St Helens Borough Council welcomes Marmot City Region commitment
St Helens Borough Council has welcomed the announcement that the Liverpool City Region has become a Marmot City Region, reinforcing a shared commitment to improving health and reducing inequalities through prevention and partnership working.
Article date: 22 July 2026
The milestone sees the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority commit to embedding the internationally recognised Marmot principles across its devolved responsibilities, ensuring health is considered in decision-making around areas such as transport, housing, skills, regeneration and economic development.
The commitment builds on the strong foundations established through the All Together Fairer programme, which brings together councils, the NHS and partner organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for residents.
Health inequalities remain a significant challenge across the region, with factors such as income, housing, education and employment continuing to influence people's health and life expectancy. The Marmot approach focuses on addressing these wider determinants of health and creating the conditions for people to live longer, healthier lives.
Councillor Eileen Fleming, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health at St Helens Borough Council, said:
"Tackling health inequalities is one of St Helens Borough Council's key priorities and we welcome this strengthened commitment from the Liverpool City Region to put health at the heart of decision-making.
"We know that a person's health is shaped by far more than access to healthcare alone. Factors such as the quality of housing, educational opportunities, employment prospects, transport links and the environment in which people live all play a crucial role in determining health outcomes.
"By embedding the Marmot principles, we can build on the positive work already taking place through the All Together Fairer programme and strengthen our collective efforts to address the root causes of poor health. This will help us create healthier, fairer communities and make sure residents in St Helens Borough have the opportunity to live well and thrive."
The Liverpool City Region's designation as a Marmot City Region further aligns the work taking place across Cheshire and Merseyside with a nationally recognised, evidence-based approach to improving health and reducing inequalities, helping partners work together to deliver lasting change for communities across the region.
Cheshire and Merseyside's mission to reduce inequalities and improve health and wellbeing is brought to life through the All Together Fairer Programme. Informed by the Institute of Health Equity, this collaborative initiative brings together public, private and third sector organisations with one shared aim: build a fairer, healthier Cheshire and Merseyside. Further information about the programme is available here: All Together Fairer.