Audit Committee finds Welsh Government failing to lead the way in increasing physical activity

The Welsh Assembly Government is not providing effective leadership in its efforts to increase physical activity in Wales according to a report by the National Assembly for Wales’ Audit Committee published today.

The Audit Committee recognises that the Welsh Assembly Government’s Climbing Higher strategy is ambitious and requires collaboration across many players: the Assembly Government, local authorities, the Sports Council, the National Public Health Service, and community, voluntary and charitable organisations. However, the Committee found there is no overall action plan and no one department taking overall control of the strategy.   Moreover, other Government strategies are also attempting to address the same issues but doing so in different ways, which is causing confusion among those working in the field.

In June 2007, the Auditor General recommended that one single person should be responsible for the scheme, however the Committee found that this still has not happened, more than twelve months after that recommendation and three-and-a-half years into the scheme. The Committee is so concerned at the lack of action taken in response to the Auditor General’s recommendations that it has recommended that, in addition to its usual initial response to the report, the Assembly Government provides it with an update report, tracking progress against each of the six recommendations, within 12 months.

An example of this lack of leadership can be seen in the lack of clarity about the main Climbing Higher target of 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. Committee members have questioned whether this message,  which best highlights the benefits of physical activity, is being made clear to those who need it most.  

Chair of the Committee David Melding said: “Physical activity has many benefits for health, particularly in reducing the risk of a number of serious diseases.  Higher rates of physical activity also have a number of other social and economic benefits.  The consequences of physical inactivity are increasingly becoming a global problem for this and future generations - not least the financial costs which are significant, at around £650 million a year for Wales.

“We are therefore disappointed to find that the Welsh Assembly Government has not appointed a senior individual to champion work across the Assembly Government to increase physical activity and to liaise with other stakeholders in overseeing and coordinating this work.    in Wales.    It is equally disappointing that work on the action plan has not been completed so far into the project.

“We are also concerned that importance of physical activity is not being communicated clearly to the people of Wales and we have made a number of recommendations reflecting all these concerns.   Bearing in mind the Government’s lack of action so far on recommendations made to them over a year ago, I look forward to hearing their response and to receiving an update in a year’s time so that we can ensure progress is being made.”