A survey by the Local Government Association (LGA) has indicated that 13% of local authorities intend to implement proportionally greater cuts to their budget for sports and leisure facilities when they finalise their overall budgets for 2011/12.
The LGA’s Council Budgets, Spending and Saving Survey 2011 surveyed the Directors of Finance (or equivalent) of all the local authorities which fall within its membership and they indicate that protecting sport is not a priority for many local authorities.
To put the 13% figure into context, it ranks sport and leisure facilities sixth on a list of 23 services which will be most targeted for cuts, well above areas such as ‘protecting the environment’ and ‘regulatory services’. To add to the negative picture, just 4% of authorities said that they would proportionally protect sport and leisure facilities.
Sport and Recreation Alliance chief executive Tim Lamb said, ‘These figures make for worrying reading. The Sport and Recreation Alliance understands that local authorities are facing severe budget reductions from central government. However, we urge them to think again and recognise the additional benefits, such as improved health, reduction in anti-social behaviour and the economic value that the provision of sport and recreation facilities provides to local communities, before cutting so deeply into facilities.’
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