Local authorities are perfectly placed to help shape services within localities but there remain a number of key challenges to be addressed. Sport for sport’s sake will often have little resonance locally. Talking the lan- guage of health, and understanding how to access public health and clinical commissioning group funding is essen- tial. We need to be getting slices of cake rather than feeding from crumbs. However, there is a question mark
over whether local authorities will be able to maintain their current invest- ment in sport and leisure services without sufficient incentive to do so. Therefore, in terms of sports devel- opment, being able to show how local working helps to connect to, and draw down, national funding streams in local areas is very helpful. There cannot be a one size fits all approach. The relative priority of leisure services locally will often be different. The extent of reform at all levels also means that many of
ISSUE 2 2012 © cybertrek 2011
We need to learn very quickly and roll out what works best. We also need to get better at
marketing our services, using insight to understand what motivates people to take part in sport
the local stakeholders and their staff are trying to deal with a pace of change that is unprecedented, with a diminish- ing skill base and resources to do it. In this context it makes the lead-
ership role of local authorities all the more challenging, yet we must make significant forward progress if we are to grow and not merely survive. NGBs need help in trying to trans- late and apply national plans locally. We need to all learn very quickly and roll out what we know works best and get better at marketing our services, using insight to understand what moti- vates people to take part in sport.
We are at a crossroads. The eyes of the world will be on London in August and there will be lots of questions asked about legacy. Will the same focus be placed on sport in 2013? Success will be borne out of a collective effort to work together, understand the chang- ing world around us, prove our value and deliver results. On the basis of very recent discussions between Sport England, NGBs, local authorities, oper- ators and county sports partnerships, there is cause to be optimistic. l
Mark Allman is a CLOA executive and head of sport at Leeds City Council
Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 69
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76