5
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Sport in our communities
Accepted in Part
Many National Governing Bodies and other sports groups and organisations were not financially stable enough to fully support themselves through the economic shock that was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a balance to be found between 30 Sport in our communities ensuring enough money is spent to improve …
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Many National Governing Bodies and other sports groups and organisations were not financially stable enough to fully support themselves through the economic shock that was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a balance to be found between 30 Sport in our communities ensuring enough money is spent to improve participation and support community and grassroots sport, and ensuring organisations can be more financially resilient in an emergency. We recommend that the Government work with Sport England, UK Sport and the National Lottery to review and revise the current funding models to enable sports organisations to accumulate greater reserves and, as a result, have more of a cushion to support themselves with should another situation like the Covid-19 pandemic occur.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees that current funding models for sports organisations should be reviewed to ensure sustainability and will reflect on this in the new sport strategy, considering lessons from Covid-19. It also highlights Sport England's existing strategy to diversify investment approaches and support partners, rather …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
8
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Sport in our communities
Accepted in Part
We welcome the introduction of the Community Ownership Fund but, at a time where many community groups have faced unprecedented challenges, we are disappointed that the bidding process did not begin in June 2021 as the Government promised it would. Access to facilities has long been an issue for grassroots …
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We welcome the introduction of the Community Ownership Fund but, at a time where many community groups have faced unprecedented challenges, we are disappointed that the bidding process did not begin in June 2021 as the Government promised it would. Access to facilities has long been an issue for grassroots and community sport and we are concerned that the fund, in its current format, will not go far enough. We were also not persuaded by the Minister’s argument that ringfencing money for sports groups would not be a good thing. In the short-term, we recommend that the Government set out the ways in which it will support community sport groups which are successful in applying for match funding through the Community Ownership Fund. In the longer term, we recommend that the Government ringfence money, either from the Community Ownership Fund or elsewhere, to enable sports clubs and teams to purchase and upgrade their own facilities. (Paragraph 49) Sports governance
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to working with successful Community Ownership Fund (COF) applicants to implement their bids. It notes the COF can help establish or buy at-risk sports grounds, but explicitly states that 'purchasing and upgrading sport clubs’ own facilities is out of scope'.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport