Sport England Update

DCMS autumn performance report 2007

"Our aim is to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, support the pursuit of excellence, and champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries."

Click here to read the full report.

World class community sport in England

On Wednesday 28^th November the Rt Hon James Purnell MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport gave a speech on creating world class community sport. He outlined that over £4 billion of Government and Lottery funding has been spent on sport at local and national level and that 86% of pupils were now doing at least 2 hours of PE and sport in a typical week.

He linked sport to the structure of a pyramid with school sport being the first part of that. He reinforced the government’s ambition to offer at least 5 hours of sport every week, to every child and attributed the contribution of the Youth Sports Trust in achieving this.

He moved on to talk about the work of Sport England directly and, put simply, its purpose was to deliver sport in England. This is why there should be a clear focus on sports development and sports participation. At this point he announced there would be a review of Sport England’s strategy to focus on the delivery of an excellent sporting infrastructure from the grass roots up.

The DCMS wants to create whole sports plans, with a single funding pot and to free them up from bureaucracy and bidding. In return the organisations will need to commit to clear goals to improve participation, coaching and the club structure. And in particular, they will need to show how they will reach groups who do less sport today, whether women, poorer groups or some ethnic minorities.

Acknowledging the wider role sport has to play in tackling wider social problems particularly the rise of obesity he stated that the DCMS is playing its part in raising participation in PE and school sport. To reduce obesity he has agreed with the Department for Health and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury that they will work closely over the next few months to ensure that all relevant Government departments are working together to deliver a physical activity strategy for all. This work will provide clarity of the roles and responsibilities for all the different organisations to meet the aim of 2 million more people being more active by 2012.

Sport England has been asked to produce a new strategy in response to the ideas set out by the Secretary of State in this speech. The new work will focus on producing a world class community sports development system, including raising participation in sport. Sport England’s CEO, Jennie Price, will lead this work with a small group which will include Rugby League Chairman Richard Lewis, Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Steve Grainger and Sport England’s Deputy Chair, Ged Roddy. The Secretary of State has asked Sport England to produce an initial draft strategy by the end of December 2007for implementation from April 2008.

Living Places

Living Places, a new partnership of Cultural Agencies, including CABE (Commission for Architecture and Built Environment), Sport England, and the Academy of Sustainable Communities, and two central government departments (Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Communities and Local Government department) launched an eight point action plan to bring the benefits of culture and sport to communities at the Thames Gateway Forum at the Excel centre last week.

Living Places will help realise people’s aspirations by helping house builders, planners and all those helping to shape places by building in high quality sporting and cultural facilities from the start.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport, said:
“Culture and sport are engaging and powerful instruments for building places that are vibrant and exciting - where people will choose to live. Good design that builds on local history creates character. Playing football in the park, joining a library and watching a local play reinforce our sense of community. Living Places shows how these sporting and cultural elements can be combined to build desirable communities in the Thames Gateway and beyond.”

Stephen Castle, Chair of the East of England Regional Sports Board, also presented at the launch and later that day presented details of the proposed Basildon Sports Village at the Thames Gateway Forum.

For more information click here

Partnering the Third Sector

On Tuesday 27^th November the Rt. Hon. Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Competitiveness delivered a speech to the National CSR Conference regarding the benefits of corporate responsibility.

Corporate Responsibility is the idea of businesses partnering with the third sector – with clear social and environmental gains. Social gains through employment for unemployed young people and good quality equipment for hard pressed non-profit organisations serving their communities. Environmental gains through avoiding the dumping in landfill of thousands of tons of furniture.

He outlined how the modern corporate responsibility movement is highly creative – especially when, it entails partnering with the third sector. This is why he is working with Phil Hope at the Office for the Third sector in the Cabinet Office to ensure they provide all the support they can to social entrepreneurs as well as to other entrepreneurs. Their Enterprise Directorate will continue to work with the Office of the Third Sector to deliver the help that’s needed.

Their aim is that private and public sector organisations should take account of their economic, social and environmental impact, and to take action to address them, drawing upon their own expertise and resources.

He mentioned the breakfast on the 24th July that the Prime Minister hosted for City leaders to explore new ways in which they might utilise the particular talents and expertise in the financial services sector to help address key social challenges and strengthen leadership in the third sector. The challenge was to move beyond old models where financial experts spend a day painting the walls in a community centre, to harnessing their professional expertise for social and environmental goals.

The ultimate goal is to harness the highest level corporate expertise for social and environmental goals.

Corporate Responsibility is becoming very important within businesses as pressure is put on them by their employees and customers. Sport has the potential to benefit from corporate responsibility. Initiatives such as volunteer coaching and sponsoring community sports teams and facilities in disadvantaged areas are examples of this.

House of Lords

Conservatives - Hunt comments on resignation of Sport England chairman

Thu, 29 November 2007 | Political Party Press Release

Summary

Jeremy Hunt, Conservative Shadow Culture Secretary, has commented on the resignation of Sports England chairman, Derek Mapp.
Mr Hunt said:
'This resignation shows that after a decade of slashing lottery funding for grassroots sport, government policy is still failing to get a grip in the run up to 2012. Obesity is rising, competitive sport in schools is declining and lottery funding for community sports has plummeted. We've long called for Sport England to focus on sport itself and we're delighted that the Government has adopted another one of our policies. But when will the government offer us a positive vision rather than yet more chaos?'

House of Commons -
MPs debate Women's and Girls' Football

Tue, 4 December 2007 | Debate - Adjournment and GeneralSummary

More can be done to improve access to women's football, Gerry Sutcliffe told MP's today in a debate on the subject.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, felt that the treatment of England's women's football team was a scandal and that they could have enjoyed a wonderful opportunity by competing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

There was a massive opportunity ahead, he felt, as women's football was growing in popularity after huge progress in the past decade. A partnership between the FA, Tesco and the national sports foundation served to increase investment and improve facilities for women's football, including the first Tesco skills centre for girls, he disclosed.

He criticised the other home nations of the UK for refusing to let England's women represent the UK at the Olympics and stressed the importance of resolving such issues for London 2012. Moreover, the majority of world cup stars had ended up losing money in order to take part, which Mr Sutcliffe felt was lamentable.

Sport could be a route away from problems, he continued, and women's football was a good example of this. The FA was committed to increasing the number of teams and providing greater resources to the women's game, he stressed.

Opening the debate, Labour MP and former Sports Minister Richard Caborn stressed that many found their way back into society through sports, especially football. He felt that the professional side of the game had not served women's football well and called for the policy to be revisited.

He noted the frustration of the English coach that, having qualified for the Olympics, they would be denied a place at the tournament by internal politics and criticised the 'blazers' that had made Britain the laughing stock of women's sport.

Southworth - Football Development (Schools)

Mon, 3 December 2007 | House of Commons - Written AnswerContents

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Children, Schools and Families on football development in (a) primary schools and ( b) secondary schools; and if he will make a statement. [170104]

Mr. Sutcliffe: On 21 November 2007, our Secretary of State and Kevin Brennan, Parliamentary Under-secretary of State at the DCSF, chaired a seminar with governing bodies and school sport associations, including the Football Association and the English Schools Football Association, to develop our plans to increase competitive sporting opportunities for children and young people and create world class junior competition structures in both schools and clubs.

House of Lords

Addington - Obesity (Departmental Responsibilities)

Thu, 29 November 2007 | House of Lords - Oral Question

The following questions regarding obesity were answered by Government spokesperson Baroness Royall of Blaisdon.Contents

Lords Answer - 29 Nov 07
Health: Obesity
11.15 am
Lord Addington asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which government department holds responsibility for issues concerning obesity.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, tackling obesity is a cross-government responsibility led by the Department of Health. Childhood obesity is the joint responsibility of the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families, as signalled by the new public service agreement to improve the health and well-being of children and young people. The Secretary of State for Health is developing a comprehensive cross-government strategy on obesity, facilitated by a cross-governmental ministerial group.
Lord Addington: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Is there any plan to give absolute authority to the Department of Health to ensure that things like recreational physical activity are made more readily available in any new planning? If not, why not? We have just heard that obesity is apparently a greater threat to us than global warming.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the Secretary of State for Health is taking the lead. The Foresight report provided us with a catalyst and there is absolute determination that our cross-departmental work will bring forward results. The strategy will be available in the very near future and I am confident that the Secretary of State for Health will be determined in his leadership.

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: My Lords, I speak as a member of the All-Party Group on Obesity. Why is it that in central London you can hardly find a thinly-sliced or medium-sliced loaf of bread to buy, and any sandwich you buy in any supermarket is now made with thick bread? While the House of Lords continues to use medium-sliced-and very nice-bread in its sandwiches, even the House of Commons has moved to thick bread. Surely at a time when we want to reduce people's consumption, there should be more pressure from the Food Standards Agency, or one of the many departments the Minister speaks about, to take us back to normal-sized bread instead of these super-sized sandwiches.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, that is an interesting and important point, but it is not really a matter for the Government. We would be accused of being a nanny state if the Government started to pronounce on these issues.
Baroness Coussins: My Lords, what progress has been achieved so far by the physical education in schools initiative? What advice is given to schools to stop children being able to abandon PE after the end of year 9?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, I am pleased to report that 86 per cent of schoolchildren now do at least two hours of quality sport a week. That is one of the results of the programme. I recognise that there is a lot more to be done, and we aim to offer every child and young person the chance of five hours' sport a week by 2011.
Baroness Howe of Idlicote: My Lords, is the Minister satisfied that the restriction on advertising foods high in salt, sugar and saturated fats are sufficient to achieve what the majority of people in this House and elsewhere would like to be achieved?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: No, my Lords, I am not satisfied. The rules on advertising to children have got a lot better. From January onwards, adverts during television programmes of particular appeal to children under 16 will not be allowed. However, we believe that we must move forward, and we need a ban on all high-fat, salty and sugary foods before the 9 pm watershed.
Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall: My Lords, I accept that obesity is a serious problem, but is my noble friend satisfied that the current measure of obesity, the BMI, is a sufficiently flexible and precise indicator of obesity in relation to health?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, there is much discussion about measurements of obesity. We believe that the current BMI measure is the best one we have at the moment, but we are looking at that.
Baroness Tonge: My Lords, does the Minister agree that people have always loved to eat junk food, whether it was bread and dripping and iced buns in my day or, nowadays, the dreaded burger? Does she also agree that people who are overweight and heavy but very fit are not necessarily obese?
Noble Lords: Oh!
Baroness Tonge: My Lords, I thought that would please your Lordships. To go back to my noble friend's original point, it is terribly important that the Government encourage exercise in all forms.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Yes, my Lords. One of the problems is that we are no longer hunter-gatherers. Our lifestyle has changed; the society in which we live has changed; we must change our culture. That must mean more sport, more exercise and looking at our built environment.
The Countess of Mar: My Lords, the Minister said that various factors may contribute to obesity. In light of the fact that many infants who do not rely on exercise and who do not necessarily eat chips and bread and butter are becoming grossly overweight, will she consider the contribution that the huge number of new chemicals to which we have been exposed during the past 40 years may have made to creating genetic alterations before children are born?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, that is a very interesting point which I shall take back to the department. We have to prevent young infants becoming obese. It is adults who buy their children's food. Therefore, we have to target adults as well as young infants.
Earl Howe: My Lords-

Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords-
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): My Lords, there have been no Labour speakers on this Question. It should be the Labour side.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: My Lords, will the strategy that is about to be concluded look at the underutilisation of resources available in gyms in the private sector? Will the Government explore the possibility of using those resources for schools, possibly in collaboration with the Youth Justice Board, as a means of getting some young people out of criminality and into exercise and a better life?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, if the strategy was not going to consider that before the noble Lord's question, I can assure him that it will do so now.

Mike Diaper’s Presentation at the School and Sport Partnerships Conference

Mike Diaper made a speech at the Youth Sport Trust School and Sport Partnerships' Conference on the 29 Oct 2007 about the success of Sport England in getting more young people into sport. To read the speech please click here.

West Midlands Regional Observatory skills research

RSP Raising aspirations: Attitudes, motivation & barriers to engagement in learning, skills and employment amongst disadvantaged groups and communities. Click here to view the executive report.

WMRO

Society, demography & health bulletin – December 2007 - click here to view.

2012 IOC

Click here to view Jacques Rogge's article re costs.

2012 Activity calendar

A note from LOCOG:

You could send any events that you would like us to include on this calendar to nick.king@london2012.com

Please remember that this activity calendar attached is circulated to a very wide range of stakeholders - from the ODA, Government Departments to the IOC and NGBs. We are therefore only seeking to reflect major events that are of potential interest to the majority of the stakeholders.

Click here for the latest edition.

Youth Olympics
Click here for information on the Youth Olympics (2010).

Special Olympics Great Britain

National Development Office & SOGB Promotions Ltd – new address

WE HAVE MOVED to:

Corinthian House
1^st Floor
6 – 8 Great Eastern Street
London EC2A 3NT

Tel: 020 7247 8891
Fax: 020 7247 2393

Please pass this message to your athletes, coaches, members & colleagues

CCPR Policy Update

Click here to read December's issue.

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