07 Nov 2019 Pendle becomes the 20th council to sign up to the Local Government Declaration on Healthy Weight
We are pleased to announce that Pendle Council have adopted the Local Government Declaration on Healthy Weight, bringing the number of local authority adoptees up to 20.
Pendle Council have become the 20th local council to adopt the Local Government Declaration on Healthy Weight.
Pendle Council’s upper-tier authority, Lancashire County Council adopted the Healthy Weight Declaration in 2017, with scope for the District Councils to follow suit, however this process was catalysed by Pennine Lancashire’s successful application to become a childhood obesity trailblazer. ‘Healthy Place, Healthy Future’ will result in all local authorities across Pennine Lancashire signing up to the Healthy Weight Declaration as part of the programme, following Lancashire County Council, but also their Pennine Lancashire neighbour, Blackburn with Darwen (who also adopted in 2017). Pendle Council is the first to adopt as part of this work, and by working together, other district councils across Pennine Lancashire including Hyndburn, Rossendale, Burnley and Ribble Valley will all soon follow suit, with scope for other local authorities across the rest of Lancashire to follow suit.
Childhood obesity is a growing concern in Pendle with 22.2% of children aged 10-11 classified as obese. This is the second highest figure in Pennine Lancashire.
By signing the declaration, Pendle Council’s Chief Executive and Leader have demonstrated the Council’s commitment to tackling this important issue and improving the health and wellbeing of local people and staff.
The Local Government Declaration on Healthy Weight is underpinned by 14 standard commitments, including: considering commercial partnerships, provision of food and drink in public buildings, facilities and providers, supplementary guidance for hot food takeaways and infrastructure to influence active travel. A support pack and monitoring and evaluation tool is also provided to local authorities, to support them on their journey.
The Declaration was launched by Food Active in 2015, with Blackpool Council being the first local authority to sign. Since then, to date there are 20 local authorities (district, unitary and county) across England who have signed the declaration to make a commitment to promoting healthy weight in their communities.
Pendle Council will develop a package of incentives to encourage food businesses in Pendle to take up the Pennine Lancashire Recipes for Health scheme, which is also part of the ‘Healthy Place, Healthy Future’ trailblazer programme.
Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council, said:
“It’s so important that we make it easier for people, young and old, to make the right choices when it comes to choosing food and drink. We want to make the healthy option the easy option which very often isn’t the case.
“By signing this declaration we’re making a commitment to doing all we can, including developing and implementing policies, which promote healthy weight. It builds on work already underway in Pendle to encourage people to ditch junk food and move more!”
Dean Langton, Chief Executive, added:
“Pendle is part of a Trailblazer area to tackle childhood obesity and we’re also involved in a Sport England pilot which aims to increase physical activity.
“These two national programmes dovetail well, bringing healthy weight to the fore.”
Alex Holt, Food and Nutrition Lead, Food Active:
“It is fantastic to see Pendle Council become to first district authority in Pennine Lancashire to adopt the declaration as part of the fantastic ‘Healthy Place, Healthy Future’ trailblazer programme.
“This really demonstrates how even at a district level without any core public health responsibility, the council can still recognise and exercise it’s role in promoting healthy weight. Congratulations to Pendle Council, and we look forward to the rest of the districts adopt their own Declaration in the next coming months.”
If you would like to get in touch to find out more about how the Declaration could be adopted in your local authority, please contact info@foodactive.org.uk or call 0151 237 2686.
