What is local government's capacity for partnership in promoting physical activity? A case study

Abstract

Issue addressed: A key factor underpinning the ability of people to build physical activity into their everyday life is a suitable physical environment. The physical environment is outside the jurisdiction of the health sector and, at the local level, is primarily the responsibility of local government through local planning functions. There are few studies assessing the opportunities for local government to work with health on promoting participation in physical activity. Methods: Using semi-structured interviews, a case study of one council's organisational capacity to promote physical activity was conducted. Results: The results show that while health and physical activity were not necessarily seen as core business of council, they linked in with council's commitment to community wellbeing and environmental development. A unifying theme was the opportunity for a partnership between health promotion and local government bodies to promote a positive, local lifestyle. Conclusion: The findings provide a sound basis for pursuing a partnership in the case of this council and point to the value of further research, exploring how these themes apply more generally and the extent to which this potential is realised in practice. So what? Systematic analysis of council's capacity to contribute to promoting physical activity can be used to guide the development of a comprehensive, intersectoral approach to this task. (author abstract)