Active Cumbria programme update presented to councillors
Joint committee discusses five-year plan to enhance physical activity across county
Councillors were given an update on the delivery of the Active Cumbria programme at a meeting in Carlisle this week.
Members of Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Council’s joint overview and scrutiny committee (JOSC) met at Cumbria House in Botchergate on Monday (February 9) to consider the report.
According to the report Active Cumbria is an active partnership for Cumbria and is one of 42 such organisations that exist across the whole of England.
It stated: “In existence since 1999 it was originally hosted within Cumbria County Council, and more latterly in Cumberland Council following Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in 2023 and continues to provide services across the whole footprint of Cumbria.
“Active Cumbria has a team of 21 Officers (19.7 FTE) and is funded mainly through National Lottery investment distributed via Sport England, delivering a range of services aligned to Government and Sport England policy, which supports the ambitions of both Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Council Plans.
“As part of the funding agreement with Sport England, Active Cumbria has an Advisory Board, which consists of 12 members, who provide advice to the council on the operation of Active Cumbria.
“The Advisory Board is made up of eight independent members, plus the Directors of Public Health from both councils, and the Senior Manager as ex-officio members.
“Active Cumbria has developed a five-year plan with the stated mission of ‘improving lives through physical activity’ and takes both a universal and targeted approach to its work across the county to encourage more people to be physically active.”
According to the report Active Cumbria has identified four key systems it prioritises effort in supporting, these being health, local government, children and young people, and sport and physical activity.
It was recommended that members note the contents of the report and agree that future update reports regarding the work of Active Cumbria be added to the JOSC forward plan which was agreed.