Let's move together for a healthier County Durham

The information below is a summary of what you have told us during phase one and how we will use the results to help our residents to become and stay active.

Consultation outcome report

Why did we work with Sports England to on this survey?

We selected this Sport England developed survey because it offers a robust and nationally recognised framework for understanding physical activity behaviours. The survey has been used by 17 other local authorities, enabling us to benchmark Durham’s results against comparable areas.

It covers a comprehensive range of topics, including current activity levels, aspirations for being more active, use and perceptions of indoor leisure facilities, accessibility of outdoor spaces, and participation in active travel, alongside three Durham-specific questions on perceptions of physical activity.

An additional advantage is that the final analysis was conducted by Sheffield Hallam University, who applied census-based weighting to the data. This process improves representativeness by correcting for over- and under-represented groups, reducing sampling bias, and ensuring the findings reflect the county’s population rather than only those who responded.

Who responded?

The survey was hosted on Let's Talk County Durham and paper versions were available at leisure centres and libraries. We received responses from 545 residents aged 16 and over. It was promoted through multiple channels, including social media, press releases, posters in community venues, internal comms channels to target council staff and emails to a wide range of partners encouraging them to share across their networks.

Analysis of the respondent profile shows that females and older age groups were over-represented, respondents reported poorer health compared to census data for the county, and participation from residents in the most deprived areas was slightly under-represented.

The image below shows the percentages of those who took part, including 79% were women, only 65% said they had 'good' or 'very good' health, 33% had long term health conditions compared to the population which has 23%, and 34% where from most deprived areas compared to 47% of residents living in those areas.

• Age and Gender: 79% were female compared to 51% of Durham's population (Census 2021). Low responses from 16-24 years and 75+ years
• Perception of their health: 65% said they had 'good' or 'very good' health compared to 77% of Durham's population (Census 2021)
• Disability/long-term health conditions: 33% had long term health conditions compared to 23% of Durham's population (Census 2021)
• Ethnic diversity: 3% are from ethnically diverse backgrounds which reflects Durham's population (Census 2021)
• Deprivation levels: 34% where from most deprived areas compared to 47% of residents living in those areas.
• Location in the County: Survey respondents were well distributed across the county, ensuring broad geographic representation.

Comparison to others areas

The national benchmark figures are based on 7,769 responses gathered through community surveys across 17 other councils.

Compared to these benchmarks, fewer respondents in Durham reported using a leisure centre in the past year. While this is below the national average, it reflects our targeted approach to reach non-users rather than existing centre customers.

The results also indicate that active travel is less popular in Durham, a finding consistent with the County Active Lives survey.

Ratings of our leisure centres were lower than the national average; however, this contrasts with the recent Customer Experience Survey, which showed improvements across all satisfaction measures. Overall satisfaction increased from 78% in 2024 to 80%, and our Net Promoter Score (NPS) rose from 32 to 42, based on feedback from 3,000 respondents.

• Active 5+ times per week: County Durham 34.4% - national 37.1%
• Leisure Centre usage at least once in the last 12 months: County Durham 47.8% - national 65.2%
• Active travel (walk/cycle) at least 1 day per week: County Durham 66.7% - national 79.1%
• Leisure Centre users that say they are 'good' or 'very good': County Durham 35.1% - national 42.3%

Physical activity - key findings

• Physical Activity: 34% of respondents did at least 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days in the last week, which is very slightly below the national benchmark of 37%.
• Desire to be More Active: 82% of respondents wanted to be more active, with 58% preferring indoor leisure activities (particularly for those who are less active) and 51% preferring outdoor leisure activities.
• Barriers for Children: according to the 30% of respondents responsible for children under 16, 74% reported ‘none of the above’ as barriers to children being active in Durham, this is noticeably higher than the national average of 28%.
• Top 3 Reasons for Physical Activity: Improve or manage physical health (79%); Improve or manage mental health (62%); To lose weight (48%).
• Encouraging factors: Specific sessions tailored for beginners (43%); Improving the timing (49%) & availability of activities (47%); Ensuring activities suit individual fitness levels (34%).
• Capability, Opportunity & Motivation: 72% believed they had the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to be active; 26% lacked resources, such as equipment & funds to engage in physical activity; 16% were unaware of physical activity guidelines.

Indoor Physical Activity - key findings

• 18% of respondents did not use local authority owned facilities, which is broadly in line with the other local authorities included in the benchmark (17%).
• Awareness: 86% were aware of local sports and leisure facilities; 69% were aware of the activities offered.
• Leisure Centre Usage: 48% of respondents used a leisure centre at least once in the past year - relatively fewer than the national average of 65%; Among the users, 69% visited at least once a month and 56% visited at least once a week; This is relatively lower than the national averages of 79% and 69%, respectively.
• Role of Leisure Centres: 64% of residents said leisure centres are important to their lifestyle; 52% plan to exercise at least once a week at these centres in the next three months.
• Desired Investments: Swimming pools (50%); Gyms (27%); Community hubs (18%); Outdoor areas alongside indoor facilities (17%); Investment in café at local indoor sports and leisure facilities (17%).
• The survey identified several key insights into leisure centre usage and preferences. The most common reasons for not using leisure centres were engaging in activities outside of the centres (19%) and cost concerns (17%), both of which were lower than the national benchmark averages of 39% and 30% respectively.
• When asked what might encourage non-users to attend, discounted prices (17%) and exclusive sessions for specific groups (9%) were the most popular incentives, followed by free taster sessions for less active participants. However, 60% of respondents indicated that none of these incentives would influence their decision.
• When it comes to reason for selecting leisure centres, price and affordability (71%) and the range of activities offered (65%) were the top priorities, with parking (46%) and location (44%) also noted as important considerations.

Outdoor Physical Activity - key findings

• Top Outdoor Activity Locations: Parks and green spaces (69%); Woodlands (55%); Roads and streets (51%); 93% of respondents have easy access to a green space or park; 76% feel safe using them.
• Top factors to Encouraging Greater Use of Outdoor Spaces: Reduced crime and antisocial behaviour (51%); More information about available activities (41%); Improved footpaths and access to walking and cycling routes (36%).
• Active Travel: 67% of respondents walk or cycle for active travel at least once per week (lower than the national average of 79% but in line with our Active Lives results).
• Encouraging More Active Travel: Walkers/cyclists separated from traffic (38%); Improved safety features/feeling safer (33%).

Results of our specific local questions

As part of the survey, we included three questions specific to County Durham, designed by the county-wide Moving Together Steering Group. These questions focused on residents’ perceptions of opportunities to be active, providing valuable local insight alongside the national benchmarking data. This approach ensured that the survey captured both broader trends and issues unique to Durham, supporting the work within the county’s Moving Together in County Durham - Physical Activity Strategy.

What factors are important in encouraging residents to be physically active in outdoor spaces?

The highest priorities for residents are the opportunity to enjoy the landscape (87%), be in the ‘Great Outdoors’ (86%), and connect with nature, such as wildlife (81%). Practical amenities also play a significant role, with access to a café or toilets (78%) ranking highly. Other considerations include proximity to water (54%) and informal information about the environment, such as interpretation boards or self-guided walks (51%).

In contrast, organised or educational activities, such as local history walks (41%) or guided nature walks (36%), are less influential. These findings suggest that creating attractive, natural spaces with good facilities and easy access is more important than providing structured activities when promoting outdoor physical activity.

How do residents feel about their opportunities to be physical active?

The results show that most respondents feel they have good access to opportunities for physical activity, particularly outdoors. A significant majority (78%) agree that opportunities to be physically active outdoors are accessible, while 71% believe they have sufficient overall opportunities to be active.

Indoor activity accessibility is slightly lower at 68%, and opportunities for active travel are rated the lowest, with only 46% agreeing they are accessible. These findings suggest that while outdoor and general physical activity opportunities are widely available and perceived positively, there is a clear need to improve infrastructure and support for active travel.

How do residents feel about physical activity opportunities for your children?

The results indicate that opportunities for physical activity at school are generally perceived more positively than those in community settings. Seventy percent of respondents strongly agree or agree that school-based physical activity opportunities are accessible, while 62% find them enjoyable and 56% consider them inclusive.

In comparison, community-based opportunities score lower across all measures: 52% find them enjoyable, 51% view them as inclusive, and only 50% believe they are accessible. These results suggest that while schools provide relatively strong access and enjoyment for physical activity, there are opportunities to improve accessibility, inclusivity, and appeal of community-based opportunities to ensure broader engagement.

How are we going to use the results?

The results of this survey will be used to shape the future design and delivery of physical activity opportunities both within the Council’s leisure centres and across local communities. Our focus will be on reducing barriers and supporting residents who want to start or return to an active lifestyle.

Internally, the findings will inform work within service priority groups: insights on active travel and outdoor activity will feed into the Active Environments group; data on areas for investment will support the Assets group; and strategies to encourage non-users will be central to the Business Development and Programme and Products groups.

Additionally, the results will influence future survey design, ensuring that when we seek feedback on specific products, such as pool or class reviews, the questions and learning from this survey are incorporated.

The full report will be shared with a range of partners and relevant council teams who can use the findings to enhance services for residents across the county. This includes colleagues in Children’s Services, Transport, Countryside, Public Rights of Way, and other teams whose work influences physical activity opportunities.

The report will be particularly valuable to Public Health, supporting the outcomes of the Health and Wellbeing consultation conducted in 2025. In addition, it will provide essential baseline data to inform the Moving Together in County Durham - Physical Activity Strategy, ensuring that future actions are evidence-based and aligned with residents’ needs.