Memorandum submitted by SpoRTA
1. INTRODUCTION
TO SPORTA
1.1 SpoRTAthe Sports and Recreation
Trusts Associationis the organisation that represents cultural
and leisure trusts, set up to run local authority leisure services
independently in the United Kingdom.
1.2 Members are social enterprises, large
and small, which play an important role in the regeneration and
the building of sustainable communities at a local level.
1.3 SpoRTA was founded in 1997 and currently
has a membership of over 115 leisure trusts from all parts of
the UK with 550 individual leisure facilities. Together the trusts
have a combined annual turnover in excess of £517 million,
have over 195 million customer visits each year and employ over
25,000 full time employees.
2. SPORTA'S
SUBMISSION
2.1 In submitting written evidence to the
Committee, SpoRTA has focused in particular on the impact of the
Games upon grassroots participation in sport, both before and
after the Games and the legacy use of venues across the UK.
2.2 This evidence is drawn from a number
of SpoRTA members throughout the country but excludes input or
reference to Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL). Please be advised that
GLL is submitting evidence separately to the Committee given its
location and role in the 2012 Games.
3. EVIDENCE
3.1 Most SpoRTA members who contributed
to this evidence are based outside of London and do not have Olympic
events taking place in their area or are unaware of such events.
However, members across the UK are keen to benefit from the opportunities
the Olympics offers and many trusts have registered their venues
as potential training camps.
3.2 Many members see indirect benefits from
the 2012 legacy, and believe that the high profile of the 2012
Games could help encourage increased participation and use of
sports facilities, and promote greater awareness of health benefits.
However, some trusts are concerned that without targeted capital
funding for local facilities their local communities would see
little long-term benefit from the Olympic legacy.
3.3 Whilst many trusts may see the Olympics
as a "driver", encouraging local authorities to improve
facilities and the public to use these facilities, some see the
2012 Games as a competitor for funding and therefore potentially
unhelpful.
3.4 Although most SpoRTA members could not
point to increased sports participation at their facilities since
the London 2012 Olympics were announced in 2005, they generally
believe that participation in sport will increase as a result
of the Games. However, some felt that increases in participation
leading up to the Games would be limited and short-term. As one
member put it "the challenge is to sustain this increased
participation in the long term".
3.5 A particularly successful scheme for
improving participation generally is the Tees Active Sports Academy
aimed at supporting, celebrating and encouraging talented local
athletes across a range of sports to stay local and achieve their
potential locally. With strong links to local universities and
organisations and with the support of Academy Champion Dame Tanni
Grey Thompson, there are currently around half a dozen members
who have a real chance of competing in 2012 and a couple who may
make 2008.
3.6 Some trusts have developed initiatives
to raise awareness of sports in the local community in the context
of the Olympics, for example free sports days at leisure centres
to be repeated every year up until 2012. However most trusts have
not yet undertaken any such initiatives. Some maintained it was
too early and it was best to wait until they could use the Olympic
logo after Beijing 2008 whilst others felt this was an area for
local authorities and some felt they did not have the resources.
As one SpoRTA member commented: "We feel
hampered by the lack of a marketable brandand lack of resource
in deprived areawe don't have the resources to invest in
a deprived area with many other challenges".
3.7 SpoRTA believes that focussing on the
health benefits of sport alongside raising the profile of the
Olympics is an important role for the London 2012 Games and will
help increase sporting participation in the UK.
3.8 Media reporting of the Olympics at a
local, regional and national level will play an important role
in changing behaviour in terms of sport participation and inspiring
young sportsmen and women of the future.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Clear guidance should be made available
for all public sector sports providers on how they can best use
the run-up and legacy of the London 2012 Games to increase participation
and use of sporting venues. This should include advice on marketing
and use of the Olympics logo, which will be important for running
community events.
4.2 Whilst some members are optimistic about
the benefits of the Games and the Olympics legacy, some are concerned
that the Games will not benefit their local areas. The Government
and LOCOG should address this by putting in place specific prgarammes
to help support grassroots organisations and provide guidance
on how they and their communities might better benefit from the
Olympics.
4.3 Whilst some local sports partnerships
are strong, these relationships vary from area to area. Again,
there needs to be clear guidance for public sector sports providers
on who they should forge partnerships with locally, regionally
and nationally in the run-up to the London 2012 Games.
November 2007
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