This web tool is based on the findings from the national study, Public sports and recreation services, undertaken by the Audit Commission in association with Sport England (external link). Designed for local authorities in England, it will help you to secure improved access and deliver value for money in managing your public sport and recreation facilities.
The national context for sports and recreation
There is a strong national focus on sport. The objective of both government and Sport England is to make England the most active and successful sporting nation in the world. This is reflected in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) participation targets and the target set in the government's plan for sport, Game Plan, for 70 per cent of the population to be reasonably active by 2020 from a base of 30 per cent in 1998. The London 2012 Olympics has further highlighted the role of sport in building cohesive communities and is likely to raise the public's expectations for sports provision.
Why was the study conducted?
Councils have a major role in contributing to the promotion and delivery of increased participation in sport and physical activity. The government has set a challenging target to increase participation from current levels by 1 per cent year on year for the next 15 years. In parallel it has ambitious plans for elite performance, running up to the London Olympics in 2012 and its legacy. However, the quality and accessibility of public sports and recreation facilities are in danger of failing to support and match these aspirations.
Until the mid-1980s council sports and recreation facilities were almost wholly managed in-house. Since, there has been a shift towards management by private sector contractors, and more recently to management by trusts. Although in-house management still predominates, the proportion of trust-managed facilities has nearly doubled over the last five years to 22 per cent, with private contractors maintaining a constant 18 per cent share of provision.
The assessment of these management options is critical in demonstrating best value in the delivery of public leisure services. Robust objective assessments should be undertaken on all options against clear criteria that are grounded in the council's and its community's priorities. These assessments should focus on providing good value for money and be linked to capital investment.
What were the findings from the study?
Councils need to be clear about their local needs and their delivery options. With notable exceptions, they are not making decisions with sufficient rigour to provide the right answers for their localities. Too often their focus is on financial and operational performance, rather than on non-financial outcomes as well. They generally do not link the contribution of sport and recreation services to corporate priorities and community needs.
Inconsistencies in options appraisal, weaknesses in market testing and the high proportion of councils with in-house management means that significant cost savings and efficiency opportunities are potentially being missed. If councils are unable to adopt clear, comprehensive approaches to strategic decisions about the future delivery of their recreation facilities, they will fail to meet participation targets and community needs, and deliver poorer value for money for the community assets for which they are responsible.
How will this tool support improvement and help you?
To address these weaknesses the Audit Commission has developed this improvement tool. The tool will help councils understand the potential advantages and disadvantages of the various options.
It will illustrate examples of notable practice and provide useful documents and frameworks that councils have used in the planning and procurement of their leisure services. It will also provide links to national tools and examples to help support councils in their planning and decision making.
How does it work?
This tool will help guide you through the planning and procurement of public leisure services using a three-stage, step-by-step approach.
This is a live resource and will be continuously updated and improved by the Audit Commission and also other national agencies.