Agenda item

The Chair will present the final report on Sports Engagement in Leicester. 

The Chair presented the final report of the Commission’s Review into Sports Engagement in Leicester.  It was noted that thirteen recommendations arose from the Commissions’ conclusions.  The Chair discussed each of the recommendations with members, and sought endorsement of these, before submitting the report to the Executive. 

The Chair paid thanks to all of those who took an active role in developing the review. She explained that evidence had been sought from a range of providers within the Council as well as from Sport England. 

The Commission considered the following sets of proposed recommendations:

Sport England

The first set of conclusions and recommendations related to the work undertaken in partnership with Sport England. The first recommendation requested that any marketing should be carried out in a sensitive way and appropriate to the community.  It was agreed that the wording of this recommendation be strengthened to better clarify how data should be obtained and used. 

The second recommendation stated that ‘any strategy for sport should strengthen contacts between schools and sports clubs within the city to seek to reverse a rising trend of inactivity amongst youngsters’.  It was agreed that this recommendation be also amended to reflect the need to strengthen sports participation pathways, including the use of volunteering where deemed appropriate. 

Health Issues

The Chair explained that the commission had noted during the review the need for people to change their behaviour on a long-term basis rather than have short term changes.  In relation to establishing in more detail the effectiveness of the Leicester Active Lifestyle Scheme (ALS), it was pointed out that a comparative study of the Birmingham and Derby schemes should be undertaken to see which scheme, if either, is more appropriate for Leicester in terms of financial effectiveness and the issues of long-term behaviour change.

Schools Partnership Trust

The Chair reported that the Commission noted that a positive Olympic and Paralympic Legacy was a priority for the Trust, but that potential cuts to sports programmes for schools could have an adverse effect on this particular objective.

The recommendations in relation to the Sports Partnership Trust were supported by the Commission. 

City Council Sports Role

The Commission agreed that the title of this section be amended to read ‘City Council Sports and Active Lifestyle Role’. 

It was agreed that within conclusion 1.14, the word ‘staff’ be replaced with the word ‘customers’.

The Commission raised a number of questions in relation to the strategy to increase prices of services provided by sports and leisure centres.  The Head of Sports Services explained that an inflationary price increase was imposed annually.  It was suggested that officers gain details in respect of the price strategies of neighbouring authorities and how these had been set in light of the need to attract users from the more deprived sectors of the community. 

The Commission also discussed the pricing of the Council’s sports membership card.  In conclusion, it was agreed that the wording of recommendation 11 should be strengthened to reflect the Commissions’ view that the cost of the card should be set to particularly encourage participation by more people in areas of greatest deprivation.

It was suggested that a report which details progress made within City Council Sports and Active Lifestyle Role be presented to the Scrutiny Commission within 12 months.

In relation to the provision of free swimming for children, the Assistant Mayor for Heritage, Leisure and Sports stated that the focus should be on teaching children to swim rather than simply providing free swimming sessions.  It was acknowledged that further work with Primary Schools was required in order to achieve this.  This notion was supported by the Head of Sports Services who confirmed that the City Council had recently submitted a proposal to expand the current provision of free swimming. 

Participation by Women In sports

It was agreed that recommendation 12 be amended to enable it to become more gender-specific so that it reads as follows:

“The Lower Super Output data, which identifies key inner city and outer estate communities as particularly experiencing a wide range of social and economic deprivation, should be used to prioritise efforts to targets female and communities to encourage participation in sports’

It was further resolved that given the links to the Sports Development Trust, that the recommendations in relation to Participation by Women in Sport be listed immediately after those in relation to the Sports Development Trust. 

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the wording of recommendation 1 be strengthened to better clarify how data should be obtained and used.

(2)  That recommendation 2 be amended to reflect the need to strengthen sports participation pathways, including the use of volunteering where deemed appropriate.

(3)  That recommendation 12 be amended to enable it to become more gender specific as detailed above. 

(4)  That given the links to the Sports Development Trust, that the recommendations in relation to Participation by Women in Sport be listed immediately after those in relation to the Sports Development Trust. 

(5)  That the title of the City Council Sports Role set of recommendations be amended to read ‘City Council Sports and Active Lifestyle Role’. 

(6)  That within conclusion 1.14, the word ‘staff’ be replaced with the word ‘customers’.

(7)  That the wording of recommendation 11 be strengthened to reflect the Commissions’ view that the cost of the card should be set to particularly encourage participation by more people in areas of greatest deprivation; and

(8)  That the recommendations be forwarded to Assistant Mayor Clair in order for an Executive response to be prepared.