Castle Point Borough Council is asking residents to share their views on two new strategies designed to improve local sport, physical activity, and leisure facilities.
The consultation, which launched on 18 May 2026, focuses on an Active Wellbeing Strategy and a Leisure Investment Strategy. These plans will shape the future of facilities across the borough, including the Waterside Farm Leisure Centre on Canvey Island and the Runnymede Leisure Centre in Benfleet.
The council is looking for feedback on how to best support residents to be active and what investment is needed to ensure these centres remain sustainable in the long term. This comes as the area looks to address local health challenges, including data from 2022 showing that only 41% of children in the area meet medical guidelines for physical activity, and reports identifying the region as having the highest levels of childhood inactivity in Essex.
Cllr Tom Gibson, the council’s portfolio holder for special projects and assets, said that encouraging residents to be more active is a key priority. He noted that the new strategies will help ensure the council provides the right services and opportunities for local communities by hearing directly from residents about their needs.
To assist with the development of these strategies, the council has appointed The Sport, Leisure and Culture Consultancy to provide specialist advice. This work builds on recent efforts to support local leisure, such as the inclusion of facility upgrades in the council’s 2026 budget, which features a new solar-panelled roof for the Waterside Farm site.
Residents can submit their feedback by completing a survey on the council’s Citizen Space portal. All responses must be submitted by 5pm on 19 June 2026.
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