Weston health centre "a national example"

4.06.35pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 7th Sep 2005

Lib Dem Mike Bell has praised Weston's Healthy Living Centre as a "national example"

Weston-super-Mare's Healthy Living Centre on the Bournville estate has been held up as a national example of best practice in involving local people in the delivery of services.

An independent report published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday looked at 15 case studies to assess the impact of community involvement on services.

The report found that the involvement of local people in the development and delivery of projects like the Healthy Living Centre can save money and improve the effectiveness of services.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Mike Bell welcomed the report. "This report confirms that involving people in services makes sense. Not just because it leads to better decisions, but also because it can save money.

"All too often the powers that be think that they have a monopoly on good ideas. The reality is that the best people to chart the course for local services are local people.

"The Healthy Living Centre is a national example of good practice and is making a real difference to people living in the Bournville community. Not least because residents themselves have been so central to the design, development and management of the centre."

More details about the report 'Improving delivery of mainstream services in deprived areas: the role of community involvement' are available on the ODPM website http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pns/displaypn.cgi?pn_id=2005_0180