TL;DR: Why Councils Should Prioritize Physical Activity Despite Budget Cuts
Physical activity is vital for public health, reducing deaths, and battling noncommunicable diseases, while easing economic strain. Yet, councils often cut leisure services, disproportionately harming deprived communities. Former Olympian Susan Egelstaff argues these “luxury” services are essential lifelines for societal health, urging sustainable funding.
• Physical inactivity causes 1 in 14 deaths globally and inflates healthcare costs.
• Cuts to leisure services deepen inequality and hinder health access.
• Community initiatives like Street Soccer Scotland show how grassroots efforts thrive despite challenges.
Take action: Support and advocate for accessible leisure services to protect long-term wellbeing. Looking for health-focused dining? Explore Malta’s MELA AI platform for healthier restaurant options here.
Physical activity is often seen as a luxury in the public funding domain, particularly when councils face tightening budgets. But, as former Olympian Susan Egelstaff argues, the societal benefits of physical activity are immense and should never land atop the list of cuts. Let’s explore why this movement and the voices championing it matter.
Why Physical Activity Cannot Be Overlooked by Councils?
Physical inactivity: A global epidemic
Research shows physical inactivity is responsible for 1 in 14 deaths worldwide, contributing significantly to noncommunicable diseases and pushing healthcare costs up dramatically. Besides its direct impact on health, inactivity carries economic consequences. High-income countries take the brunt of healthcare-related costs, accounting for over 80% of the global burden, while indirect costs form 60%.
Councils play a pivotal role in ensuring communities have access to leisure services that support movement and wellbeing. Cuts to culture and leisure, while non-statutory, deepen inequalities by disproportionately affecting deprived communities that rely on these services. Without proper attention, legal risks and broader societal exclusion loom large.
A Voice of Experience: What Did Susan Egelstaff Say?
Susan Egelstaff, an accomplished badminton player and medalist at the Commonwealth Games, emphasized:
“Physical activity is vital for a healthy society. Essential services like sports and leisure should be prioritized, even in challenging times.”
Speaking to BBC Scotland, Egelstaff reiterated the need for councils to fully consider public health impacts before slashing budgets. Cuts often place non-statutory services, like sports, leisure, and culture, on the chopping block, prioritizing statutory obligations such as housing, education, and transport. Yet these “luxury” services are vital lifelines for community health.
Want to know more about Egelstaff’s advocacy? Visit the full BBC article detailing her thoughts and the economic analysis highlighted by the Accounts Commission.
Rising Costs Versus Falling Support: Is There a Solution?
The Accounts Commission shared insightful data on the financial challenges councils face. Between 2018 and now, real-term spending on leisure services has dropped 3%. However, operating costs continue to rise, posing sustainability concerns.
What about attendance trends? Libraries fared well with steady visits over five years, but sports facility usage dropped by roughly 21%, bringing the debate back to affordability and accessibility.
Institutions like COSLA, representing Scotland’s council authorities, are calling for stable long-term funding to safeguard these essential services. They have also warned about gaps in data collection limiting councils’ understanding of cost versus benefit.
Community Efforts and Successful Models
While cuts threaten accessibility, grassroots initiatives provide promising models. Look to programs like Street Soccer Scotland, dedicated to assisting marginalized groups through football, or the Homeless World Cup for their immense social reach. Sistema Scotland, another standout, demonstrates the cultural benefits of inclusion. These projects show local sport and activity can spur long-term wellbeing and community bonding regardless of financial strain.
Tips for Supporting Vital Activity
For individuals, community leaders, and private stakeholders alike, addressing these challenges requires collaboration:
- Advocate for leisure centers in your area. Include specific community feedback during council consultations.
- Donate or join programs offering free sports access to young people facing barriers.
- Support movements to preserve cultural and leisure services at public meetings or legal reviews.
Next Steps
Physical activity is integral to promoting longevity, mental health, and economic stability. If you’re passionate about fitness or cultural engagement and curious about Malta’s efforts toward health-conscious eating and living, MELA AI can help you explore. See how restaurants in Malta and Gozo prioritize healthy menus by browsing selections on MELA AI for both tourists and locals. Find certified MELA-sticker leaders serving up optimized health at dining venues that value your wellness above all!
Frequently Asked Questions about Physical Activity and Public Funding Challenges
Why is physical activity considered crucial for societal health?
Physical activity is a cornerstone for physical and mental health. Research highlights that physical inactivity contributes to 1 in 14 deaths globally and significantly drives noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and mental health disorders. Beyond personal health, the economic implications are vast. In high-income countries, 80.8% of health-related costs arise from physical inactivity. Regular access to physical activity, whether through organized sports or leisure services, is not just beneficial but essential for healthier, more resilient communities. It also reduces healthcare demand, helping save public funding in the long term. Communities benefit tremendously when councils prioritize sports and leisure services to ensure accessibility for everyone, especially in deprived areas where alternatives may not exist.
What did Susan Egelstaff say about public funding for physical activity?
Former Olympic badminton player Susan Egelstaff urges councils to prioritize funding for physical activity over cuts, even during financial constraints. She emphasizes that leisure and sports are not luxuries but essential elements of a healthy society:
“Physical activity and cultural things can be seen as a bit of a luxury, but they are vital to having a healthy society.”
Highlighted on BBC programs, Egelstaff reminds councils that deprioritizing non-statutory services like sports deepens inequalities since communities in need are often left without necessary recreational options. Egelstaff promotes a rethinking of leisure budgets as key toward fostering public well-being. Read more in the BBC article on the topic.
How are councils managing the increasing costs of leisure services?
Although councils spend significant resources on leisure and sports services, over £675 million in Scotland for 2023-2024, the rising operational costs are outpacing this spending. Cultural facilities and activities, considered non-statutory, are often targeted first for budget cuts in favor of services like roads and housing. However, experts argue this approach risks broad societal consequences, especially for economically disadvantaged areas, and could result in legal liabilities. Meanwhile, organizations like COSLA advocate for long-term sustainable funding to ensure these services remain accessible to all.
What does the economic data say about the return on investing in sports?
The indirect and direct benefits of physical activity often outweigh the costs of funding sports and leisure activities. The Accounts Commission reports that sports alone contribute approximately £2.5 billion annually to Scotland’s economy. Non-statutory services like culture and leisure also encourage social inclusion, community bonding, and lower long-term healthcare costs by improving overall health. This reinforces the argument that these services are vital, not optional, and cutting them may be detrimental to both public welfare and economic stability.
How does grassroots sports help in reducing inequalities?
Community-led initiatives like Street Soccer Scotland and the Homeless World Cup show how sports can bridge social divides. These programs empower marginalized groups, offering a platform to improve mental health, self-esteem, and employability. Moreover, grassroots organizations like Sistema Scotland demonstrate how inclusive cultural activities can unite communities, heal social rifts, and promote resilience. Funding such initiatives offers long-term returns in terms of education, health, and reduced inequality.
What role does long-term funding play in preserving leisure services?
Long-term, sustainable funding ensures facilities remain operational and accessible for all socioeconomic groups. Institutions like COSLA have continuously raised concerns over volatile funding models that threaten the sustainability of vital leisure and cultural services. Improved financial planning can help ensure communities remain served by these facilities, reducing the societal cost of physical inactivity. Libraries, cultural institutions, and sports centers might sustain themselves better with community-oriented funding frameworks.
Where can I find family-friendly activities and restaurants in Malta prioritizing health?
Malta offers a wide range of leisure services that integrate well-being with cultural exploration. For a health-conscious dining experience, visit MELA AI – Malta Restaurants Directory, a unique platform spotlighting restaurants with a focus on healthy offerings. MELA-certified restaurants have been recognized for supporting healthier lifestyles. If you’re looking for wholesome food options to complement an active lifestyle during your vacation or everyday life in Malta, MELA AI can guide you to the best places to dine.
How can individuals support the accessibility of public leisure services?
Efforts from individuals can significantly impact the sustainability of community leisure facilities. Here are a few ways you can help:
- Participate in council consultations and voice concerns about proposed cuts to sports or leisure budgets.
- Volunteer or donate to grassroots sports charities or programs that aim to make activities accessible to underserved groups.
- Lobby your local representatives about the importance of adequately funding non-statutory services like public sports centers and cultural activities.
What positive trends have been noticed in cultural and leisure services?
Despite reduced funding, some cultural facilities like libraries and museums report positive attendance trends. Libraries, for example, saw 44 million visits annually in Scotland, even during testing fiscal times. Museums welcomed a 25% increase in visits from 2018 to 2024. These improvements underscore the public’s appetite for engaging in leisure and cultural activities, demonstrating their role as indispensable community resources.
Are there tools to find restaurants in Malta that match my active lifestyle?
Yes! The MELA AI platform connects diners to restaurants in Malta and Gozo that prioritize healthy eating. Whether you’re a local or visitor, you can find restaurants certified with the prestigious MELA sticker for their commitment to offering balanced meals designed to promote well-being. Check out MELA AI – Malta Restaurants Directory to discover health-focused menus and make informed choices that support your active lifestyle.
What is the connection between public health and access to leisure services?
In urban centers, communities without access to affordable leisure facilities experience worse health outcomes. Physical and mental health, linked to regular activity, reduces long-term disease prevalence and improves the economy through reduced healthcare spending. By ensuring community centers, gyms, and public parks are accessible and well-funded, councils can promote individual health while addressing societal inequalities in health opportunities. More focus is needed on making these services affordable and convenient for those most at risk.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp’s expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
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- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
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Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
