- London’s local elections have reshaped councils across the capital, creating a fresh opportunity to place physical activity and healthier communities higher on the local agenda.
- London Sport’s manifesto sets out how councils can place physical activity more centrally within policy priorities.
- Physical inactivity remains one of London’s biggest public health challenges, with around 40% of adults and more than half of young Londoners not meeting recommended activity levels.
- Award-winning More Ball Games campaign shows how councils and communities can work together to rethink public spaces and create more opportunities for young people and families to be active.
Last week, elections took place across the UK, as results continued to roll in over the weekend. Local elections were held in all 32 London boroughs, with 1,817 councillors up for election, as well as elections for five London borough Mayors (Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Croydon).
Why is this significant?
London borough councils are funded through council tax, government grants and business rates, and are responsible for all local council infrastructure and services. They are vital to the delivery of sport. They provide council-funded facilities or programmes, and also shape how sport and physical activity can be delivered locally – whether that is with local sport strategies that increase opportunities and access, developing partnerships, or wider policy initiatives that integrate sport and physical activity into everyday life.
What was the result?
The makeup of councils across the capital, previously heavily represented by the Labour party, now looks very different. The Labour party took heavy losses across London, as we saw an increased number of Councils that had no overall control – with gains for the Green party, Reform UK and marginal gains for the Conservative party and Aspire. The Lib Dems held their boroughs in southwest London.
There was also significant change across our six ‘places’ from the capital (where London Sport focuses investment and resources via Sport England’s national Place Partnership investment), where there is the greatest need and the greatest potential for impact. These included:
- Barking & Dagenham: Labour (held)
- Brent: No party majority (Labour loss)
- Enfield: No party majority (Labour loss)
- Lambeth: No party majority (Labour loss)
- Newham: No party majority (Labour loss)
- Tower Hamlets: Aspire (gained from no party majority)
In addition to this, the directly elected mayoral elections in London included:
- Hackney: Green (gain from Labour)
- Lewisham: Green (gain from Labour)
- Newham: Labour (held)
- Tower Hamlets: Aspire (held)
- Croydon: Conservative (held)
What next?
London is one of the most dynamic cities in the world, but we know that physical inactivity continues to be one of the biggest public health challenges facing the capital:
- Around 40% of adult Londoners are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity for their health and wellbeing;
- More than half of young Londoners are not active enough.
- Adults in the most deprived areas of London are twice as likely to be inactive compared to those in the least deprived areas.
Physical inactivity is a major driver of poor health, widening inequalities and growing pressure on the NHS.
Sport and physical activity are powerful tools to address these challenges and they must be part of the solution. From improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities, to supporting community cohesion and helping people feel more connected to the places they live, sport and movement can have a major impact when embedded into everyday life – in fact, Sport England data shows that grassroots sport and physical activity provides £18.8bn in economic and social value across London.
Without deliberate action, inequalities in physical activity – and the health, social and economic outcomes linked to them – will widen and deepen.
That is why London Sport’s recent manifesto sets out practical actions that London’s local councils can take to reduce inactivity, ease pressure on the NHS, support economic growth and build stronger and more connected communities.
London Sport’s award-winning ‘More Ball Games’ campaign is one example of how councils, communities and partners can work together to reimagine local spaces and create more opportunities for young people and families to be active.
Emily Robinson, CEO of London Sport, said:
“These election results mark a significant shift in London’s political landscape. As councils look ahead to the challenges facing their communities – from public health, housing, community wellbeing to wider inequalities – there is a real opportunity to place physical activity at the centre of these conversations.
The evidence is clear. The cross-cutting benefits of a more active community show that our sector can offer a cost-effective alternative for councils to tackle some of their biggest challenges. Even small changes can make a big impact – our More Ball Games campaign is a great example of what is possible when councils and communities work together to rethink the way public spaces are used.
That is why physical activity needs to be a bigger priority across local government, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with councils and councillors of all political backgrounds across London to help tackle inactivity and create healthier, more active futures for Londoners”.
-ENDS-
For more information on London Sport, visit www.londonsport.org.
Media Contacts
Ed Butler: [email protected]
About London Sport
London Sport is a charity that exists to help ensure more Londoners live happier, healthier lives through access to sport and physical activity. Supported by Sport England and the Mayor of London, London Sport collaborates with those that share our vision, running and supporting projects that help children, young people and the least active adults to embed sport and physical activity into their lives.
