Agenda item

 

This item is to receive a report and presentation providing an update in relation to how the Moving Rotherham Partnership is using grant funding secured to improve health across the borough through physical activity.

The Chair welcomed Councillor Baker-Rogers, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health and Gilly Brenner, Public Health to the meeting and invited Councillor Baker-Rogers to introduce the report and presentation.

 

The Cabinet Member, Adult Care and Health established the recommendations from the report and underlined the importance of increasing physical activity in terms of impact on population health in the context of lower than national average physical activity levels within the Borough.

 

They explained that the funding secured reflected a small part of overarching partnership work, which aimed to improve engagement, encourage system learning and embed physical activity within Rotherham’s communities in a meaningful and sustainable way.

 

The presentation, led by the Public Health Consultant, centred on the Sport England Place Expansion Programme and its implementation in Rotherham through the Moving Rotherham Partnership.

 

They explained that the rationale for Rotherham’s selection as a Place Expansion area was twofold. Firstly, the Borough faced some of the poorest health outcomes in the country, with high levels of physical inactivity, long-term ill-health, and entrenched health inequalities. Almost one in three adults in Rotherham were inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of exercise or physical activity per week, and inactivity was disproportionately concentrated in areas of deprivation and amongst people with long-term conditions and disabilities.

 

Secondly, Rotherham had demonstrated strong readiness for collaborative work. The Moving Rotherham Partnership was already well-established, and the Borough had a reputation for effective cross-sector collaboration, which made it an ideal candidate for Sport England’s investment in systemic change. The programme was not intended to deliver isolated interventions but to embed physical activity into the fabric of everyday life within Rotherham’s communities. Sport England’s emphasis on system change meant transforming environments, services, and community engagement in a coordinated way.

 

The Public Health Consultant outlined that the development grant awarded in April 2025, following Cabinet approval in March, enabled the Council and its partners to increase capacity and begin implementing a whole system approach. An action plan was developed to track progress and align partner activities with the programme’s goals and the initiative was aligned with national strategies such as the NHS Long-Term Plan, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Get Active Strategy, and local frameworks including the Rotherham Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

 

They described that the programme was structured around five strategic aims, the first of which focused on strategy and coordination. Partners were brought together under a shared vision, and a data and research officer was appointed to support evidence-based decision-making. This role involved gathering insight from communities and analysing data to inform future planning, including a bid for a main award in spring 2026. Systems leadership was also promoted, encouraging organisations to understand their roles in promoting physical activity and to work collaboratively.

 

The second aim was to increase physical activity across the population. This involved improving access to information and opportunities, ensuring that residents knew what activities were available and how to participate. A system leaders’ group and the Big Active Network were established to facilitate communication and coordination. The Big Active Network was open to anyone in Rotherham interested in supporting the initiative. A newsletter and extranet site were launched to share updates and news, such as recent coverage of disability football initiatives. Branding and communications work was also commissioned to unify messaging and promote awareness of physical activity opportunities. The goal was to build a shared identity around Moving Rotherham and to use behavioural change techniques to encourage participation.

 

The third aim targeted decreasing inactivity, particularly among sedentary populations. The focus was on making physical activity a natural part of daily life rather than something that required special effort. Projects included green space engagement led by Flux, which explored how local parks and outdoor areas could be better utilised to support physical activity. Previous public engagement had shown that residents valued being active in green spaces, especially with their families, and saw mental health benefits from being outdoors. The Yorkshire Sport Foundation conducted community pilots in target wards with high levels of inactivity, working with residents to identify strengths and opportunities for increasing activity. These pilots considered diverse needs, recognising that different cohorts, such as older adults or South Asian women might require tailored approaches. The work also aligned with South Yorkshire’s newly launched walking, wheeling, and cycling strategy, which aimed to create safe and enjoyable environments for children and families to be active.

 

The fourth aim addressed inequality of access to physical activity. People with long-term conditions and disabilities were particularly disadvantaged, and the programme sought to make physical activity more inclusive. A strand of work led by a member of the Public Health Team focused on inclusive physical activity, bringing together a network of stakeholders and hosting events with specialist speakers. The goal was to adapt mainstream physical activity offers to be more accessible to people with physical and learning disabilities and neurodiversity. The Every Move Counts referral hub, run by Connect Healthcare, allowed clinicians to refer patients with long-term conditions to supportive coaching. This coaching helped individuals find activities that were enjoyable and sustainable, whether that meant joining a specialist exercise class for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients or engaging in gardening, dance, or walking football. The emphasis was on long-term engagement rather than short-term programmes, with activities tailored to individual preferences and motivations.

 

The fifth aim focused on children and young people. Having recognised that children often started life active but may drop out as they age, the programme sought to foster lifelong engagement with physical activity. Successful events such as the school baton relay and school games, held as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture initiative, demonstrated the power of inclusive and fun activities. These events brought together children who had not previously participated in sport, and anecdotal feedback showed that some children were inspired to continue running and exploring local opportunities like the weekly children’s park run in Rosehill Park. The programme aimed to build on this legacy, embed co-production and family-focused approaches. It encouraged multigenerational activity, where parents and children were active together, which was seen as key to sustaining physical activity across throughout life.

 

The Public Health Consultant  advised members that since March 2025, considerable progress had been made. Key roles were filled, including a programme coordinator and a data lead. Community pilots, inclusive seminars, and branding initiatives were launched. Governance structures were refreshed, with the Moving Rotherham Board overseeing strategic delivery and the Big Active Network supporting broader engagement. The programme had built strong momentum and fostered collaboration across sectors.

 

They confirmed, however, that several challenges were identified. The tight timeline for preparing a bid for a main award in April 2026 posed significant pressure, particularly in terms of gathering high-quality engagement material and translating it into actionable intelligence. Sustaining partner engagement was another challenge, especially as the number of partners continued to grow. Whilst growth was positive, it required careful coordination to ensure alignment. Ensuring community expectations were managed was also crucial. Although the funding was substantial, it needed to be carefully allocated across multiple initiatives, and there was a need to communicate clearly about what could realistically be achieved.

 

The Public Health Consultant concluded by inviting Health Select Commission Members to join the Big Active Network and contribute to the ongoing work.

 

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and Public Health Consultant  for the report and presentation and invited comments and questions from Members.

 

Councillor Duncan asked for clarification on the refreshed governance structures and how the service would ensure that governance functioned effectively.

 

The Public Health Consultant explained that whilst the Moving Rotherham Board had existed previously, its membership had been reviewed to better reflect the evolving partnership. A new Systems Leaders Group was introduced to support Sport England’s systems leadership approach. This group included key delivery partners such as Places Leisure and Rotherham United Community Trust, alongside representatives from the voluntary and community sector, including Age UK and Voluntary Action Rotherham. Additionally, the Big Active Network was formalised to ensure regular engagement with individuals and organisations not directly involved in delivery but still committed to the movement. The governance structure reported into the Health and Wellbeing Board, with an update scheduled for November 2025.

 

Councillor Duncan also asked how the service would ensure that partners remained engaged and committed to the shared vision and strategic aims.

 

The Public Health Consultant acknowledged the challenge that posed and noted that each organisation faced its own pressures. However, they expressed confidence in the strength of local partnerships and cited Sport England’s praise for Rotherham’s collaborative spirit. She shared an example of Places Leisure sponsorship of the Rotherham 10K and securing national investment to support Couch to 5K programmes, which demonstrated how partners actively contributed in real terms to the broader vision.

 

Councillor Paul Thorp asked whether future funding would shift from system development to direct delivery of activities.

 

The Public Health Consultant confirmed that whilst the second round of funding would still be modest, it would focus more on sustainable delivery. She explained that rather than funding short-term classes, the emphasis would be on infrastructure, training, and community-led initiatives. For example, investment might support marked walking routes or heritage trails, which would require less ongoing funding than instructor-led sessions. They stressed the importance of sustainability and the need to build capacity within communities.

 

Councillor Thorp also raised concerns about cycling infrastructure and the accessibility of walking football. He suggested that safer cycling routes through parks would be more family-friendly and asked whether existing groups like U3A could be supported.

 

The Public Health Consultant acknowledged Councillor Thorps concerns but noted that walking football was already being delivered by various organisations and that the programme aimed to connect and support existing providers. They described a successful collaboration between Yorkshire Cricket and a local youth organisation, where training was provided to enable delivery in underserved areas.

 

Councillor Havard asked whether the programme linked with physiotherapy services, and cited resident concerns about broken equipment and limited support in some parts of the Borough.

 

The Public Health Consultant responded that early conversations were underway between Connect Healthcare and Places Leisure to explore embedding physiotherapy into leisure centres. She described how the Every Move Counts referral programme was designed to support individuals transitioning from physiotherapy into sustainable physical activity.

 

Councillor Havard also asked about the likelihood of securing the main Sport England award in April 2026 and the criticality of that to long term programme success.

 

The Public Health Consultant expressed confidence. They noted that Sport England expected a submission and would work with the Council to ensure it was appropriately framed.

 

Councillor Havard sought reassurance regarding extending activities to rural areas within the Borough such as Rother Valley.

 

The Public Health Consultant explained that whilst initial engagement had been targeted based on inactivity and deprivation data, the ambition was for a borough-wide movement. They welcomed insights from ward members to inform programme expansion and confirmed that Every Move Counts programme was accessible across Rotherham. Mapping work was underway to identify gaps in provision and ensure equitable access.

 

Councillor Brent expressed concerns regarding individuals who had negative experiences with sport in school for example, which had resulted in them becoming disengaged.  They asked how the strategy would engage those people who felt excluded from traditional physical activity and group sports.

 

The Public Health Consultant acknowledged the importance of individual relationships with physical activity and emphasised the programme’s focus on fun and inclusivity. They described how the school games targeted children who disliked PE and offered alternative activities like mountain biking and parkour. They also outlined growing interest in orienteering and other non-competitive forms of physical activity.

 

Councillor Clarke raised concerns about the accessibility of the Bike Hub, and reflected that it was often located centrally and not available within outlying wards.

 

The Public Health Consultant agreed to raise the issue with the transport team and highlighted the South Yorkshire Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy’s emphasis on enjoyment and accessibility. They expressed hope that future investment would allow for broader outreach.

 

Councillor Baum-Dixon echoed concerns about rural wards and noted that deprivation could be masked by surface-level affluence and that loneliness and isolation were significant issues. They suggested working with local stakeholders such as parish councils and community halls to extend reach into outlying communities.

 

The Public Health Consultant welcomed the insight and encouraged ward members to contribute to their ward plans. They emphasised the social benefits of physical activity in the context of loneliness and isolations and the importance of system change to broaden opportunities throughout the Borough.

 

Councillor Baum-Dixon also raised the issue of cycle lane connectivity and the need to support individuals transitioning out of competitive sport due to age or injury.

 

The Public Health Consultant acknowledged the importance of life transitions and described how the programme aimed to support people in finding new forms of activity. They cited national campaigns like ‘This Girl Can’ and ‘We Are Undefeatable’ as examples of efforts to re-engage people with physical activity. They also shared an anecdote about participation in the British Heart Foundation’s Strong Woman Challenge and how informal peer encouragement could spark renewed interest in physical activity.

 

Councillor Yasseen focused on the broader cultural shift required to address physical inactivity and obesity. They advocated for a more focused approach centred on walking and cited national survey data showing its popularity.

 

The Public Health Consultant agreed that walking was a fundamental part of the solution and described plans to support walk leader training and community-led walking initiatives, but emphasised the intention was diversification rather than focussing on one targeted activity. They also acknowledged the importance of engaging small community organisations with deep local connections to further that intention.

 

Councillor Yasseen wanted to understand more about capital investment in green spaces and the criteria used to identify targeted sites.

 

The Public Health Consultant clarified that the Playing Pitch Strategy was part of the broader Moving Rotherham Partnership programme and was not funded by Sport England. That was intended to assess community assets and inform future funding bids from sports governing bodies. They explained that initial engagement with green spaces was based on inactivity data and existing community engagement opportunities but confirmed that all areas of the Borough would be considered for future capital investments.

 

Councillor Harper asked about funding for football facilities and green spaces.

 

The Public Health Consultant reiterated that the programme aimed to attract additional funding from external sources and that Sport England had previously supported capital projects like solar panels for leisure centres. They emphasised the importance of gathering intelligence from all wards to maximise funding opportunities.

 

The Chair wanted to understand how people with disabilities, particularly those with complex needs, were being supported to increase their physical activity levels.

 

The Public Health Consultant explained that a dashboard was being developed to map data and community insights. They described the Inclusive Physical Activity Network, which aimed to mainstream accessibility in general activities and offer tailored opportunities and shared examples such as adaptive climbing and disability cycling, and highlighted recent news coverage of inclusive football initiatives.

 

The Chair thanked the Public Health Consultant for the responses provided and requested that any further questions members had were provided to the Governance Advisor who would liaise with service in order to obtain responses at a later stage.

 

Resolved:-

 

That the Health Select Commission:

 

1. Noted the Sport England Place Expansion Programme was a facilitator of wider activity work led and coordinated through the Moving Rotherham partnership to embed physical activity as part of everyday lives.

 

2. Considered the opportunity to champion the Moving Rotherham ambition within their wards and communities, promoting and identifying opportunities for residents to engage in physical activity and supporting collaboration across sectors.

 

3. Requested that service provide an update on the main bid in April 2026 and the implications of its success or otherwise on delivery of the overall ambition at an appropriate stage once this was known.