Our Health is Linked to the Area We Live In & The Way Our Council Supports Its Residents
We know that if we can create a healthy community in Shoebury and support our members with information, it will not only offer informed choices, but it supports our health & wellbeing. We need to find a way of linking the whole of Southend as a united City where we can work together, but this has to start with our Council.
Since Covid, our Council spends most of its time fighting between various parties rather than working together, and THIS HAS TO CHANGE
Councils play a key role in supporting mental health across all ages in their communities. Their role includes maintaining good mental health, preventing deteriorating mental health, and fulfilling statutory roles and responsibilities.
A large and growing body of research shows that good mental health is essential for individual wellbeing, a happy, healthy society, and a prosperous economy. A recent estimate by the Centre for Mental Health put the cost of mental ill-health at close to £120 billion a year, taking into account the cost of health and social care, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life.
Unfortunately, mental health problems are on the rise, with increasing demand on services and more complex needs. This was already happening before COVID-19, but the pandemic has undoubtedly made the situation worse.
This is part of a report produced by the Local Government Association:
We know that the environments in which we live are inextricably linked to our health throughout our lives. Research increasingly shows that the design of our neighbourhoods, including homes, public spaces, and access to services, can influence physical activity levels, the food we eat, travel patterns, social connectivity, mental and physical health, and wellbeing outcomes.
If we can create places where it’s easy to adopt healthier behaviours, we will not only help prevent illness, improve people’s lives, and reduce health and social care costs, but actually create health and wellbeing throughout communities. This can also positively drive productivity and good growth.
At a time when the link between our environment and health is more evident than ever, councils play a pivotal role in fostering healthy neighbourhoods.
Chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board:
“I am proud to present this comprehensive report, which aims to provide a practical and unified document outlining the powers of councils in planning and public health. Since the transfer of public health responsibilities from the NHS to councils in 2013, there has been renewed focus on the relationship between the built environment and health. Over a decade later, national interest in this area has revived. Many local areas are taking innovative steps to proactively address this intersection, such as East Sussex, Sheffield, Liverpool City Region, and Southampton, all featured within this report.
This comprehensive guide aims to illuminate the tools and empower councils to lead in developing healthy places. It also provides valuable recommendations to councils and national governments alike to guide our efforts.”
Role of Councils in Creating Health
Councils are well-placed to lead on health creation given their historic scope, current practices, and potential.
Councils have, for example, significant influence over our health through their planning functions. Town and country planning emerged as a tool in the 19th century to improve health conditions and quality of life, particularly in urban areas. To this day, an objective of England’s planning system, as defined by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), is to “support strong, vibrant, and healthy communities.”
Furthermore, public health powers were transferred to councils from the NHS through the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. As a result, councils have a duty to take appropriate steps to improve the health of people in their area through various powers and practices.
Notwithstanding the extreme funding pressures being faced, and the need for this to be resolved to allow councils to realise their potential, reconsidering existing powers and practices through the lens of health creation—facilitated by strong leadership and partnership working that puts health and wellbeing first—has the power to create significant and positive change.