Sport England Update

Sport England has published a radical new strategy to get more people playing and enjoying sport and to help those with talent get to the very top.

The new approach is designed to capitalise on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to use its power to inspire more people to take part in and succeed in sport.

View all information and downloads on the SE website

Sport England launches a consultation on its National Lottery grant making

Sport England would like to hear from people who play sport, from clubs, voluntary groups, local authorities and other key stakeholders to get a view on how the process of applying for sports National Lottery funding can be improved. The consultation will run from 25 June to 16 September (a 12-week period).

We especially want everyone involved in sport in the West Midlands to contribute to this process.
View the consultation information

2012 Legacy Action Plan

Included in the Legacy Action Plan document are references to research undertaken between July and October 2007

The research programme incorporated qualitative and quantitative research among the general public. Additionally desk research was carried out to pull together existing information already in the public domain about past Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as other 'mega-events' such as sporting World Cups.

Publications

The Olympic Legacy - Qualitative research into public attitudes PDF (543kb)
The Olympic Legacy - Qualitative research into public attitudes RTF (825kb)
London 2012 legacy research: final report PDF (332kb)
London 2012 legacy research: final report RTF (933kb)

Free swim announcement

Please view the press release on the DCMS website in respect of this announcement today

A brief outline of the proposals:

DCMS has said:

Precise details of how the scheme will be delivered will be agreed over the summer with the fund being available from 2009.
The swimming scheme is jointly funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department of Health, Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Communities and Local Government.
At least half of existing local authorities already provide some form of free swimming, usually to young people at certain times of the day. The fund will enable other local authorities to offer free swimming and enable those local authorities that already do so to extend their provision to other age groups.
The �140 million fund will be available to Local Authorities from 2009/10 for two years. Of that �80 million will be available as resource funding (essentially helping waive admission costs) and �60m will be available as a capital fund to help rejuvenate and maintain existing swimming pools.

Playing to win � a new era for sport - 10 June 2008

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Andy Burnham, and Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe today set out their vision for sport in a speech to national governing bodies at Lords cricket ground today.

The Government also published a new document setting out their vision for the sport in England. �Playing to win � a new era for sport� sets out the Government�s ambition to become a truly world leading sporting nation, capitalising on the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

It follows the announcement on Friday 6th June of plans to provide free swimming for over 60's and many under 16's as part of the Olympic legacy.

View the strategy

Sport and Specialist Sschools

Specialist Sports Schools� success

As part of the Government�s push to increase the number of specialist schools, the Schools Minister Andrew Adonis MP has this week announced that a further 79 schools have been granted specialist status. This takes the number of specialist schools up to 92% of all maintained secondary schools, with a total of 33 local authorities having 100% specialised schools. The schools granted this specialist status focus on a broad range of issues including languages, arts, engineering, business, music, mathematics and, crucially, sport, with nine new specialist sports schools announced..

The Chair of the Youth Sport Trust, Sue Campbell, has commented on the success of the programme for sport:

�The Youth Sport Trust is delighted by the high success rate of Sports College applications in this round and we are particularly pleased by the increasing number of middle schools being accepted into the specialist schools programme. Specialist schools have demonstrated that they have the knowledge and ability to use PE and sport to increase the attainment and achievement of young people and to act as key hub sites in the delivery of the Government�s ambition for all young people to get 5 hours of PE and sport each week.�

For further information please see here.

Sport and the Olympics

Mayor responds to report on �Olympic Preparedness�

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has this week commented on the progress being made in preparation for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Mayor was largely positive in his tone, commending the progress already seen; however he was quick to call for greater transparency and openness in relation to the budget. The Mayor made the commitment that Londoners would not have to pay any additional council tax in order to fund the Games.

His comments come on the back of a report published by David Ross, the Mayor�s representative on the board of LOCOG, on the subject of �Olympic Preparedness�. David Ross commented that �The ODA has made good progress, on what is a complex and challenging site, in taking forward the physical preparation of the Olympic Park, and remains on track to start its main construction activities in 2008,�. In the report David Ross does however urge caution in relation to the planning; especially in the face of the increasingly turbulent economy.

The Mayor added:

�We must also not lose sight that the Olympic Village offers the hope of new homes for many thousands of people. We cannot put that at risk by reducing the quality of these homes and indeed I want to see this village as a model for new housing sought after by people of all incomes - a mixed community with excellent schools and facilities with as much shared ownership as possible to give people a ladder to home ownership.�

For further information please on the Mayor�s comments please see here.

London 2012 unveils UK handover celebrations

London 2012 unveiled its plans this week for celebrating the moment the Olympic Flag is handed over from Beijing to London at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games on 24^th August. London 2012 Chairman, Sebastian Coe, and young Olympic hopeful Tom Daley were joined by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell MP, to unveil a London and UK-wide series of events aimed at celebrating the Games coming to London in 2012.

Highlights of the celebrations include:

A free concert � �The Visa London 2012 Party� in London for more than 40,000 people which will be broadcast live on BBC One and Radio 2;
Big screens across the country which will carry Games-time action and the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games;
Towns and cities all over the UK marking the handover moment with their own celebrations;
The launch of a special London 2012 Olympic Flag. Each local authority is being invited to mark the day with the chance to fly this flag to celebrate the Games coming to the UK. Local authorities will be encouraged to invite local sports people or community heroes to raise the flag.

For further details of the London 2012 handover ceremony please see here

For more information on the Olympic Flag proposals go to the Local Government Association
website here

The first week of June saw the Government make a number of important sporting announcements to set the scene for the development of sport in England over the next few years. These announcements are summarised below with more details available by following the links.

Playing to win � a new era for sport

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, and the Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP, set out their vision for sport in a speech to National Governing Bodies and other sporting partners at Lords Cricket Ground on 10th June 2008.

This followed the publication by the Government of a new pamphlet setting out their vision for sport in England. The pamphlet, �Playing to win � a new era for sport�, sets out the Government�s ambition to become a truly world-leading sporting nation, capitalising on the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The document sets out radical plans to create a world-leading community sport structure by transforming the Government�s approach to funding and delivering grass-roots sport. The reforms, driven by a refocused Sport England and delivering on a new Strategy for 2008-11, will use sports� National Governing Bodies to sustain and increase participation in sport and bring on new talent, building on the PE, School Sport and Young People Strategy launched earlier in the year. The reforms will reduce bureaucracy and lead to savings of �20 million over the next three years, which will go to community sport.

In a linked announcement, the Olympics Minister Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP published the Government�s Legacy Action Plan for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The plan spells out how the Government is using the Games to deliver positive changes in line with its five promises for 2012: promoting sport, regenerating east London, inspiring young people, promoting sustainability and business, tourism, jobs and skills.

A copy of the speech by Andy Burnham and the Playing to Win pamphlet are available by following the highlighted links.

Sport and Volunteering

Conservative Proposals on Volunteering

The Conservative Party has published their proposals to support voluntary organisations and institute a number of initiatives and reforms which they hope will offer better support to volunteers. The paper fleshes out a number of previously mooted policy proposals, including ideas on co-operatives, voluntary sector public service delivery and social enterprises.

The paper makes a number of recommendations of relevance to the sporting sector, including the abolition of the Big Lottery Fund and changes to local-level funding for voluntary groups, such as local sports clubs. The report further elaborates on plans to replace the Big Lottery Fund with a Voluntary Action Lottery Fund dedicated in its entirety to the voluntary and community sector � returning the National Lottery to its original four good causes.

Other proposals include:

Setting up a �funding passport scheme� so that voluntary organisations can by-pass grant application and contract tendering
The potential to devolve budgets to local councillors for ward-level voluntary projects
Direct support for volunteering through grass-roots voluntary organisations
Making volunteering easier by �improving the system of CRB checks� for volunteers.

Morgan Inquiry -volunteering

The Morgan Inquiry: An independent inquiry into young adult volunteering in the UK. June 2008

Sport and Culture

The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have released a joint statement, announcing the ten pilot areas which will trial the �Five Hour Offer for Culture� announced earlier in the year. Now labelled the �Find Your Talent� programme, the aim is to encourage young people to discover and develop their cultural talents.

Commenting on the announcement, the Culture Secretary, Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, said:

�Find Your Talent is a truly exciting initiative that could open minds and change young lives. Enjoying and exploring culture and the arts is not a luxury, or an add-on, for young people. It matters in its own right, and can be a way of developing essential life skills like communication and creativity, and contribute to personal development and self-esteem. Too many young people still leave school without ever really finding out what they could be good at: the things that could be the basis of a fulfilling life.�

The ten pilot schemes and areas announced are being led by the following Local Authorities or local organisations:

Bolton Borough Council
The Creative Foundation - serving Shepway District and including Folkestone, Hythe, and Romney Marsh
Customs House - serving North and South Tyneside
Hampshire County Council
Leeds Children�s Services
Leicestershire County Council
�Liverpool City Region� Partnership - serving three Merseyside neighbourhoods
North Somerset Council
Telford and Wrekin Council
Tower Hamlets Council

For further details of the programme please see here

Sport and Extremism

Government announces guidelines for tackling extremism

The Home Office, the Communities and Local Government Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families have worked in collaboration to produce a number of new guidelines to tackle extremism. The key element of the new strategy is the need to stop people from becoming involved with extremism in the first place � the PREVENT agenda.

Included in the guidelines is a call for institutions to work with vulnerable young people to combat extremist behaviour, with �12.5 million earmarked in funding for a number of new projects designed to tackle the issue of radicalisation. Of particular relevance to the sporting sector is the provision to fund grassroots projects aimed at tackling radicalisation.

The Home Secretary, Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP, said:

"A key element of our strategy aims to stop people getting involved in extremist violence. Only by working together and building on our shared values can we prevent terrorism in the first place. We are investing at local level to build resilient communities, which are equipped to confront violent extremism and support the most vulnerable individuals. The new guidance offers all those working in our local communities advice and support on how to turn the Prevent strategy into practical measures and solutions that will make a real difference.�

Sport and Communities

Planning Policy for local spatial plans

The Housing and Planning Minister, Caroline Flint MP, has released details of plans to help local communities �thrive�. Outlined in the Planning Policy Statement on local spatial plans, the aim is to increase the involvement of public agencies, businesses and voluntary groups with decisions made at the community level. Included in the provisions is the desire to see a more joined-up approach across a number of policy issues, including affordable housing, climate change and improving school and health clinic infrastructures.

Commenting on the announcement, the Minister said:

"Local plans are the building blocks that set out the future development of our country, so this new policy will ensure that they meet local needs - whether it's more jobs, affordable homes or green spaces to enjoy. These changes also give local leaders greater local legitimacy. They can be confident their visions for the future will succeed if they are based on local priorities and sustainable development.�

FA�s vision 2008 -12: A world class organisation with a winning mentally

The FA has set out a series of �Major Milestones� that will be the foundation of their Vision:

England�s senior men and women�s teams qualifying for major competitions and reaching the semi-finals at least, by 2012.
Successfully bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Partnership with the Premier League and the Football League making clear, reported progress on major joint ventures in 2008 and 2009.
Commercial/Broadcast revenues increased by a substantial amount at the next review date in 2011.
National Football Centre operating by 2010.
One million five-eleven year olds trained through The FA Tesco Skills Programme by 2010.
25,000 existing teams retained and 20,500 new teams created by 2012.
26,000 referees retained and an additional 8,000 referees recruited by 2012.
RESPECT campaign improves overall disciplinary performance by 25 per cent by 2012.
Consistently increased distribution to the game by 2012.
Development and continued success of women�s football.
Wembley achieving an annual operating profit by 2012.
The FA�s move to Wembley completed and Investors in People accreditation achieved by 2010.
Approval rating of The FA shown to improve year-on-year through the strategic period.

See the �Project news� section for further information on the NFC site at Burton

House of Commons & House of Lords � sport questions etc

House of Commons Questions

Hunt - Sport (Expenditure)

Mon, 2 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Exchequer funding was spent by (a) Sport England and (b) UK Sport on organisations other than national governing bodies in each of the last three years. [207383] ��..

Foster, D - Football (Racial Discrimination)

Mon, 2 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on tackling (a) racism and (b) homophobia in football since 1997. [207027] ��..

Davies, Dai - Cricket (Schools)

Mon, 2 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support his Department has given to the Cricket Foundation's Chance to Shine initiative to increase active participation in school cricket. [207719] ��

Hunt - National Lottery: Finance

Wed, 4 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much each national lottery and Olympic lottery distributor received from the National Lottery Distribution Fund and the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund in each year since 1997-98. [208266] ��..

Hunt - Departmental Public Expenditure

Wed, 4 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Department's total grant-in-aid funding of (a) English Heritage, (b) the Museums and Libraries Association, (c) the Arts Council, (d) Sport England, (e) UK Sport, (f) the Heritage Lottery Fund and (g) the UK Film Council was in each year since 1997-98. [208267] ��.

Hunt - Arts: Conferences

Wed, 4 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) the Big Lottery Fund, (b) the Heritage Lottery Fund, (c) Arts Council England, (d) Sport England, (e) UK Sport and (f) the UK Film Council spent on conferences in each of the last three years; and what percentage of each was funded out of National Lottery income. [206726] ��..

Westminster Debates and Legislation

MPs debate Volunteering

Wed, 4 June 2008 | Debate - Adjournment and General

Summary

Phil Hope discusses the Government's commitment to the voluntary sector

In an opposition debate today the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office Phil Hope told MPs that the Government was working with the third sector and highlighted that actions such as volunteering improved community relationships. ��.. ��

Central Government and Agencies

UK Trade and Investment - Lord Digby to encourage British companies to launch into global sports sector

Tue, 3 June 2008 | Government Body Press Release

Summary

UK Trade and Investment has reported that Minister for Trade & Investment Lord Digby Jones is leading the push to encourage British companies to launch into the global sports sector. ��..

View the full reports.

House of Commons Questions

Hunt, J - Departmental public expenditure (Culture, Media and Sport)

Fri, 6 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on (a) sport, (b) heritage, (c) arts and (d) tourism in each of the last five years, expressed as a percentage of its Request for Resources in each year. [208265] ��.

Russell - Sports (Facilities)

Tue, 10 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that sports facilities and playing surfaces are maintained in good condition in the long term; and if he will make a statement. [209486] ��.

Hunt - Culture (Grants)

Wed, 11 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was awarded in grants by (a) English Heritage, (b) the Museums and Libraries Association, (c) the Arts Council, (d) Sport England, (e) UK Sport, (f) the Heritage Lottery Fund and (g) the UK Film Council in each year since 1997-98; and what proportion of each was from (i) National Lottery Distribution Fund income and (ii) Exchequer funding. [208309] ��..

House of Commons

Statements

Jowell makes statement on London 2012 (Legacy Action Plan)

Fri, 6 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Ministerial Statements

Summary The following written ministerial statement has been made today by the Minister for the Olympics, Tessa Jowell. ��

Westminster Debates and Legislation

MPs debate Swimming

Tue, 10 June 2008 | Debate - Adjournment and General

Summary

Gerry Sutcliffe reiterates the Government's commitment to swimming

In a debate today the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said the Government's commitment to increasing the number of people swimming was an example of how effective joined-up government could be. ��..

DoH - Public Health Minister launches 'healthy town' initiative

Fri, 6 June 2008 | Departmental Press Release

Summary

Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo has today called upon local authorities to come forward with bids for up to �5 million of Government funding to make local residents more healthy and active. ��.

Non-governmental and other Organisations� Press Releases

LGA welcomes Government's announcement on free swimming initiative

Fri, 6 June 2008 | Campaign Organisation Press Release

Summary

The Local Government Association's (LGA) spokesperson on sport, Councillor Chris White, has responded to the Government's announcement on free swimming for older people, by welcoming the initiative and saying it will bring 'real health benefits' to those involved��

CCPR welcomes new Sport England Strategy and the Legacy Action Plan

Fri, 6 June 2008 | Campaign Organisation Press Release

Summary

CCPR has given its welcome to the new Sport England Strategy and the Legacy Action Plan as published by the Government. ��..

Help the Aged welcome free-swimming proposals for over-60s

Fri, 6 June 2008 | Campaign Organisation Press Release

Summary

Help the Aged has responded to Government plans for free admission to public swimming pools in England for the over-60s, ��

View the full details.

House of Commons Questions

Hunt - Sports Co-ordinators (Further Education)

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many co-ordinators of sport in further education were appointed in each of the last three years; and how many are planned to be appointed in the next three years. [208223] ��..

Hunt - Sport England Public Appointments

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent by (a) Sport England and (b) his Department on advertising for the position of Chairman of Sport England. [210237] ��.

Hunt - Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments were made to the National Lottery Commission from the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund in each year since 1994. [210234] ��.

Hunt - National Lottery Distribution Fund

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has received from the National Lottery Distribution Fund in each year since 1994. [210412] ��.

Hunt - English Sports Council Finance

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much grant-in-aid funding Sport England received in each year since 1997-98; and how much Sport England awarded in grants in each year since 1997-98. [208197] ��..

Russell - Olympic Games 2012 Facilities Management

Thu, 12 June 2008 | House of Commons - Written Answer
Contents

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she is taking to ensure that the London 2012 Olympics has the improvement of skills levels in sports facilities maintenance as part of its legacy; and if she will make a statement. [209487] ��

Hunt - Free Swimming Finance