Agenda Item No. 1 (1) (c) Council

Report by the Executive Director, Children and Community to Leadership Panel of 6 June 2012

SUBJECT: Partnership with United Football Academy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to seek Members’ approval to:

(1) enter into an agreement with Ayr United Football Academy (AUFA) to deliver sports activities, mainly football coaching, to young people in South Ayrshire Schools and local communities; and

(2) provide funding of £20,000 annually for a period of 3 years to support this work.

2. Recommendations

Members are requested to approve:

(1) a three-year agreement being drawn up between SAC and AUFA for the delivery of sports activities in schools;

(2) annual funding of £20,000 to AUFA for a period of 3 years; and

(3) preferred status for AUFA in accessing lets at all- weather pitch for a period of three years.

3. Background

(1) AUFA is a not for profit Company Limited by Guarantee and accepted as a Scottish Charity (SC Number 03725) by HMRC in 2005.

(2) Two of the AUFA’s main objectives are:

To help young people to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacities such that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and as members of society. To promote community participation in healthy recreation, in particular by the provision of facilities for the playing of football and other sports.

4. Considerations

(1) During 2011/12, the Academy’s activities included:

Providing Soccer Centres for a weekly average of 818 Children aged 5 to 12 years Providing curriculum-based in-school activities and also out-of-school activities for 265 children in primary schools Delivering ‘kinder kicks’ programme to 70 three to four year olds weekly in South Ayrshire – in partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran Delivering educational coaching programmes during school holidays at Easter and Summer A volunteer recruitment programme resulting in 42 pupils achieving Scottish Football Association (SFA) coaching qualifications A schools football programme involving some 330 primary 6 and 7 pupils and establishing 12 new boys and girls teams Disability football classes at and Southcraig Campus involving an average of 36 participants weekly Supporting the SFA Quality Mark scheme amongst football clubs in South Ayrshire (Caledonian, Southside, Ayr Boswell, Carrick Colts and Prestwick Community Club). Two clubs now have the SFA Quality Mark. Establishing AUFA Girls Club with currently with 4 teams involving 46 players

A report from AUFA is included as Appendix 1.

(2) The Council already has a service level agreement with AUFA for football coaching which covers community work. A steering group which includes officers of the C&C Directorate, meets regularly to monitor the delivery of these programmes. AUFA coaches work closely with active schools co-ordinators who facilitate the coaching sessions in schools. This proposal will facilitate a closer working relationship between AUFA and the Council’s community development and leisure services.

(3) The number of young people participating in the various activities has increased significantly in the last few years and AUFA are finding some difficulty in sustaining the high level of commitment, particularly from a staffing aspect.

(4) There is a clear relationship between the programmes being delivered by AUFA in schools and communities and the Health and Wellbeing strand of Curriculum for Excellence.

(5) Many of our primary schools struggle to meet the weekly 2 hours of PE requirement and clearly an agreement with AUFA will assist schools in reaching this target for a large number of our pupils.

(6) AUFA are delivering street football sessions in the more rural areas of South Ayrshire (particularly Girvan) and wish to expand a rural focus provision.

(7) Working in concert with AUFA will encourage the expansion of sports development pathways from novice to elite level for young people in South Ayrshire and assist with the Council’s sports aspirations.

(8) The Minister for Sport recently recognised formally that the voluntary sector have a very important role to play in achieving the weekly target of 2 hours of physical education in primary schools and 2 periods of physical education in secondary schools.

(9) In order to assist AUFA to deliver coaching sessions to a large number of football teams, it is proposed that AUFA is given preferential evening booking on the Belmont Academy all-weather pitch. Other teams and groups can be accommodated at either the Whitletts Sports Centre or at Prestwick Academy.

5. Resource Implications

5.1 Financial

£20,000 can be met through a permanent virement from within existing school management budgets.

5.2 Legal

A formal agreement with AUFA will be drawn up with assistance from legal services.

5.3 Human Resources

Not applicable.

6. Risk

(1) There are no associated risks in adopting the recommendations.

(2) Rejecting the recommendations may impact on the ability of the Council to deliver the required allocation of PE in Primary Schools.

7. Equalities

(1) This report is not proposing new services, policies, strategies or plans (or significant changes to or reviews of them). It does not propose decisions about budgets including budget cuts or service reductions. This report has not been assessed for equalities impacts.

(2) The work of AUFA includes a programme of weekly classes operating at SouthCraig and Invergarven Schools and Queen Margaret Academy which are attended by some 40 participants with learning and health issues.

8. Sustainable Development Implications

(1) This report does not propose or seek approval for a plan, policy, programme or strategy or document otherwise described which could be considered to constitute a plan, programme, policy or strategy.

9. Options Appraisal

(1) An options appraisal has not been carried out in relation to the subject matter of this report.

10. Link to Council’s Priorities / Improvement Programme

(1) The approval of this agreement will assist the Council in delivering its objective of improving the health and well-being of children in schools through providing 2 hours weekly of PE in schools.

11. Results of Consultation

(1) There has been no public consultation on the contents of this paper.

(2) The Portfolio Carrier for Lifelong Learning, Councillor Margaret Toner, has been consulted on the contents of this paper.

Background Papers None

Person to Contact Brian McInroy Head of Service and School Management Tel: 01292 612209 Email: [email protected]

Date: 18 May 2012