Decision details

Consultation:

The provider has consulted with current service users to understand what they have enjoyed or not enjoyed about the programme. This has enabled us to design a service that meets the needs of our local population which will be reflected in the new service specification.

Public health procurement colleagues have conducted an options appraisal to outline the most appropriate procurement process and timescales.

Colleagues from the council’s parks team have been consulted. Parks support the continuation of the service, as this has resulted in increased footfall and positive activities being delivered in Sandwell’s parks and greenspaces.

Timescales:

For there to be no gap in service delivery, approval and all procurement documents need to be completed by September 2023. The new contract would need to be in place by 1st July 2024.

Previous service performance:

The current service is being successfully delivered, with key performance indicators on track. Participants have also reported improved wellbeing and physical activity levels because of the service.

The current service has engaged more females than males, so engaging more men will be a priority of the new service. There will also be a defined offer for families and more opportunities to recruit and train local volunteers.

The lessons learned and data analysis from the Active Green Spaces pilot provides important feedback to enable future options of service delivery to be considered. The following has been considered and will be factored into the new service specification:

1. Session Popularity: The most popular current active greenspaces sessions will be required to continue, and new sessions added to engage marginalised groups.

2. Engagement of Males: There will be specific targeted sessions to engage male participants.

3. Families: Anecdotal feedback from the provider suggests that having an offer for families would be beneficial. A family offer will be delivered as part of the new service.

4. Long term conditions: Staff to have training and understanding of long term conditions including but not exclusively; diabetes, mental health awareness, fibromyalgia and musculoskeletal conditions.

5. Language and Literacy: there will be an expectation in the service specification that media and promotional materials will be translated into appropriate languages. Front line staff will also be asked to complete health literacy awareness training.

6. Upskill volunteers: more emphasis on participants to undertake training to volunteer to help run sessions as well as further upskill existing volunteers. This includes working with The Job Centre to identify employability benefits and relevant training for volunteers.

7. Recruit and signpost from other local activities: staff will attend other local groups to help signpost people into the programme. For example, where a provider is offering a set week programme, attend towards the end to help build a relationship with participants and help them transition into the Active Green Spaces programme.

8. Mobilisation period: The key performance indicators will be set so that they pro-rata across the year (not including the mobilisation period of 3-months). This will allow time for the provider to secure locations/ settings and develop their marketing and communications strategy.

Sustainability

Public health is committed to funding this programme given the positive impact to residents. We will work with the provider to recruit and train local volunteers who can lead sessions such as health walks.

That approval is given to award a contract to the successful bidder of the Active greenspaces programme (for adults and families), for a period of 2 years (with the option to extend for a further 2 years) with the estimated start date being 1st July 2024. The service will include delivery of physical activity and health and wellbeing sessions (such as wellbeing walks, group exercise, family exercise and stay and play sessions), in Sandwell’s parks and greenspaces.

The aim of this service will be to improve public health outcomes associated with accessing and using greenspaces, and to increase the physical activity levels of those who are classed as inactive (doing less than 30 minutes of activity per week). The target population may be physically inactive, suffering with mental health issues and lack the confidence and knowledge to use greenspaces to improve their health and wellbeing. They may also feel socially isolated and have limited access to greenspace at home. The aims of the service will contribute to the following outcomes:

- Promote local parks and greenspaces and how to access them by delivering programmes across Sandwell.
- Provide supervision in greenspace to ensure the area is being used appropriately during delivery.
- Provide social interaction opportunities for those who may be suffering with social isolation.
- Support to improve some of the adverse health implications due to inactivity and social isolation during the Covid19 pandemic.
- Engage the inactive in at least 1x30 minutes of physical activity per week.
- Support increasing the levels of those already engaged with physical activity to meet Government guidelines (5x30 minutes per week)
- Engage with the local workforce to promote access to and the benefits from greenspace.
- Raise awareness of the greenspace available for residents to access
- Increase the overall use of greenspace across Sandwell
- Increase local confidence in using greenspace.
- Develop supervised sessions within greenspace to meet the physical activity needs of adults who are isolated and may be suffering with their mental health.
- Ensure engagement with relevant referral agencies, as directed by the commissioner, and include options for self-referral via targeted advertising to potential service users

That approval be given to allocate finance under the Public health budget, of £70,000 per year (exclusive of VAT). Total budget would be £280,000 (exclusive of VAT)

That the approval be given to enter into and execute, under seal as may be required, any contracts or ancillary documentation in relation to the award of contract referred to in recommendation 1.1 above.

That approval be given to implement necessary variations to the Contract up to a maximum of 10% of the Contract value, should they be necessitated.

That approval from the appropriate officer is sought to authorise an exemption to rule 8.11 of the Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules 2022 to allow a contract to be awarded to a successful tenderer in the event that the required minimum number of tenders are not received.

Directors/Officers are authorised to take executive decisions in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation to Officers with a value up to £500,000.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), physical inactivity is in the top 5 non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors for mortality in high income countries. This is not a new issue. Over the last few decades, trends such as increased car ownership and use, reduced manual element of jobs, and increased home-based entertainment has designed physical activity out of people’s lives. This has made us the first generation that needs to make a proactive choice to be physically active.


Sandwell has a lower Healthy Life Expectancy than the English average by 2 and a half years for males and 1.8 years for females, this suggests there are higher rates of long term illness locally.

Sandwell also has higher rates of physical inactivity. According to the Active Lives survey 36.8% of adults in Sandwell are inactive (doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week). This is 11% higher than the England average.

Given the urbanised environment across Sandwell there are many residents living in flats and with less access to gardens and greenspace. The urban landscape and built up industry of Sandwell can be deceiving and hide opportunities to access greenspace. Access to green environments promotes good health and can aid recovery from illness, it is also associated with better mental health and can reduce loneliness. This programme will support residents to access local greenspaces for health and wellbeing activities.

The implementation of this programme is core among a range of interventions required to improve levels of physical activity and general wellbeing of Sandwell residents.

If we don’t re-commission the Active Greenspace programme, this will have a negative impact on residents’ wellbeing. The programme is value for money and uses Sandwell’s greenspace assets which requires no payment for facility hire.