Council relationships key to strong physical activity sector

Several local councils are in the process of formulating long-term and annual plans, setting out their respective short-term and persisting priorities and direction.

At Sport Bay of Plenty, we endeavour to uphold the strong connections we have with our local government bodies while also advocating for enhanced opportunities for our community to transform their lives through physical activity. Sport Bay of Plenty continues to advocate for an enhanced play, active recreation and sport, recently making written and verbal submissions to Tauranga City Council's Long-term Plan. As more LTPs are published across our region, Sport Bay of Plenty intends to let the sector voice be heard so that we can work alongside Councils for the best possible outcomes.

Councils play a critical role in supporting the local community with opportunities to be physically active. They provide sport and recreation facilities, maintain parks, reserves and playgrounds and support community groups and organisations to deliver opportunities for people to be active.

Council also has a vital role in shaping the environment in which we live through its placemaking and planning functions. Ensuring that new developments, transport routes and infrastructure help people to be active in their daily lives can have a lasting impact on a local community’s health and wellbeing.

Sport Bay of Plenty works closely alongside Sport New Zealand to promote physical activity and its many wellbeing benefits. We often jointly submit to public annual and long-term plan consultations to advocate for the provision of play, active recreation and sport opportunities and will continue to use this avenue to provide feedback on local planning processes. This includes recent submissions to Tauranga City Council and Rotorua Lakes Council.

Sport NZ and Sport Bay of Plenty also have a range of experts who can provide more information and advice about many aspects of the play, active recreation and sport system. This includes but is not limited to the design and maintenance of facilities, or data and insights about participation levels to support informed decision-making.

Those upcoming decisions will be difficult to make in the current financial climate, but we continue to urge that investment in play, active recreation and sport be protected given the huge benefits this investment provides to community wellbeing.