Healthy Communities

What does this mean?

• Healthy Living: Encouraging and enabling people across all sections of the community to make healthier lifestyle choices in relation to sport, leisure, recreation, travel and work.
• Active Citizenship: Making sure local people have the opportunity to get involved in the development of their local communities and the district as a whole.
• Sustainable Neighbourhoods: Ensuring that people take pride in their local neighbourhoods and get along with people from different backgrounds. 
• Reducing Health Inequalities: Ensure that all local people can enjoy the same high standard of health and well-being, regardless of the area in which they live.

Why is this important?

• The health of people in Thanet is worse than other districts in the south east and varies significantly between wards: life expectancy in Birchington is 9 years more than in Cliftonville West;

• Adult participation in sport in Thanet is lower than the Kent average;

• The population of Thanet is becoming more diverse with an increased number of people from minority ethnic groups settled in the area.

• Satisfaction with the area as a place to live is low compared to other parts of the country;

• A high proportion (66% in 08/09 Place Survey) of local people are dissatisfied with their opportunities to get involved in local decision making;

• A low proportion of local people think that people from different backgrounds get on well together.

• 55% of local people feel no strong sense of belonging to the area

What are we going to do?

Key projects

• Develop a targeted programme for improving play facilities and events across the district (Start: Apr 08 - Finish: Mar 11)
• Support the Margate Renewal Programme by implementing the Margate Task Force, overseen by a Cabinet Committee, to join up public services in Margate and Cliftonville (Start: Apr 07 - Finish: Dec 10)

Key commitments

• The Council is committed to the reduction of health inequalities within the District and will continue to support the PCT’s triple aim initiative in Cliftonville and make a positive contribution to the work of the multi-agency Health and Well-Being Group, including active involvement in projects to reduce smoking levels and teenage pregnancy in Thanet.
• Support the Margate Renewal Programme by implementing the Margate Task Force, overseen by a Cabinet Committee, to join up public services in Margate and Cliftonville (Start: Apr 07 - Finish: Dec 10)

Next page: Modern Council

Previous page: Quality Housing

• Foreword
• Thanet's Economy
• Safe Neighbourhoods
• Beautiful Thanet
• Quality Housing
• Healthy Communities

Corporate Resources Manager

E-mail: sarah.carroll@thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577188