NEW: major research published today finds community-powered initiatives improve health & wellbeing.

This has big implications for how our formal health system supports prevention in practice.

A 🧵on findings from @wearenewlocal project w/ @LocalTrust… newlocal.org.uk/publications/w… Big Local areas were each given £1m funding to spend over 10-15 years from 2010.

With power & decision-making in their hands, the communities invested to address their own identified needs.

Census data shows resident health increased above national trends over a decade to 2021.

🧵 Very excited to launch our new report Community Power: The Evidence. @wearenewlocal @LocalTrust

We reveal the wealth of community-powered approaches that exist and demonstrate the range of impact they have (a short thread)... newlocal.org.uk/evidence 1. Community power can improve individual health and well-being 🩺💊

From Marmot’s social determinants, to peer support groups; from social prescribing, to community development in areas of deprivation- evidence shows positive outcomes for people involved.

Treasury mooting idea of replacing council tax & stamp duty with a national property tax. Might sound on surface as if there’s a logic to it but the consequences for #localgov and local democracy would be dire. thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-… Council tax is a very unhappy tax- it’s regressive, linked to 1991 property values so those in lower band housing pay proportionately more than those in homes whose value has spiralled since. & it’s paid like a bill, unlike other taxes deducted at source so people notice it more.

At every turn of the #Covid_19 crisis, the Govt has centralised decision-making into command & control with a preference for big blunt schemes over sophisticated local strategies & expertise- often with huge real life consequences for people not getting response they need. (1/?) This virus is not hitting everywhere and everyone equally, we know that geographic, demographic and socio-economic factors compound its spread. This calls for intelligent, adaptive locally-led responses, but the Govt has held a tight grip on initiative throughout.