In the meantime if you require any clarification of any of the points raised above please do not hesitate to contact us.

5 Health and Wellbeing

Issue 5 recognises that people need to relax and have the opportunity to access leisure facilities but for continuity we suggest that the title of the background paper is used here to delete the word 'cinema' and insert leisure, recreation, arts, cultural and community events.. Using one word as an example of a particular group does not provide, in our opinion, adequate explanation of a strategy which incorporates many other components.

We don't see Issue 5 reflected here and suggest another bullet point is added to ensure that existing leisure, arts, cultural facilities and tourist attractions (which would include Warwick Castle and Packwood House) will be protected and enhanced as the foundations for any further developments. We are concerned that your tourism attractions are not receiving any specific attention in the issues and objectives.

---

Objectives

Suggests that tourism should be included alongside retail and leisure as facilities which need continuing improvement in the three towns.

There is an overlap between Objectives 3 and 15 as the word 'leisure' is used in both these statements. We suggest Objective 3 focuses on town centre vitality through shops so that Objective 15 deals only with leisure and culture matters.

We suggest that Objective 11 should use the term 'community facilities' for clarity with a description such as, the provision of retail, social, health and educational needs of the community.