Healthy lifestyles and improved wellbeing are the focus of a leisure strategy which has been unanimously supported by Cotswold District Council's cabinet.

Recommendations include improving existing facilities, additional activities for target groups and supporting communities to engage with physical activity.

Councillor Jenny Forde, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "Helping residents, businesses and communities access the support they need to ensure a high level of health and well-being is a key priority for the council and this strategy lays the foundation for the improvements we would like to make.

"We want to work side by side with communities to build a healthy district that encourages and supports its residents to live healthier lives."

She continued: "A major part of the council's work to review leisure was about listening to and acting on what Cotswold residents had to say about their access to health, fitness and leisure.

Thirteen per cent of more than 1,000 responses to the consultation said they would use leisure facilities more after lockdown - the same number responding they would use them less.

And little more than half (51 per cent) said they travel to leisure facilities by car due to 'ease of use' - just over half travelling 10 minutes or less.

Based on the feedback, the council has plans to facilitate partnership work to promote the benefits of active travel for small journeys.