V THE LASTING LEGACY OF THE GAMES
The Legacy Document
- The Committee were told in Manchester that a legacy document would be produced after the Games, to give a clear and simple account of the lessons learned by the organisers, and recommending best practice for future international sporting events. In evidence to the previous Committee, the Cabinet Office Minister responsible for the Games (Rt. Hon. Ian McCartney MP) said that he was keen that both the Government and this Committee examine the lessons learned from the partnership formed between Government and the organisers.[60] We recommend that this partnership be examined within the Legacy document to be prepared by M2002 after the Games.
Volunteers
- M2002 developed a Pre-Volunteer Programme, which aimed to ensure that people from disadvantaged communities had the opportunity, by gaining an accredited qualification in event-volunteering, to become volunteers at the Games, and ultimately to move on into employment, training or further education.[61] The response to this programme has been rewarding. The Committee were told in Manchester that M2002 had received over 20,000 applications for the 9,000 volunteering posts available. The previous Committee were told by M2002 that its volunteer programme amounted to "the largest single recruitment, training and placement exercise of this nature to have taken place in the UK in peacetime".[62]
- M2002 told the Committee in Manchester that it aimed to create a professional and friendly atmosphere for their volunteers, with the long-term goal of providing the training necessary for employment after the Games. This goal is an important part of the NW2002 Economic and Social Programme managed by the Commonwealth Games Opportunities and Legacy Partnership. This programme has attracted £14 million, in addition to the £6.5 million from the Single Regeneration Budget (the SRB5 Scheme), to deliver lasting economic and social regeneration to the North West Region as a result of the Games taking place in Manchester.[63] The Committee recommends that an assessment of the successful employment of volunteers after the Games be included in the "success factors matrix" and the Games Legacy document.[64]
The M2002 workforce
- The joint memorandum acknowledges the expertise within M2002 in the organising, marketing and planning of the largest Commonwealth Games, which included 25 staff who were involved in the Sydney Olympic Games.[65] The Chairman of M2002 told our predecessors that if a core of expertise were retained in the UK there would be no need to "re-invent the wheel every time".[66] At that time the Commonwealth Games Federation agreed with this conclusion but suggested that M2002 would be unlikely to have the resources to fund the retention of key staff.[67] The previous Committee recommended that the Cabinet Office be responsible for recruiting a specific team to provide advice and assistance to the Government in the staging of major sporting events.[68] The Committee recommends that the Legacy document prepared by M2002 after the Games should identify the central core of employees within M2002 and the UK's other sporting bodies, whose expertise should be available to other organisers of international sporting events in the UK to ensure our success as a host country in future. We also repeat the recommendation of the previous Committee that the Government should consider retaining a core team of experts to provide advice in regard to future bids and future events.[69]
Regeneration of the East Manchester Area
- The previous Committee received evidence from Manchester City Council (MCC) that the Games had been brought to Manchester with specific social and economic goals in mind.[70] MCC confirmed then that public investment in sporting facilities was being matched by private investment in retail and leisure facilities and new housing in the East Manchester area. Indications were that the SportCity development alone would create around 3,000 permanent jobs.[71]
- Since then, MCC have commissioned a study by Cambridge Policy Consultants (CPC) to analyse the economic and social impacts of the Games on the city, the wider region and the nation.[72] CPC believe that the number of full time jobs created by the Games will be considerably higher than previous estimates. This success has been identified by CPC as a result of the steps taken by MCC and its partners to integrate the Games into a wider regeneration process and by involving businesses and communities in the North West.
- The previous Committee expressed concern that it was vital for SportCity to be maintained and funded appropriately to ensure that it continued to provide a stimulus to the wider regeneration of East Manchester.[73] CPC consider that MCC have taken great care to ensure that the venues for the Games have a viable after-use, by providing international standard venues which can be used by local and regional communities as well as athletes. In particular, the City of Manchester Stadium itself, after conversion, will become the home in August 2003 of Manchester City Football Club.[74] The Committee is encouraged by the positive report of the study undertaken by Cambridge Policy Consultants, and, whilst repeating the concerns of the previous Committee that SportCity must be maintained and properly funded, believes that MCC have put in the necessary groundwork to link the Games with the wider regeneration of the area. We look forward to the reports of future studies on the impact of the Games including the projections that SportCity would create around 3,000 permanent jobs.
60 HC (2000-2001) 286, para 112 Back
61 Ev 4 Back
62 HC (2000-2001) 286, p. 178 Back
63 Ev 4 Back
64 See para 10 Back
65 Ev 1 and HC (2000-01) 286, para 88 Back
66 HC (2000-01) 286, para 113 Back
67 HC (2000-01) 286, para 113 Back
68 HC (2000-01) 286, para 113 Back
69 Ibid. Back
70 HC (2000-01) 286, para 144 Back
71 HC (2000-01) 286, Q393 Back
72 Not printed Back
73 HC (2000-01) 286, para 115 Back
74 HC (2000-01) 286, para 86 Back
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