Memorandum from Central Council of Physical
Recreation (CCPR) (DCH 170)
The Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR)
is the umbrella body for 270 national organisations for sport
and recreation; it represents and promotes voluntary sector sport
and recreation, which accounts for 26% of all volunteering.
CCPR welcomes the publication of the Draft Charities
Bill and broadly supports the proposals contained therein.
In particular, it is pleasing to see the intention
for the Bill to recognise the contributions of those charities
specifically which offer charitable purposes in and through sport.
However, CCPR would ask the Joint Committee
to consider the possibility of re-wording the purpose (Part 1,
2g) "the advancement of amateur sport", since we believe
that this particular wording might cause confusion with the existing
fiscal provisions for "Community Amateur Sports Clubs"
(CASCs). We believe that the wording of the purpose should make
absolutely clear, the distinction between sport and recreation
as a charitable purpose and CASCs. This would also prevent inadvertent
requirement for CASCs to register as charities, when such is not
their purpose.
The Draft Bill also has not provided a final
approach to the treatment of those bodies covered by the existing
Recreational Charities Act.
CCPR therefore would suggest that wording along
the lines of "promotion of charitable sport and recreation"
be considered. This would allow interpretation and guidance from
the Charity Commission, so that the distinctions between charitable
sport/recreation organisations can be preserved, and the distinct
benefits for each retained. This is particularly important, as
the number of sports clubs registered as CASCs, exceeds 1,500
(1,509 as of today), with more to follow. This has been a very
positive way, especially for small, local clubs, to retain resources
which otherwise might have been lost; and has been administratively
convenient for the government departments dealing with CASCs.
Since the measure was implemented less than two years ago, with
strong cross-party and sectoral support, it would be regrettable,
were any drafting in the Bill inadvertently to detract from these
benefits to the voluntary sector sports system.
June 2004
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