Health and wellbeing
Portfolio Holder report to highlight progress in improving health and wellbeing across Walsall
Published on
Significant progress in building a thriving, healthier and more connected borough in a Portfolio Holder annual report will be presented at a meeting of Walsall Council on Monday 7 April 2025.
Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, will share his reflections on the delivery of public health services, including a 10% increase in the number of adults accessing alcohol and drug treatment and increasing capacity in stop smoking services to support our Smokefree 2030 ambition.
Councillor Flint will also highlight the work to foster stronger, more active communities as well as celebrating the success of visitor attractions that enrich the lives of residents, including The New Art Gallery Walsall’s 25th birthday this year.
“ I am incredibly proud of the work that has been done so far as we work towards our ambitions for Walsall to be healthy and for people to live fulfilling, active and happy lives.
I extend my gratitude to the teams who have been key in delivering vital work to enhance the health and wellbeing of our residents. The work achieved will have not been possible without our council staff, communities and partner organisations.
Moving forward, we will also be working on a visitor economy strategy, which will consider how we can utilise the key assets we have to raise profile of Walsall as a place to visit. Through our combined efforts, we have not only improved service delivery but also worked to foster healthier and resilient communities. “
Notable progress has been made across a range of services over the last year:
- There has been an increase in the uptake of 2.5-year health reviews in the 0-19 service to nearly 86% (up from 67% in 2022/23).
- In the first eight months of 2024/25, over 6,000 NHS Health Checks were completed in primary care (a 41% increase). Additionally, 5,000 people were referred into the Be Well Walsall service for structured weight management or stop smoking support.
- A new sexual health clinic at Hatherton Medical Centre has seen 1,700 women access long-acting contraception services. Additionally, there has been a 10% increase in the number of adults entering specialist treatment services through Change Grow Live, supporting ambitions around alcohol and drug misuse.
- Volunteering opportunities have increased through initiatives led by the Healthy Spaces team. As an example, Walsall Community Litter Watch celebrated 5 years of working together, having removed more than 67,000 bags of rubbish since 2019.
- Significant investments have been made in energy reduction initiatives and solar panels at leisure centres such as Oak Park to improve sustainability and meet net-zero targets.
- £100k in HAF funding has been provided for engaging holiday activities for children on free school meals.
- Walsall Arena and Arts is projected to generate a £2.1 million in turnover in 2024/25, delivering significant returns on council investment, alongside substantial increases in visitor numbers, ticket sales and digital engagement, while also providing extensive music education to pupils.
- The New Art Gallery Walsall celebrated its 25th birthday this year. The Leather Museum is experiencing a post-COVID-19 visitor increase, with ongoing discussions to enhance its role in Walsall's broader cultural landscape.
- The reopening of a face-to-face reception at Streetly Crematorium features a private family room for funeral directors and celebrants. These improvements, along with additional site upgrades, have been well-received and have created a welcoming and comforting space for families and friends.
Moving forward, new partnerships to boost physical activity and frailty and falls prevention will be developed, as well as building on programmes linked to tobacco, food, air quality and alcohol and drug challenges in the borough.
There are also plans to intensify efforts to increase uptake rates of children getting vaccinated against diseases such as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).
A drive to deliver a net-zero and more biodiverse borough by 2040 will also continue. This will include investment in on-street vehicle charging at over 30 locations and improvements in the carbon footprint of council buildings and vehicles, alongside increasing access to our green spaces.
Papers for this meeting and the link to the live stream can be found on the Council’s Committee Management and Information Systems (CMIS) website.
ENDS
