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.’
On 25 March, CEO of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Lisa Wainwright MBE gave evidence to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s Game On Inquiry in Parliament.
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The Sport and Recreation Alliance and the physical activity sector have published an open letter to the Government on the impact of Pathways to Work on disabled people and activity levels across the UK.
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Here, we seek to update you on some of the key workstreams we’re focused on, as well as provide an overview of the ways in which you, our members, can foster more inclusive, equitable, and diverse environments for your organisations, including advertising some of the training options we provide (at discount!) and job postings too.
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