Next steps
In this report, I've talked about the benefits of physical activity, how much physical activity we should be doing and how current physical activity levels vary in different groups of people. I've also looked at how capability, opportunity and motivation lead to behaviour change, and how, through adopting a whole systems approach, organisations working across Kirklees can collectively support our population to be more active.
I've also highlighted some of the many assets we have in Kirklees, which are helping people to move more. The case studies in the report give a flavour of how these assets are being used to improve physical activity levels - through referral pathways, local initiatives, and in general day-to-day life.
I feel strongly that this report signals the start of a journey to ensure everyone in Kirklees has the opportunity to be physically active in a way that suits them and fits into their daily lives.
With this in mind, I am ending my report with a clear focus on what work needs to happen next in order to build on the evidence base gathered so far. Utilising these next steps will ensure future assets and services are based on what our residents want and need in order to help them be more physically active.
1 - Working with, not doing to
It is of fundamental importance that our guiding principle for future work and strategy development is one where stakeholders and partners are working with our communities and not 'doing to' them. Despite the many assets that we have in Kirklees, inequalities in access to physical activity opportunities remain. With this in mind, it is important that all system partners base interventions and communications on what people, and especially the least active, tell us they want.
2 - Research and Insight
More broadly, it is important that a research-led place-based approach is taken to understanding inequalities and local need. For example, there is currently a research insights project focusing on physical activity in North Kirklees that aims to engage residents between June and August 2025. We will use these findings, as well as new data obtained through the 2025 CLiK survey, to understand place-based needs and opportunities and develop a community informed local area action plan based on this feedback. It is important that we learn from this approach and continue to develop this way of working across Kirklees places.
3 - Place Partnership Development
Kirklees Council and partner organisations are currently working with Sport England on their Place Partnership Expansion Programme. This work will act as a catalyst to develop and embed a whole systems approach to movement and physical activity in Kirklees. This will involve looking at specific challenges some of our least active cohorts and communities experience, and understanding what systemic level change may be effective in reducing barriers to activity in a sustained manner.
4 - Community Champions
We have a fantastic group of Community Champions, who are supported by Third Sector Leaders Kirklees. We will work with colleagues to develop a Community Champions approach to physical activity. This work recognises the significance and importance of place-based working and the power of communities.
5 - Strategy
In combination, this work will be used to develop a new physical activity strategy for Kirklees, supported by the Everybody Active Advisory Group and other key partners. The aim of this strategy will be to provide a clear steer to the Kirklees system on ways in which individuals, communities and organisations from across Kirklees can enable more people to access and participate in physical activity. Whilst recognising the universal importance of physical activity across the life course, national and local data makes it clear that our strategy needs to have a specific emphasis on helping inactive people to become more active, and on reducing the inequalities in physical activity levels that are experienced by some groups.
6 - Physical activity in all policies
Key to our ongoing work will be the recognition of taking a 'physical activity in all policies approach' which places emphasis on local levers that can influence change. Examples include: effectively using Health Impact Assessments to adopt active design principles through the planning system; and ensuring major regeneration projects consider and incorporate access to high quality, accessible environments, places and spaces, and that travel infrastructure is designed to enable more people to be active.
7 - Immediate steps
As well as the work already identified, there are immediate steps we can all take now to support people to move more:
- I would urge you, your colleagues and your organisation to promote the wonderful assets we have in Kirklees for being physically active
- Think about how your organisation encourages its members of staff to be active, and whether more could be done to support staff
- Consider how your front-line workforce can engage in brief conversations with Kirklees residents in order to remove barriers and enable participation in physical activity
- And finally, if this report has enabled you to reflect on your own personal physical activity levels, think about how our local assets and opportunities can support you to move more
I hope you have enjoyed reading this report. Please share it with colleagues and others who may be interested, and help us to get Kirklees moving more.
