Audit Commission

The quality and accessibility of public sports and recreation facilities may not match public health and fitness expectations or offer the best value for money, according to a new report published by the Audit Commission in association with Sport England.

In Public Sports and Recreation Services, the Commission calls for more assessment of local sporting needs; more partnership working to deliver better-planned and better value for money services; and a greater coherence of funding streams and initiatives from government departments.

The report’s research shows that strategic planning of provision is underdeveloped with little robust assessment of the mix of current public and private provision, community needs and future demand. Councils often focus on maintaining a historic in-house pattern of sports and recreation service provision and rarely form strategic partnerships with other councils, private leisure providers or other cross-sector partners such as health and education, to improve and develop facilities.

Examples of good practice in the management of sports and recreation provision are identified in the report, with case studies demonstrating that a number of different management options can succeed when implemented effectively. Key to this success are clarity of purpose, strong leadership, and strong partnership working where councils review the balance between local need and provision with their community and prospective partners.

Some councils have achieved significant increases in participation and improvements to facilities by developing successful partnerships with other public services or private companies, planning strategically, and market testing.

The report states that no single management option delivers the best value for money, or consistently results in more investment or higher levels of participation. However, in-house services, which predominate, tend to be significantly more expensive than not-for-profit trusts or private sector contracts.

When considering different management options, many councils are missing out on significant savings and efficiency opportunities by failing to use market testing. This also results in many local authorities failing to adapt their leisure provision to meet future needs.

Steve Bundred, Chief Executive of the Audit Commission, said:
‘Councils are a major provider of local sports and recreation services, which play an important part in improving health and reducing crime. However, the quality and accessibility of public sports facilities could be a lot better. More assessment of local sporting needs; more partnership working to deliver better-planned and better value for money services; and a greater coherence of funding streams and initiatives from government departments are key recommendations to assist councils meet changing demand.’

Tim Garfield interim Director of Policy and Performance Sport England said:
'Sport England welcomes this report which sets out clearly the case for early, careful and strategic planning of sports and recreation facilities. Our regional network is committed to working with Local Authority partners and commencing early discussions on design and specification, so that new and refurbished school sport and leisure facilities are fit for purpose and complementary to existing community facilities. Partnerships are crucial if we are to avoid replicating and duplicating other venues, and to ensure a balance of provision in local areas that will lead to the greatest increases in participation.'

Case studies in the report show that, although rarely pursued, gains can be made by forming strategic cross-sector partnerships with health and education bodies and the voluntary sector. For example, the increasing investment in school sports can be used to provide facilities to benefit the local community.

The Audit Commission will consider the extent to which councils have appraised the options for delivering sports and recreation services when reviewing and reporting on value for money through the annual use of resources assessment.

Notes to editors

Under the Local Government Act 2000, all councils have the power to secure the well-being of their residents. Councils are responsible for public sports and recreation facilities for local people in each borough.

The study focuses on public sports and recreation centres which excludes outdoor recreational facilities (parks, playgrounds and pitches), community centres, privately managed facilities, voluntary run facilities and school facilities (unless dual use and managed as part of a council’s leisure portfolio).

The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively, to achieve high-quality local services for the public. Our remit covers around 11,000 bodies in England, which between them spend more than £180 billion of public money each year. Our work covers local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services.

As an independent watchdog, we provide important information on the quality of public services. As a driving force for improvement in those services, we provide practical recommendations and spread best practice. As an independent auditor, we ensure that public services are good value for money and that public money is properly spent.

Sport England promotes and invests in community sport. Our aim is to encourage people of all ages to start, stay and succeed in sport at every level and make England the most active and successful sporting nation.

Sport England has nine Regional Sports Boards (RSBs), each made up of experts from areas such as business, local government, sport, health and education. The RSBs provide the strategic lead for sport in their regions and distribute investment for grassroots sport.

Sport England is a statutory consultee on planning applications that affect the use of playing fields and have planning experts working with Local Authorities on facility strategies across the country.

For more information about Sport England, visit www.sportengland.org.

The local authorities which are the focus of the report's case studies are:

• Guildford Borough Council
• London Borough of Bexley
• Penwith District Council
• London Borough of Greenwich
• East Hampshire District Council
• North Tyneside Council
• Torbay Council
• London Borough of Lambeth
• Liverpool City Council
• Harborough District Council