Agenda item

Report of the Director for Neighbourhoods

The Communities Manager delivered a presentation to inform members how the Council delivers its Sports Development function, including funding, club support and promotion of major events and competitions such as Cricket World Cup and the Tour of Britain.

The Communities Manager explained that the Council tracks sport and physical activity using Sport England’s annual Active Lives Survey, which consists of an adult survey (16+) and a separate survey targeting children and young people (u16’s). The Communities Manager advised that the surveys provide data at a local, county and national level, on types of activity and activity levels.

It was noted that Rushcliffe has higher than average activity levels compared to Nottinghamshire and England and these are monitored through the Active Rushcliffe Health Partnership, made up of representatives from sport and health partners within Rushcliffe. The key priorities being ‘increase participation in sport and physical activity with a focus on the inactive’.

The Communities Manager advised the Group that from data, experience and new ways of working there are many barriers to residents taking part in sport and physical activities which can be defined as follows:

Personal – insufficient time, motivation, lack of social support, fear of injury or feeling self-conscious

Environmental – access to safe and convenient sports facilities, green/blue spaces, walking and cycling networks

Socio-economic – access to disposable income, with many residents having to prioritise paying bills and feeding families, particularly in the current cost of living climate.

In overcoming some of these barriers the Communities Manager advised the Group that since its implementation in 2020, the Reach Rushcliffe Fund has supported 7 physical activity projects, the Holiday Activities and Food Fund (HAF) has supported 591 children and young people by providing access to school holiday programmes that provide physical activity, nutritional activities and a meal.

The Communities Manager advised the Group that in line with sports England and Active Notts strategies the Council uses data to help understand and target where support is needed most and tackling underrepresented groups, in particular women and girls, residents with disabilities and residents on low incomes. The Group were advised that the Council works with partners to facilitate programmes and activity targeted at these groups.

The Communities Manager explained that the Council facilitates community sport and physical activity through working with a range of partners and that Rushcliffe is fortunate to have three professional sports clubs to work with to deliver the Council’s priorities, including Trent Bridge Trust, Nottingham Rugby  and Positive Futures . In addition, the Council introduced Rushcliffe parkrun at Rushcliffe Country Park and due to its success and demand a second parkrun is due to start at Cotgrave Country Park later this year. Local sports clubs and athletes are supported through various sports grants, for example Coach Scholarship Scheme, the Elite Sports Grant and Rushcliffe FANS (Free Access for National Sportspeople).

In concluding, the Group were informed that the Council community sport and physical activity work programme is underpinned by both the Rushcliffe Leisure Strategy and the Rushcliffe Playing Pitch Strategy. The Sports Development Officer is responsible for reviewing the Playing Pitch Strategy action plan every 2-3 years due to the changing nature of supply and demand for pitches, which ensures that priority sites are supported for investment and improvements.

Members asked officers what was being done to overcome the barriers seen from other cultures and what was being done to keep costs down and target activities and support to those families affected by social economic barriers. The Communities Manager explained that there is work going on in the background and funding streams to assist families, providing examples at Trent Bridge with specific programmes aimed at African-Caribbean and other ethnic minorities and the Active Food Fund. The Sports Development Officer added that last year, (summer 2021) 600 children who qualified for free school meals were provided access to activities during the summer, Christmas and Easter and that Nottinghamshire County Council have a programme of similar events for this summer.

Members asked specific questions in relation to the retention of sports coaches and whether there were funding streams to train new coaches. The Sports Development Officer explained that it had been difficult to get some experienced coaches back after the Covid pandemic and that a number of activities do rely on voluntary coaches, adding that Notts Active are delivering a programme of first aid and safeguarding courses to support the recruitment of volunteers. The Council offer a Coach Scholarship Scheme which provides funding to support new and existing coaches to complete coaching qualifications.

Members commented on the data provided on the types of activity and activity levels measured for 2020-2021 in respect of children and young people and what were the Council’s expectations for improvement. The Sports Development Officer explained that these figures were based on the Active Lives survey allowing officers to target specific areas where inactivity was more noticeable. The Sports Development Officer added that a pilot scheme was introduced in Keyworth involving the children and Young People’s Centre, Keyworth Primary School and Keyworth Football Club to support with the delivery of activities. An example of the Council’s intervention during Covid was to provide activity packs to families living in social housing who may not have had access to a garden or open space during this time. In addition, the Communities Manager explained that this was not a quick fix and officers were exploring longer term interventions that could possibly be rolled out across the Borough.

Members asked if there were other opportunities to deliver activities in the Boroughs green outdoor spaces other than park run that could be supported by the Council’s partners and clubs. The Sports Development Officer advised that there are other activities such as community gardens at Keyworth and Cotgrave and that officers across the County were developing a walking and cycling action plan which was reported to the Council’s Growth and Developments Scrutiny Group in July 2021.

Members asked specific questions regarding inter-school competitive sport and how might the Council support such activities. The Group were advised that the Council has a good relationship with the School Sports Partnership who is responsible for school sport in the Borough. However, school sports at a competitive level is down to the individual schools to provide, and with Covid and cuts to school budgets the return of such activities has been slow.

Members congratulated officers on a detailed and positive report and expressed their thanks to the Sports Development Officer on the work she had done and her commitment in supporting families across the Borough to improve their activity.

It was RESOLVED that the Communities Scrutiny Group received a presentation of the work undertaken by officers in delivering the Sport Development function and that they discussed future activity in promoting sport and wellbeing to our residents.