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"Councils as leaders of place have a huge role to play in delivering place-based solutions that reflects the unique needs of their communities and geographies."

“Councils are working hard to try and ensure sport and leisure facilities are available once national restrictions are eased and will have a key role to play in realising this Strategy’s ambitions.”

Local government plays a critical role in delivering sport and fitness activities and maintaining the UK’s leisure infrastructure. It is fantastic to see so many places reopening and welcoming back their communities.

This is an exciting plan that will enable the right support and funding to be directed to places that need it most, in a collaborative and targeted way. This includes opening up funding opportunities for small community organisations which often play a vital role within their communities.

Leisure centres need sustainable, multi-year investment to offer an efficient and valuable service to communities and strengthen the nation's health.

“This is an exciting implementation plan that will enable people to return to the activities they most enjoy while partners and providers receive the necessary support to rebuild from the pandemic."

"This report rightly recognises that local government is at the forefront of providing facilities, supporting both formal and informal opportunities for activities, and accessible to all members of the community."

This report recognises the critical importance of a place-based approach to supporting communities to be active.

Only with the right funding and powers can councils continue to make a difference to people’s lives by building desperately-needed homes, creating jobs and school places, filling potholes, maintaining parks and green spaces, running children’s centres, leisure centres and libraries, caring for elderly and disabled people and protecting children.

“With councils still facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion in 2019/20, it is disappointing that the Chancellor has missed the opportunity to use today’s Spring Statement to provide further desperately-needed funding for our under-pressure local services this year.