Council signs up to charter to work with partners to improve health and economic conditions

Cheshire West and Chester Council has signed up to a charter committing it to improve health and economic conditions through its policies and actions

The conditions in which we live such as our housing, income and job can affect our health. In 2022, Cheshire West and Chester became a Marmot Place and committed to a programme called All Together Fairer to reduce unfair differences in health and wellbeing across the borough. A key priority for the Council is to improve economic conditions to support good health, reduce inequalities and help our communities to thrive. To help this, the Council has joined other public sector organisations and signed up to the Cheshire and Merseyside Anchor Institution Charter.  

Anchor Institutes are usually large organisations such as Councils, NHS Trusts and Universities that are rooted in their local communities by their duty, histories, and local relationships. The Anchor Institution Charter helps organisations to improve health through influencing local social and economic conditions for communities by adapting the way they employ people, purchase goods and services, use buildings and spaces, reduce environmental impact, and work in partnership.

The five pillars of the Charter commit organisations to:

• Buying locally and for social benefit
• Using buildings and spaces to support communities
• Widening access to quality work for local people
• Working more closely with local partners to improve the area
• Reducing environmental impact and carbon emissions.

The overarching principles that the Council has committed to as a signatory of the Charter are:

• As an Anchor Institution we commit to the real living wage and creating equality within our local job sector.
• We pledge to employ and purchase, locally, in the first instance with an aim to support the wealth of local businesses within our geography.
• We pledge to work closely with partners and, where possible, ensure our buildings are viewed as local, community assets.
• We are committed to measuring and evidencing the progress made as a result of becoming an Anchor Institution.

This way of working will support our Marmot commitments to create fair employment, good work and a healthy standard of living for all.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council, said:

“We are delighted to sign up to this charter and set of principles. Working together with partners across all sectors and the wider region will help us to create lasting change and improve the health and wellbeing for the people who live in our area. The Council is committed to a fair local economy, with Cheshire West and Chester being a great place to live, work and play where no-one is left behind.

The Council is already meeting a lot of the principles in this charter, for example in purchasing locally where possible, and taking action to address barriers people face in getting into work, staying in work, and earning a living wage. We look forward to continuing to work with local and regional partners for the good of our residents.”