Alliance chair reacts to minister's ten-point Olympic legacy plan

Minister for sport Hugh Robertson has released a ten-point legacy plan today, in a bid to ensure that the government delivers on its promise to ‘inspire a generation’ to take up sport.

Key promises set out in the statement include:

• £125 million per year UK Sport funding for elite sport over the next four years.
• £300 million investment to open up the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the community.
• Winning the rights to host over twenty world sporting events across the UK up to 2019.
• £135 million investment into Sport England’s Places People Play programme to fund new facilities, volunteering and participation programmes.
• £1 billion investment over the next five years in the Youth Sport Strategy to link schools with clubs and to develop sporting habits for life.
• Introduction of the Sainsbury’s School Games programme and county sports festivals.
• £1.5 million funding to the English Federation of Disability Sport to increase participation in sports by disabled people.
   

Andy Reed, chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said:

“It’s really pleasing to see that the minister of sport has set out a clear and transparent plan to achieve our legacy goals, and his commitment to providing regular updates shows that the government is not shying away from the legacy challenge ahead of us.

“We would also welcome structured targets so that we can really measure the output and achievements of these funding programmes over the coming years.”

Whilst the Alliance’s chair believes that the plan includes some promising projects and programmes to increase participation in sport and physical activity, he is also cautious that with these promising plans come challenges.

“The minister has acknowledged that there is still more to do in respect of school sport and that is very welcome. School sport plays a crucial part in inspiring young people to stay active, but there’s no doubt that it hasn’t been as high up the agenda as we would like it to be.

“Many of the projects set out in the plan will rely on the support of community sports clubs and they, in turn, rely on volunteers to survive. Sports clubs face a range of challenges to their survival and many are struggling to make ends meet. We need to do more to support them to avoid the risk of damaging the infrastructure which will provide this legacy.

“We also need to make sure that the government protects the nation’s sports facilities and most importantly that includes our school playing fields. This means listening to the advice provided by experts when applications to sell playing fields are made.

“Reducing the pressure placed on local authorities and more strategic cooperation between government departments are going to be key factors in the success of this plan.”

Contact communications officer Libby Jellie or call 020 7976 3933 for more information.

 

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