Agenda Item No: 7
Wolverhampton City Council OPEN DECISION ITEM
Adults and Community Scrutiny Panel Date 22 MARCH 2012
Originating Service Group(s) LEISURE AND COMMUNITIES
Contact Officer(s) R WlLLOUGHBY A FIELDHOUSE I CULLEY Telephone Number(s) (55) 6106 (55)6224 (55)5636
Title SPORT DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY
RECOMMENDATION
That Adults and Community Scrutiny Panel provides their observations on the recommendations below:
1. That Cabinet approve the draft Wolverhampton Sport Development and Investment Strategy (WSDIS) for public consultation. 2. That Cabinet approve creation of a new 10 hectare multi-pitch site at Barnhurst Lane to mitigate for loss of playing fields elsewhere in the City. 3. That Cabinet approve, in principle, replacement of the Jennie Lee Centre Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP) at one of the option sites identified in Section 5, subject to consultation and further feasibility work. 4. That Cabinet approve the Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan. 5. That Cabinet receive a future report on the Sport Development and Investment Strategy after consultation and the Open Spaces Strategy and Action Plan in Autumn 2012.
1. PURPOSE
1.1 To summarise the main aims and objectives of the draft WSDIS and how it will be used to secure investment in new sport facilities in Wolverhampton.
1.2 To explain the background to and seek endorsement for a way forward on two key WSDIS actions which will unlock new development and provide new sport facilities - Barnhurst Lane multi-pitch site and a new Synthetic Turf Pitch.
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 Since the previous review of Sport & Recreation, Wolverhampton’s offer has improved significantly and the numbers of people accessing City Council Sport & Recreation and Community Recreation services annually has risen from 681,324 in 2001/2 to 1,454,930 in 2010/11. Figures for 2011/12 will show a further significant increase with the inclusion of data from Blakenhall Community & Healthy Living Centre and Bert Williams Leisure Centre. Leisure is a growth sector which can help to support the City’s economic growth and attract professional and managerial households to stay the City. Links with skills and training can be made to promote local employment e.g. Wolverhampton College coaching courses.
2.2 Notwithstanding the difficult economic climate, Wolverhampton has a good track record of investment in facilities and programmes to promote and drive sport and physical activity, investing £41 million in new sports and improved facilities at Aldersley Leisure Village (1999), Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre (2006), Blakenhall Community & Healthy Living Centre (October 2010) and the new Bert Williams Leisure Centre at Bilston Urban Village (December 2011).
2.3 Wolverhampton has also benefited from significant capital investment from the PCT of £1.8 million which has helped develop opportunities such as Outdoor Gyms, Older Peoples gyms, BMX track and additional joint investment with Wolverhampton City Council in continuing the free swimming programme for all age 16 and under Wolverhampton residents. The BSF programme presents further opportunities to enhance sporting facilities within the Education Portfolio particularly as the majority of facilities are located on school sites.
2.4 However, there is a need to develop a planned and robust approach to the maintenance and development of sporting assets within the city. This approach will need to maximise partnership working and income for facilities so that medium and long term maintenance is implemented successfully.
2.5 A number of school sites with playing fields have been identified for disposal through the BSF programme and primary school rationalisation. Where a disposal involves school playing fields the Council must obtain prior approval from the Secretary of State through Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The Council needs to demonstrate that proposals to mitigate for loss of playing fields comply with an adopted Sports Investment Strategy.
2.6 A planned approach is also necessary to support the progression of development sites where certainty is required regarding the replacement of playing pitches. Development of the Jennie Lee site will result in the loss of a Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP) and mini football pitches, which must be replaced elsewhere in the City. The Goodyear housing development cannot progress without agreement from Sport England regarding replacement of an existing cricket pitch.
2.7 In order to develop this planned and robust approach, a Wolverhampton Sport Development and Investment Strategy (WSDIS) has been prepared for formal consultation. The WSDIS sets out a vision and Action Plan and a strategic framework for the development and improvement of sporting facilities and encourage increased participation in sport & physical activity within the context of the Council’s overarching strategic priorities and those of key partners such as National Governing Bodies for sport (NGB’s), Sport England and the Health Sector.
2.8 The WSDIS has been developed alongside a Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan and the first stage of an Open Space Strategy and Action Plan, to ensure a co-ordinated approach to sport and physical activity and to meet Sport England’s and section 77 requirements from the schools assets team that the City has an investment strategy and Playing Pitch Strategy in place. While these are three separate projects, they will together form a suite of documents setting out the strategic approach to sport and open space in the City.
2.9 The Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan has been updated and has formed a key input to the WSDIS by establishing supply and demand for playing pitches across the City. Sport England require all local authorities to have an up-to-date Playing Pitch Strategy, prepared using a Sport England methodology. The Playing Pitch Strategy will be the main consideration in Sport England’s assessment of planning documents and planning proposals involving playing pitches. The Council has also begun to prepare a Wolverhampton Open Space Strategy and Action Plan to focus on the wide range of issues affecting the provision and management of different types of open space across the City, the first stage of which has refreshed the City’s open space standards for the purpose of informing the review of the current approach to planning obligations for open space and sport in the City.
2.10 As noted in section 2.9, the City’s open space standards have been produced. The next stage of the open spaces strategy and action plan will be to assess the value of open space sites against those standards. This in turn will provide a priority list for the action plan, in order to focus developer contributions as well as how section 77 capital receipts are reinvested.
3. WOLVERHAMPTON SPORT DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY (WSDIS)
3.1 Consultation Arrangements
3.1.1 Knight, Kavanagh and Page (KKP) were appointed in 2011 to develop a Sport Development & Investment Strategy for the period up to 2022. The Strategy is currently in draft form, ready for consultation with stakeholders and the wider public during April / May. The Strategy must be finalised by July 2012 in order to meet BSF / development site timescales.
3.1.2 The Strategy is a City Strategy involving a range of partners, including the Wolverhampton Community Sport and Physical Activity Network, National Governing Bodies and Sport England.
3.1.3 As part of the preparation of the Strategy, KKP consulted with all Community Sport and Physical Activity Network partners from across the City with the support of Wolverhampton City Council and the Black Country Be Active Partnership.
3.1.4 Upon agreement of the recommendations, the WSDIS will go out to all partners for consultation for a period of two months; this will include all members of the Community Sport and Physical Activity Network and sport specific development groups including national governing bodies and clubs. All agencies engaged within the development of the document will also be invited to comment.
3.2 Outcomes and Objectives
3.2.1 The Strategy sets out a vision and strategic framework for the development of sport and sports facilities in Wolverhampton set in the context of the Council's overarching strategic priorities and those of key partners. Although the Council will be closely involved in its delivery and be a key investor, it is just one of a number of partners that will, collectively, be responsible for development and implementation of the Strategy.
3.2.2 The main outcomes and objectives of the Strategy are:
1) To measurably increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity from current levels – for young people and adults in the City. • To drive and deliver a coordinated approach to the development of sport and physical activity. • To establish a benchmark for current provision and participation levels. • To identify and prioritise mainstream and emerging/developmental sports and identify how these can be further developed to increase participation.
2) To take positive action to support and encourage specific groups to take part and enable targeted under-represented groups to achieve their potential in sport and physical activity. • To specifically and measurably reduce the number of overweight and obese young people in the City working with schools to deliver programmes to address this issue. • To effectively target resource at increasing participation among/in Wolverhampton’s key under-represented groups and localities. • To maximise partnership options (within/outside the City Council) to secure investment and support to develop and deliver specific programmes to achieve these outcomes.
3) To deliver sustainable, accessible, high quality facilities to accommodate and support the drive to increase participation in sport and physical activity in the City. • To better co-ordinate the development, operation, programming and management of facilities in conjunction with key partners. To, in particular, establish a more coherent, structured relationship with schools to maximise community use of educational facilities. • To develop a robust approach to planning, maintaining and developing sporting facility assets within the City, set out an initial investment programme and optimise internal and external opportunities for partnership and capital investment. • To confirm and agree recommendations in the Playing Pitch Strategy and, as part of the PPS, mitigate loss of playing fields to meet Sport England requirements and provide a robust strategy to allow the release of Council sites providing sufficient mitigation. • To ensure synergy between the Open Space Strategy and Action Plan, the Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan and the Sport Development and Investment Strategy.
4) To add profile and impetus to Strategy implementation by making effective use of the legacy of London 2012 and subsequent international sports events.
3.2.3 Using market segmentation and local data the strategy identifies key areas of work and investment, this includes focus sports and target groups, for example older people and underrepresented groups, and promotes a co-ordinated, inter-agency approach between sporting partners in the City. A key opportunity is identified to enable greater community use of school sport facilities, including those at BSF sites.
3.2.4 The Strategy has been developed alongside the Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan and the first stage of the Open Space Strategy and Action Plan, to ensure a co-ordinated approach to asset management, enabling efficient use of Council assets and allowing the release of surplus sites to generate capital receipts to assist in funding the Councils medium term capital programme. The subsequent stages of the Open Space Strategy and Action Plan will revisit the Council’s approach to open space planning obligations in the light of the Governments Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations and on- going issues of development viability. This work will be reported for Member consideration in the autumn of 2012.
3.2.5 A Section 77 Investment Plan will be formed from the Strategy and the BSF Team has developed a consultation strategy in-line with the Section 77 guidance, and can commence the required 10 term time week consultation period when required. It should be noted that the Secretary of State is currently reviewing the Section 77 guidance, in terms of how money obtained from disposals can be reinvested, and revised guidance is expected to be released in September 2012.
3.3 Summary of Key Actions
3.3.1 The Strategy will include an Action Plan, which will set out lead responsibility and timescale for delivery of key actions. Initial key actions for the period of 2012 to 2015 have been identified:
• Creation of a new 10 hectare (25 acre) multi pitch site at Barnhurst Lane (with ancillary facilities at Aldersley High School), to replace around 6 ha of playing fields to be lost at BSF sites and the Jennie Lee Centre and also provide flexibility for the long term to mitigate the potential loss of playing fields at i54. Approval has been secured for funding for the scheme and consultation has taken place with stakeholders regarding the nature of the facilities which could be provided. A project group has been established with the aim of submitting a planning application in summer 2012 and starting work on site by April 2013. • Creation of a new Synthetic Turf Pitch (STP) for Wolverhampton, which will replace a poor quality STP to be lost at the Jennie Lee Centre. • Secure community use of a cricket pitch at Aldersley High School (or other appropriate school), which will mitigate for loss of a cricket pitch at the Goodyear site. • Investment in worn synthetic turf pitches requiring repair and upgrading. • Raise community awareness about and the use of the network of PCT funded Easyline gyms located at Community Centres and outdoor gyms throughout the City to increase physical activity particularly in older people. • Identify current community use baseline and develop improved system for access by allowing facility occupancy data to be stored and analysed to ensure ‘assets are sweated’. • Improve cross-agency coordination to encourage and support individuals into sport and physical activity to continue to increase levels of participation in the City. This would involve reviewing the role, effectiveness and membership of the Community Sport & Physical Activity network. • Identify priority sports for the City and engage partners in identifying investment opportunities and the delivery of these sports to increase participation in sport and physical activity. • To maximise community use of school, sports and leisure facilities in partnership with schools given that the majority of sporting facilities in the City are based on school sites
4. NEW SYNTHETIC TURF PITCH (STP) OPTIONS
4.1 A number of options have been identified for the replacement of the Jennie Lee Centre STP. The advantages and advantages of each option are set out in the table below.
Option Advantages Disadvantages Wednesfield • Close to existing STP at • Requires close management with the High School Jennie Lee Centre school for access/use. • School and community use • Implications should the School become • BSF investment will be an Academy in the future (asset complete by early 2013 ownership, lease arrangements) (enabling community access • Managed community use limited to sports facilities ahead of • Long-term capital investment STP investment) requirements (to upgrade / replace), and responsibilities • Reduction in available land for redevelopment and therefore a reduction in the capital receipt available to fund BSF and other corporate projects (subject to section 77 approval) • Likely to be used by out of City users due to the lack of provision over the City border. Parkfields • Corporately managed. • Ground conditions may need some School • High level of community use remediation due to mine shafts on the (SWABA) possible and alternative site. education use on site. • Links to the remainder of pitches and provides basis for a second multi pitch site in the City. Aldersley • High level of security • Distance from Jennie Lee disposal site Leisure • Simple management structure Village • Potential leverage of investment for existing two STP’s • Car parking/ accessibility • On South Staffs border • Existing social facilities
Barnhurst • School and community use • Low level of security Lane Site extending into the evening so • Potential Green Belt issues with potential high level of use. floodlighting. • Potential leverage of investment for existing two STP’s • Links to the rest of the multi pitch site and facilities Aldersley • School and community use • Close to Aldersley Leisure Village High School • High level of security (existing • Implications should the School become community use extending into an Academy in the future (asset the evening) ownership, lease arrangements) • Changing rooms available • Long-term capital investment • On South Staffs border requirements (to upgrade / replace), and responsibilities Our Lady • School and community use • Implications should the School become and St • High level of security an Academy in the future (asset Chads • Existing managed community ownership, lease arrangements) School, Low use – over 2000 users per • Long-term capital investment Hill week evenings and weekends requirements (to upgrade / replace), • No other LA leisure facilities in and responsibilities Bushbury/ Low Hill/ Scotlands – OLSC is the main community provider in the area • No other STPs in the area • Changing rooms and car parking available
4.2 There is a need to carry out further feasibility work, including the consideration of satisfactory partnership and management arrangements, before determining which option should be pursued for provision of the new STP.
5. REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS
5.1 This report is programmed to be taken to Cabinet on 11th April and Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel on 17th April.
6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 All of the three Strategies, and particularly the Open Space Strategy and Action Plan, will have positive environmental implications, by ensuring protection of a sufficient quantity and quality of accessible green space of a variety of types across the City, and the provision of new open space and improvements to existing open space, where appropriate.
7. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IMPLICATIONS
7.1 The three Strategies will have positive equal opportunity implications, by seeking to achieve equal access for all to a sufficient quantity and quality of open space and sport facilities of different types, and by targeting sport development work accordingly.
7.2 The WSDIS highlights the different needs of particular groups in Wolverhampton and reflects the many activities that are currently underway to improve access to sport facilities across the City, but also recognises the need for further work to improve equal access to sport facilities and to develop partnerships to take this forward.
7.3 As part of the consultation on this strategy further data will be collected on the current use of sporting facilities and a more detailed equality analysis for the strategy to inform members when the strategy is finally adopted.
8. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
8.1 The costs of commissioning the three Strategies and of consultation and publication of documents are being met through the unitary development plan approved budgets 2011/12 £0.190M and 2012/13 £0.150M and the Parks and Amenities approved budgets 2011/12 £0.493M and 2012/13 £0.499M.
8.2 The BSF Programme in Wolverhampton lost circa £35.000M of grant as part of the Government's Comprehensive Savings Review (CSR) in late 2010. The priority order for the use of BSF grant was stipulated as: 1) Meeting basic need - is the school physically big enough for the projected future number of pupils. If not, new build is permitted; 2) Meeting condition need - improving the physical condition of the schools e.g. heating, windows, roofs, etc.; 3) Meeting local need e.g. supporting the Citywide priorities that are covered in this report.
It is within the context of the CSR exercise that any BSF investment can be focussed towards achieving the objectives of the three Strategies.
8.3 Capital funding of £4.000m for the Sports Investment Strategy has been approved by Cabinet 21st February 2012 and by Council 1st March 2012. This figure is indicative at this stage and will be subject to review as the projects are developed and therefore may be subject to change. It is proposed that £3.000M is allocated for Barnhurst Lane Site and £1.000M for the new STP.
8.4 £0.250M recurrent funding has been included in the 2012/13 revenue budget for the Barnhurst Lane site.
8.5 Maintenance of the existing level of open space is sustainable under current budgets. Over the past five years open space planning obligations have generated a significant income for new and improved open space, sport and recreation facilities, and for maintenance of such facilities, across the City. Changes to the scope of Planning Obligations resulting from the Community Infrastructure (CIL) Regulations, and the current financial climate are likely to see this level of income reduce in future years.
8.6 It is not possible to quantify the detailed capital financial implications at this stage, e.g. the future level of external funding, the future level of section 106 contributions from developers. This will only be possible once the strategies have been developed and as partnerships are developed over the medium term. However it will be necessary to work within the existing budgets of £4.000M. Any implications will be included in the further report presented to Members.
8.7 It is not possible to quantify the on-going revenue financial implications at this stage. This will only be possible once the capital programme has been confirmed and the charges for and usage of facilities have been agreed. It will be necessary to work within the existing budgets. For Parks and Amenities the approved 2012/13 budget for grounds maintenance is £2.500M. However certain of the provision may be with schools and therefore be funded from school budgets. Any implications will be included in the further report presented to Members.
[CS/15032012/H]
9. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
9.1 There is a range of primary secondary and charitable legislation relating to the provision of public parks and open spaces. However, there are no specific implications arising from this report other than in connection with the disposal of playing fields, referred to in the body of the report. The evidence base referred to in paragraph 5.1 will also help to guide the provision of recreation opportunities on or near new development sites.
9.2 It should be noted that Sport England are a statutory consultee on planning applications and development control matters involving the loss of existing or former playing fields. In the event Sport England object and it remains the intention to grant planning permission the local planning authority must refer the matter to the Secretary of State to enable him to call the matter for his own determination. In the wider context Sport England are concerned with the protection and enhancement of sport facilities and ensuring adequate provision of new and improved facilities as part of new developments. Therefore on- going engagement with Sport England will be required generally and in relation to specific planning matters.
[JH/15032012/V]
10. SCHEDULE OF BACKGROUND PAPERS
1. Draft Wolverhampton Sport Development and Investment Strategy for consultation, January 2012 (Knight, Kavanagh and Page)
2. Wolverhampton Playing Pitch Strategy and Action Plan (incorporating Playing Pitch Assessment), January 2012 (Knight, Kavanagh and Page)
3. Wolverhampton City Council Open Space Standards, January 2012 (Knight, Kavanagh and Page)
WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
FEBRUARY 2012
Integrity, Innovation, Inspiration
1-2 Frecheville Court off Knowsley Street Bury BL9 0UF T 0161 764 7040 F 0161 764 7490 E [email protected] www.kkp.co.uk
WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
CONTENTS
FOREWORD ...... 1
INTRODUCTION ...... 2
OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES...... 5
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT ...... 5
THE INTENDED RESULT...... 6
THE LOCAL CONTEXT ...... 7
THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT...... 4
OUTCOME A...... 7
OUTCOME B...... 17
OUTCOME C...... 20
OUTCOME D...... 35
WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
FOREWORD
There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in sport and physical activity in Wolverhampton. In the run up to, during and following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games we must optimise the positive impact of this once in a lifetime event to encourage more people in the City to engage with and participate in sport and physical activity in what is recognised as an opportunity to “inspire a generation”.
We can do this by developing a culture of participation in the City and ensuring that appropriate delivery mechanisms, support structures and facilities are available in the City to support these aspirations.
The Sport Development and Investment Strategy (the Strategy) which applies to the ten year period up to 2022, has been developed with key partners working in and across the City. These include:
The Black Country BeActive Partnership (CSP). City of Wolverhampton College. The Wolverhampton CSPAN (Community Sport and Physical Activity Network) which encompasses schools, clubs and representatives of the voluntary sports sector. The Primary Care Trust (PCT). Wolverhampton Sports Advisory Group. The University of Wolverhampton. Wolves Community Trust. Wolverhampton City Council.
It illustrates how, working collaboratively, we shall build on the Government’s ‘Places, People, Play’ initiative to generate positive change and create the legacy of a generation of active participants across the City.
In Wolverhampton, we must do more to get people moving, to tackle obesity and via a particular focus on the take up of exercise and sport, to improve overall levels of health and well-being. Currently only 16.8% of all adults in the City take part in 30 minutes of sport three times per week; it is essential that we improve upon this figure.
Implementation of the Strategy will support people to achieve their personal goals whether this means getting active for the first time, embedding an exercise habit, joining a club or achieving national recognition in sport. Much excellent work is already going on in Wolverhampton. The challenge is to build upon and extend this and to capitalise fully on the opportunities presently being afforded to the City to invest in sports facilities.
Elias Mattu Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities
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INTRODUCTION
Wolverhampton is a city with a proud sporting heritage. In the last decade the number of people accessing City Council sport and recreation services has risen annually from 681,324 to 1,320,000. Notwithstanding the difficult economic climate, it also has a good track record of investment in facilities and programmes to promote and drive sport and physical activity investing £41million in new sports and improved facilities at Aldersley, Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre and the new Bert Williams Leisure Centre in the Bilston Urban Village and potential developments at Barnhurst Lane.
This is a strategy for Wolverhampton. It sets out a vision and strategic framework for the development of sport and sports facilities set in the context of the Council's overarching strategic priorities and those of key partners. Although the City Council will be closely involved in its delivery and be a key investor, it is just one of a number of partners that will, collectively, be responsible for its development and implementation. There are clear synergies with corporate and public heath agendas matching aspirations to:
“encourage healthier lifestyles and independence at all stages of life. If people live longer and healthier lives, they’ll be more productive in work. So together, we will promote healthier lifestyles, improve access to and participation in sport and recreation and support more vulnerable and older people to live independently.”
This strategy is about confirming direction, making choices and determining priorities. These relate to need; that which is statistically self-evident alongside issues and aspirations raised and included as a consequence of consultation with partners. It will also help to target investment and provide certainty with regard to future disposal programmes. For example, it will need to consider the implications of potential plans for strategic sites moving forward alongside wider indoor facility stock in light of the disposal, co-location and merged sites resulting from BSF investment.
In sports development terms, it identifies a rationale for and a shortlist of mainstream sport and developmental activities upon which Strategy partners will focus additional support. It also identifies where opportunities can be maximised and highlights the need to develop a coordinated approach to future delivery in conjunction with key partners.
Key challenges faced include health and well-being. A substantial proportion of the City’s population is overweight or obese. Wolverhampton faces a range of other related health inequalities. Of particular concern is its high rate of child obesity (11.3%); which is well above West Midland and England levels The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) report, in its 2009/10 report, analyses the prevalence of ‘underweight’, ‘healthy weight’, ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’ children, in Reception (aged 4–5 years) and Year 6 (aged 10–11 years), measured in state schools in England in that year. The results for Wolverhampton are shown overleaf:
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WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Overweight and obesity: young people in Wolverhampton
Overweight Obese Reception Year 6 Reception Year 6 Wolverhampton 13.6% 14.8% 12.2% 24.6% National 13.3% 14.6% 10.5% 18.7% West Midlands 13.2% 14.8% 10.2% 20.5%
In the context of other measures, while Sport England’s Active People survey results should be treated with a degree of circumspection because of local area sample sizes, recent results are relatively encouraging. At 16.8%, Wolverhampton’s rate of participation1 in sport and physical activity exceeds current national (16.3%) and West Midland’s (14.9%) averages; a sign of improvement which must be capitalised upon.
The strategy also recognises the opportunity to take full advantage of the high and positive profile and potential of sport that will result from the ‘once in a lifetime’ London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These are part of the ‘decade of sport’ (which includes other major events such as the Commonwealth Games in 2014, the Rugby (Union) World Cup in 2015 and the World Athletics Championships in 2017. Full use of these, plus the range of other interspersed high profile sports events and occasions will help to inspire individuals to make a commitment to taking part in an activity.
A range of partners has been involved in and consulted about the Strategy and, following this consultation the four core agreed strategic outcomes, plus a London 2012 legacy commitment, are stated below.
Outcomes
Key Wolverhampton Sport Development & Investment Strategy - outcomes:
Outcome A: To measurably increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity from current levels – for young people and adults in the City.
Outcome B: To take positive action to support and encourage specific groups (such as overweight and obese young people and older people - a growing proportion of the population) to take part and achieve their potential in sport and physical activity.
Outcome C: To deliver sustainable, accessible, high quality facilities to accommodate and support the drive to increase participation in sport and physical activity in the City.
Outcome D: To add profile and impetus to Strategy implementation by making effective use of the legacy of London 2012 and subsequent international sports events.
Delivery of these outcomes will be achieved through carefully managed, committed, mutually beneficial partnership work. To achieve this, there will be a coordinated effort to engage a greater number of local people in sport and physical activity on a more frequent basis.
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WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
It is also essential that the City Council and its partners collectively ensure that strategy implementation is informed and driven by a robust evidence base. This should enable the impact of actions taken (with both generic impact and referencing programmes, resource allocation, partnership work and investment specifically designed to affect designated target audiences) to be evaluated thus informing and underpinning subsequent direction and development.
Strategic links
This Sport Development and Investment Strategy is part of an important and interlinked series of strategic plans which will, in one way or another, fundamentally affect the quality of life of people in the City for the next 10-20 years.
The diagram below illustrates how the various strategies presently being developed fit with each other under the umbrella of the City Strategy.
Figure: Inter-relationships between strategies
Wolverhampton City Strategy
Sport Development WCC projects, & Investment processes/relationships Strategy
Philosophy Wolverhampton Leisure Services Parks & open Playing Pitch Spaces Strategy Strategy Aims Physical Activity and School Sport (PASS) Open space A standards B Objectives Outdoor sports C Further & Higher facility standards Education Community Specific actions & Infrastructure Wolverhampton commitments CSPAN & voluntary Levy BSF sports sector Section 77
Section 106 Specific commitments A Planning gain to capital projects Health partners B clarity C
Wolves Community Trust
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OUTCOMES OBJECTIVES
The three headline strategic outcomes, to which profile and impetus will be added making effective use of the legacy from the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games and subsequent international events, translate into a series of key objectives. These are as follows:
Outcome A: To measurably increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity from current levels – for young people and adults in the City.
Key objectives:
1. To drive and deliver a coordinated approach to the development of sport and physical activity. 2. To establish a benchmark for current provision and participation levels. 3. To identify and prioritise mainstream and emerging/developmental sports and identify how these can be further developed to increase participation.
Outcome B: To take positive action to support and encourage specific groups to take part and enable targeted under-represented groups to achieve their potential in sport and physical activity.
Key objectives:
4. To specifically and measurably reduce the number of overweight and obese young people in the City working with schools to deliver programmes to address this issue
5. To effectively target resource at increasing participation among/in Wolverhampton’s key under-represented groups and localities. 6. To maximise partnership options (within/outside the City Council) to secure investment and support to develop and deliver specific programmes to achieve these outcomes.
Outcome C: To deliver sustainable, accessible, high quality facilities to accommodate and support the drive to increase participation in sport and physical activity in the City.
Key objectives:
6. To better co-ordinate the development, operation, programming and management of facilities in conjunction with key partners. To, in particular, establish a more coherent, structured relationship with schools to maximise community use of educational facilities. 7. To develop a robust approach to planning, maintaining and developing sporting facility BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT assets within the City, set out an initial investment programme and optimise internal and external opportunities for partnership and capital investment. 8. To confirm and agree recommendations in the Playing Pitch Strategy and, as part of the SummaryPPS, ofmitigate key strategies loss of playing and fields implications to meet Sport England requirements and provide a robust strategy to allow the release of Council sites providing sufficient mitigation. 9. To ensure synergy between the City Parks and Green Spaces Strategy (and Action Plan), its Playing Pitch Strategy and this Sports Development and Investment Strategy.
Outcome D: To add profile and impetus to Strategy implementation by making effective use of the legacy of London 2012 and subsequent international sports events.
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THE INTENDED RESULT
The planned outcome is coordinated processes, structures and systems operating in the City that enhance the attractiveness of participation, make it easier to start participating or to transfer from a school based environment to one in the community and enable the interested, committed individual to progress as far as the talent or interest allows.
Figure: Wolverhampton physical activity and sport participation vision
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SPORT Participation Pathway Pathway to excellence
Reaching personal potential NGB talent programmes Local talent support EXCEL
5 x 30mins SUSTAIN Sport specific clubs Habitual lifestyle activity Formal sport offer
Education Æ club links 1 x 30mins Community clubs Movement from GROW Informal sport offer sedentary to active Physical activity offer
Coordinated Facilities Partnerships Resource development People
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WOLVERHAMPTON CITY SPORT DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT STRATEGY
THE LOCAL CONTEXT
According to ONS 2009 Mid Year estimates, the current population of Wolverhampton is 238,500. Of these 118,000 are male and 120,500 female. The overall number is predicted to grow to 247,500 by 2031. Already one of the most diverse cities in the UK; in 2008 just under 27% of the population was of minority ethnic origin.
Overall deprivation
The 2010 Indices of Multiple Deprivation showed that Wolverhampton has become slightly more deprived over the last three years. In 2007 Wolverhampton was ranked the 28th most deprived local authority, it has now risen to 21st.. The map below shows the concentration of deprivation within the City boundary.
Figure: Indices of multiple deprivation
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Health
The number of Wolverhampton super output areas (SOAs) within the top 10% most deprived in the country for health deprivation increased from 13 in 2007 to 15 in 2010. In a similar vein, three years ago 45 Wolverhampton SOAs were within the top 20% most deprived nationally; this number has increased, over the intervening three years, to 49.
Figure: Health deprivation & Disability Domain: Indices of Multiple Deprivation
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The 2010 report states that the health of the Wolverhampton population is generally worse than the England average. Life expectancy for men (75.7) and women (80.5) is lower than national averages (77.9 & 82 respectively). The life expectancy for men who reside in the most deprived areas of Wolverhampton is seven years shorter than it is for men living in the least deprived areas. For women, the difference is over five years.
Rates of early death from heart disease and stroke have fallen over the past ten years to 92.3 per 100,000 population under 75. However, the rate in Wolverhampton is still significantly worse than the national rate of 74.8. Early deaths from cancer (at 127.7 per 100,000 population) are again significantly worse than the national rate - 114. The tables below compare various health characteristics of the local population with England averages and England’s best.
Table: Wolverhampton health indicators
Health Indicator Wolverhampton Wolverhampton England England number rate average best Life expectancy – male N/A 75.7 77.9 84.3 Life expectancy – female N/A 80.2 82 88.9 Obese children 286 11.3 9.6 4.7 Obese adults N/A 27.3 24.2 13.2 Physically active children 19334 55.9 49.6 79.1 Physical active adults N/A 8.3 11.2 16.6 Healthy eating adults N/A 22.7 28.7 48.1 Diagnosed with diabetes 13313 5.6 4.3 2.7 Early deaths – heart disease & stroke 229 92.3 74.8 40.1 Early deaths – cancer 315 127.7 114 70.5
Health Indicator Local number Local value England England per annum average best Life expectancy – male N/A 75.7 77.7 83.7 Life expectancy – female N/A 80.3 81.8 87.8 Obese children 270 12.2 9.6 3.9 Obese adults N/A 28.6 23.6 11.9 Physically active children 28791 89.4 90.0 100.0 Physical active adults N/A 7.5 10.8 17.1 Healthy eating adult N/A 23.0 26.3 45.8 Diagnosed with diabetes 12423 5.3 4.1 2.6 Early deaths – heart disease & stroke 250 99.9 79.1 39.6 Early deaths – cancer 323 129.9 115.5 75.7 Over 65s not in good health 11024 27.8 21.5 13.5
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Young people’s health and physical activity in the City
Rates of teenage pregnancy are substantially higher than national averages and the rise in levels of children’s and young people’s obesity is one of the City’s main health priorities both because of the impact this has on the lives of individuals and, in part because of the pressure this will cause on available services in future.
The Every Child Matters Health & Lifestyle Survey 2010 provides, in amongst background information about a range of lifestyle issues, further specific detail with regard to young people’s participation in sport and physical activity. Based upon a survey of more than 6,000 young people, its key relevant findings include the following:
At primary level:
82% of young people confirmed that they enjoy physical activity ‘quite a lot’. 57% report taking part in sport after school – over the last seven days and; 64% report exercising vigorously enough to have to breathe harder three time or more during the seven days prior to the survey. 4% cycle to school while; 56% walk at least part of the way – to school.
However, at secondary level, the figures change (mainly falling) to:
72% of those surveyed confirming that they enjoy physical activity ‘quite a lot. 41% doing sport after school. (There was no figure in the report for those exercising vigorously). The number who cycle to school stays at 4% while; The number who walk at least part of the way falls to 41%. The proportion who report that sport and/or physical activity is one of their leisure activities stands at 59% for boys and (at less than half of this) at 28% for girls.
Set in this context, is the statement that in Wolverhampton; 62% of Year 1-13 pupils spend at least 3 hours per week on PE and sport. A figure that is significantly higher than the national average of 55%2.
Reflecting the findings of the National Child Measurement Programme (see page two), the Director of Public Health for Wolverhampton confirms that approximately one in four children in reception year and one in three children in year six in the city are overweight or obese. Being overweight in childhood often leads to obesity in adulthood.
In addition to increasing the risk that people will suffer from health conditions that are already significant challenges in the City (such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and bowel and breast cancer) it is also related to a number of other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, back pain, mental illness and depression.
2 Comparative PE and School Sport Data 2006 – 2010 (figures for 2009-2010).
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Demographics and the local labour market
The City working age population (aged 16 - 64) is 151,900. According to the 2010 Annual Population Survey 69% of the Wolverhampton population is economically active. Of the 31% that is economically inactive, 26.7% are seeking work and 4.3% don’t want a job.
18.8% of residents in Wolverhampton are qualified to NVQ level 4 (degree or equivalent). This is well below the national average of 29.9%. There are also a high number of people in the city without any qualifications (23.6% compared to 12.3% across Great Britain).
According to the 2010 Annual Survey for Hours and Earnings, average (median) annual earnings for full time workers in Wolverhampton is £21,513 This is lower than surrounding Black Country local authorities and far lower than the national average of £26,268. In March 2011, 7.7% of residents in Wolverhampton claimed benefits, more than double the national rate of 3.8%. There is a considerable gender split: 10.5% of men claim benefits in the city compared to 4.9% of women.
There are opportunities across the City to engage, for mutual benefit, the economically inactive or those seeking work in training/volunteering/employment with the sport and physical activity industry. The Sport and Active Leisure Skills Academy (SALSA) has already been put in place to help to bridge such gaps.
Active People Survey
The Active People Survey (APS) measures participation in sport and physical activity and related factors. It is based upon one of the largest national samples ever established for a sport and recreation survey and allows levels of detailed analysis previously unavailable. By selecting minimum numbers of respondents from each local authority area it is able to illustrate how participation varies from place to place and between different groups. The first dataset was released in 2006 with subsequent releases in 2008, 2009 and 2010. (It should be noted that local authority sample sizes mean that variations in APS findings should be treated with caution; however, it is used to inform Strategy development).
According to the most recent APS, Wolverhampton has the highest sports participation rate of the Black Country local authorities. The recent rise (2009 – 2010) was the only recorded increase in the Black Country over this period. This applies to the period 2006 - 2008 when APS ranked Wolverhampton 348th (out of 354 local authorities in England).
Arguably, it might be sensible to look at the City average across the four surveys – which would mean that just under 17.2% of adults in the City participate three times a week for 30 minutes. This compares with a (more statistically reliable) figure of 19.75% for the West Midlands and 21.5% for England.
Wolverhampton participation rates: 30 x 30 minutes
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 16.1 14.5 17.5 20.4 Black Country 16 15.4 17.7 17.4 West Midlands 19.3 19.1 20.1 20.5 England 21 21.3 21.6 21.8
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Due to the differences in sampling sizes it is difficult to make sound comparisons between APS data releases. Sport England does provide data that amalgamates from 2009 and 2010 to create a dataset that is statistically comparable with the baseline. The following summarises the information available;
The proportion of people who do not participate at all in Wolverhampton has reduced from 60.8% in 2006 to 54.6% according to the most recent APS. The non-participant figure is higher for white (56.9%) than non-white (47.3%) people. The Wolverhampton figure (54.6%) is still well above the national average of 47.8%. The age group which participates the most in the City is 16-19 year olds (34.9%). There is a clear relationship between being a non-participant and socio-economic status. The percentage of Wolverhampton residents in NS SEC 1-2 who do not participate is 45.3% while the comparable figure for people in NS SEC 5-8 is 62.3%.
According to the APS, Wolverhampton has seen an increase in sports volunteering rates (based upon at least one hour per week) since 2009. Although, as noted above, figures must be treated with caution, Wolverhampton (2010) has rates of volunteering in sport above both regional and national averages.
Wolverhampton: volunteering rates
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 4.8 2.2 3.3 4.7 Black Country 4.1 3.4 4.6 3.0 West Midlands 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.1 England 4.7 4.9 4.7 4.5
The APS also suggests that club membership rates in the City have increased over the last 12 months. This would buck the trend both on neighbouring local authorities and nationally. Since the 2006 baseline, the percentage of the population involved with a club for sporting activities has fallen across the country from 25.1% to 23.9% whereas, in Wolverhampton it would, latterly, appear to have risen. However, the variation in the City ‘score’ across the four surveys signals the need to, again, treat figures with extreme caution. Providing an average across the four APS sets of figures would indicate a figure of 19.5% compared to the above-mentioned national average of 23.9%
Wolverhampton: sports club membership rates
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 21.3 14.8 18.4 23.3 Black Country 20.4 17.9 19.8 19.3 West Midlands 23.5 22.8 22.8 22.3 England 25.1 24.7 24.1 23.9
The only APS indicator that has shown a decline in the City during the last year is that relating to the proportion of people that receive tuition from a coach to improve their performance in sport. This fell from 15.3% to 13.8% although this is still an improvement on the 2006 baseline. Rates for this in Wolverhampton are well below the national average of 17.5%
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Wolverhampton: people who receive tuition
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 12.4 14.2 15.3 13.8 Black Country 12.7 13.0 13.4 13.8 West Midlands 16.4 16.3 16.2 16.0 England 18 18.1 17.5 17.5
The number of people in Wolverhampton who took part in organised competition over the last year has increased compared to both 2009 and 2006 baselines. Applying the abovementioned caveats to the figures, over the same period, rates have fallen across the rest of the country since 2006 leaving Wolverhampton’s present rate above the regional average and, if the trend continues, it will rise to above the national average.
Wolverhampton: levels of organised competition
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 12.9 11.9 13.1 14.0 Black Country 12.2 10.7 11.9 10.7 West Midlands 13.9 14.0 13.3 13.5 England 15 14.6 14.4 14.4
The proportion of adults very or fairly satisfied with sports provision in their local area has according to APS, increased over the last year in Wolverhampton although residents are still less satisfied with provision than they were when the 2006 baseline was set.
Wolverhampton: satisfaction with sports provision in the area
2006 2008 2009 2010 Wolverhampton 65 64.2 61.7 64.6 Black Country 65.3 59.7 62.2 63.8 West Midlands 69.1 65.3 66.8 67.3 England 69.5 66.6 68.4 69.0
Market segmentation
To aid understanding, as to why some people play sport and why others do not want to join in, Sport England’s market segmentation model (using data from the results of APS, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Taking Part survey and Experian’s Mosaic tool) breaks the population down into 19 sporting segments. As well as assisting partners to better understand attitudes to sport and motivations for participation it also points out sporting interventions most likely to be successful for a person from any given group. This has been used to inform selection of priority sports.
Wolverhampton, like all major UK cities, includes the full range of social groups and there are significant pockets of affluence in and adjacent to the City. However, the most prevalent market segments in the City are those containing less affluent groups.
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Sport England market segmentation: Wolverhampton
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Segment Key characteristics
Elsie and Arnold: Retirement Home Singles. 21,436 of the City’s population. Mainly aged 65+, widowed, retired. They are much less active than the average adult population, but activity levels are consistent with others in this age range. They are likely to be doing less sport than 12 months ago, mainly due to health or injury. Top sports for Elsie & Arnold: 10% of this group take part in 3 ‘keep fit/gym’, 7% in swimming, and 3% in bowls . Latent demand 25% wish to do more sport, compared to 52% of all adults. Sports that they would to do more include swimming (30%); keep fit/gym (13%); cycling (3%); tennis (3%) and bowls (2%).
Tariq: Pub League Team Mates 19,250 of the City’s population. Mainly 36-45, married or single, may have children, vocational job. Tariq has average levels of sports participation. His top participation sports are keep fit/gym, football and cycling. 12% of Tariqs take part in football compared to 4% of all adults; 11% take part in cycling, and 10% swim. He may also take part in athletics or running, golf, angling, badminton, archery or martial arts/combat sports. Latent demand 62% wish to do more sport, compared to 52% of all adults. 21% would like to swim more compared with 27% of all adults. Sports they would also like to do more of include cycling (13%); keep fit/gym (11%); and athletics (5%). Tariqs may also wish to do more golf or badminton.
Brenda: Older working women 16,160 of the City’s population. Mainly aged 46-65, married, part time employee. Brenda is generally less active than the average adult population. The top sports in which she participates in are keep fit/gym (15%), followed by swimming (13%) and cycling (4%). Athletics (including running) is enjoyed by 2% of Brendas. Her participation levels are below national adult averages. Other sports that she may participate in are badminton, horse riding, tennis, martial arts (including Tai Chi), football and golf. Latent demand 51% wish do more sport, compared to 52% of all adults. Sports that Brenda would like to do more of include swimming. (38%), keep fit/gym (18%), cycling (6%) and badminton (4%). Brendas’ would also like to do more athletics (running), tennis, horse riding, martial arts or netball.
3 http://segments.sportengland.org/querySegments.aspx
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Segment Key characteristics Terry: Local ‘Old Boys’ 13,673 of the City’s population. Mainly aged 56-65, single/married and unemployed. Generally inactive older men (less active than the general adul population). The top sports in which he participates are keep fit/gym (8%), swimming (6%) and cycling (6%). Angling and golf are the next most popular, both being played by 4% of this segment. Golf, angling and archery are the only sports where a higher
proportion of Terrys participate than the national average. In all other cases his participation in his top sports is below average. Latent demand 44% wish to do more sport, compared to 52% of all adults. Sports they would like to do include swimming (21%), keep fit/ gym (10%), cycling (10%), golf (6%) and athletics/running (5%) His demand for cycling, golf, athletics/running and football are above the national average. Terry aspires to do more badminton, fishing, cricket and tennis.
Tammy: Stretched single mums 13,195 of the City’s population Mainly aged 26-45, single and job seeker or part time low skilled Tammy is not a very active type and her participation levels are slightly below those of the general adult population. Top sports in which she participates are keep fit/gym (18%), swimming (17%), cycling (5%) and athletics/running (4%). Tammy may also take part in football, badminton, tennis, rounders, horse riding and netball. Latent demand 69% of Tammys would like to do more sport, compared to 52% of all adults.35% would like to do more swimming and 18% more keep fit/gym. Tammy may also like to do more athletics, tennis, badminton, netball, martial arts/combat sports, horse- riding and dance exercise. The graph above highlights the relatively high proportion of the population (exceeding Black Country, West Midland and England averages) within segments classified as Elsie & Arnold, Kev (Tariq), Brenda, Terry and Paula (Tammy). The pen portraits indicate the types of sports around which interventions appropriate to and likely to be successful with these groupings that should be considered. The map overleaf illustrates distribution of key market segments in the City. Cohorts of Kevs (Tariq) tend to be found in the central and eastern sections while. Brenda and Paulas (Tammy) also tend to follow the eastern axis. The Elsie and Arnold segment are to be found in all areas the City.
From this it is appropriate to deduce that interventions based around swimming, keep fit/gym and cycling plus possibly netball, coupled with some athletics and badminton are likely to be the most successful in meeting latent demand.
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Sport England market segmentation: dominant market segments
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THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT
This strategy reflects the aims and ambitions of a range of national plans and strategies.
National context
Strategy Key issues Links to City Strategy Sport England The vision is for England to be a world leading sporting nation A shared aims to make Strategy where many more people choose to play sport. There are five participation in sport a regular (2011/12-2014/15) strategic themes including: habit for many more people. Maximise value from current NGB investment Places, People, Play Strategic direction and market intelligence Set criteria & support system for NGB 2013-17 investment Market development Creating a Sporting The Strategy is seeking a consistent increase in the proportion The City will build on the Habit for Life – A of people regularly playing sport. In particular through raising strength of school sport to new Youth and the proportion of 14-25 year olds who play sport and to achieve the aims of the new Community Sport establish a lasting network of links between schools and sports youth and community sport Strategy (2012 clubs in local communities so that we keep young people strategy. playing sport up to and beyond the age of 25. This is to be delivered by: Building a lasting legacy of competitive sport in schools Improving links between schools & community sports clubs Working with the sports governing bodies: focusing on youth Investing in facilities Communities and the voluntary sector Healthy Lives, This White Paper sets out a radical new approach that will The City’s strategy matches Healthy People empower local communities. It is intended to: reach ‘across the Government’s long-term (2010) and out’ addressing the root causes of poor health & wellbeing, vision for the future of public to the individuals & families who need the most support and be: health in England recognising responsive – owned by communities and shaped by their in particular the need to needs; empower local people. resourced – with ring-fenced funding and incentives to improve; rigorous – professionally-led, focused on evidence, efficient and effective; and resilient – strengthening protection against current and future threats to health. Active Travel Cycling and walking offer health and accessibility benefits. Building participation into Strategy Through this strategy the aim is to: everyday habits through for (2010) 1. Promote better public health & well-being by increasing example, active travel, is a levels of physical activity; key means of getting more 2. Increase accessibility and reduce congestion; people active. This area is 3. Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions. specifically addressed in this strategy. Let’s Get Moving A key focus is promoting active lifestyles as an answer to many Getting more people (2009) of today’s big health challenges. It notes potential to improve physically active in the City health, reduce all-cause mortality and improve life expectancy, will reduce the health burden by promoting physical activity to ease the burden of chronic for diseases related to disease on the acute sector and public services. inactivity.
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Strategy Key issues Links to City Strategy Let’s Get Moving - The new Let's Get Moving (LGM) physical activity care A key expectation will be the Introducing a New pathway is based on the principles of the NICE public health signposting of people into Physical Activity guidance 2006: Four Commonly Used Methods to Promote exercise by GPs and Care Pathway Physical Activity. This endorses the delivery of brief practitioners. (2010) interventions for physical activity in primary care as both clinically and cost effective in the long term. Healthy Weight, This outlines the ambition to be the first major nation to reverse A key focus for the Strategy is Healthy Lives: One the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population by to tackle obesity across the Year On ensuring that everyone can achieve and maintain a healthy City. In particular, over the (2011) weight. The initial focus is on children: by 2020, we aim to first strategy, period, reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to addressing childhood obesity 2000 levels. rates. One Year On sets out progress to date but also the areas to focus on together over the next year.
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Wolverhampton context
Strategy title Key messages Wolverhampton City This is the refreshed overarching strategy for the City, which is accompanied by a plan for Strategy implementation. It has been developed by city partners working together through the Wolverhampton Partnership – the Local Strategic Partnership. The vision and strategy developed reflect Wolverhampton’s values: the need to support and empower local people. This means creating better opportunities for local people to obtain and progress in work, coupled with social, economic and cultural benefits that arise from good personal health, attractive neighbourhoods, supportive communities and a thriving city. This Strategy focuses on one overarching goal: prosperity for all and its stated am is to achieve this by creating opportunities that encourage enterprise, empower people and re-invigorate the City. Children and Young It sets out our plans for the development and delivery of services for children, young People's Plan people and families over the next three years across the range of statutory, private, voluntary and community agencies that make up the Children’s Trust locally City Climate Change Produced in fulfilment of the Wolverhampton Declaration on Climate Change, this sets out Strategy and Action Plan the plan to adapt the city to climate change and to reduce CO2 emissions Cycling Strategy This strategy provides a framework for us to identify specific problems encountered by cyclists and provides some of the solutions to address these. Environment Strategy This brings together existing strategies and workstreams to form an overview of the city’s 2009 environment and to provide a coherent framework for action. Parks and Green Spaces This document has been developed to set out the overall aims and objectives for key Strategy parks and green space issues for the next three to five years. The vision is to bring pride to this City through the quality, vibrancy and diversity of its parks and green spaces. Parks and Open Spaces Robust update of existing provision to inform a clear strategic pathway for improvement of Strategy and Action Plan and investment in parks and open space facilities. Playing Pitch Strategy The City Council (prepared in consultation with partners and Sport England), should adopt the objectives set out in the PPS (summarised below) which will enable development of a high quality network of playing pitch facilities through addressing quantitative and qualitative deficiencies, supporting the development of local leagues and clubs to meet their needs within the City and ensuring adequate maintenance and facility replacement funds are in place to sustain sporting facilities/ grounds for the future. Strategy for Older People The primary objectives of this strategy is to enable older people in Wolverhampton to live life to the full by optimising opportunities for health and participation in social, economic, cultural and civil affairs and by providing access to high quality health and social care services which respect the individuality and lifestyle choices of those who need them. Walking Strategy The walking strategy aims to encourage walking by recognising its role as a mode of transport and part of the solution to tackling traffic congestion as well as urban regeneration and to improve the environment and local health.
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OUTCOME A: PARTICIPATION
To measurably increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity from current levels – for young people and adults in the City.
Key objectives:
1. To drive and deliver a coordinated approach to the development of sport and physical
activity. 2. To establish a benchmark for current provision and participation levels. 3. To identify and prioritise mainstream and emerging/developmental sports and identify how these can be further developed in Wolverhampton to increase participation.
In essence, this aim is about creating lifelong sporting habits, making involvement in sport and physical activity an obvious and regular choice for the majority of people in the City.
Wolverhampton – participation model
Talent development & performance sport
Participation in sport and physical activity for 30 minutes per day 5 times a week.
Recreation Sports clubs Recreational jogging/walking Regular cycling, swimming etc. Recreational cycling Exercise & fitness training Active play/dance/keep fit Structured competitive activity Swimming for fitness Individual sports and pursuits Informal sport and activity Regular ‘recreational’ sport
Participation in sport and physical activity for 30 minutes per day on a regular basis: once per week as habitual lifestyle activity.
Everyday activity Active travel (cycling/walking), housework, gardening DIY occupational activity (active/manual work)
Physical activity Expenditure of calories, raised heart rate. Movement from sedentary to active.
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Objective 1: To drive and deliver a coordinated approach to the development of sport and physical activity
The City has a good track record of investment in facilities and opportunities to participate in physical activity and sport. As referred to earlier, the latest (2011) APS results are positive with regard to the number of people participating in sport each week; a position thought to have been influenced by, for example, the development of Easyline gyms in local community centres (part of the PCT’s investment of £1.8 million in the local promotion of sport and physical activity). The City also promotes innovative partnerships such as the Sport and Active Leisure Skills Academy (SALSA) and has an ongoing commitment to support development of outdoor sports facilities.
Notwithstanding these promising trends, to date, ‘the sum of the parts’ has probably not exceeded the whole. There are strong leagues, clubs, characters plus interested and committed key people and agencies but the overall result of all the work and effort put has not always been fully reflected in the outputs and outcomes achieved.
At a time when opportunity and threat present themselves in tandem it is essential that the way in which sport and physical activity in the City is planned, coordinated and measured is consistent and effective.
Selection of specific focus sports (see Objective 2) means that while generic support will continue to be provided for all those for which provision is made in the City, specific work in a relatively intensive format will be planned and undertaken with clubs and organisations involved in identified focus sports. Key areas of development to be targeted will include:
Inter-agency coordination
Arguably, inter-agency coordination is the main strategic issue facing the City. Making sure that work to service groups and networks really does result in cohesive, unified approaches to development and generating a ‘sustainability mindset’ amongst partners is an essential facet in the improvement process that adoption of this strategy should engender. The numerous positive, willing and committed agencies and partners in the City include (e.g.):
Community Sport and Physical Activity Network (CSPAN) Wolverhampton Sports Advisory Group (SAG) Partnerships and School Sport (PASS) plus individual schools and academies Sport and Active Leisure Skills Academy (SALSA) The Wolverhampton Sports Academy University of Wolverhampton Health partners Wolverhampton City Council Community Development Team (CDT) The proposed new Leisure Trust / DC Leisure Proposed new ‘externalised’ structures to manage parks and open spaces.
Their agendas, while broadly comparable in the context of generic drivers (increasing participation, improved quality of life etc.), are relatively diverse in respect of the chosen courses of action taken, the extent to which they connect with the work of other ‘partners’ and agencies and the way in which potential linkages with other programmes are considered prior to launching plans, programmes and activities.
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Strategy consultation clearly illustrated the extent to which specific ‘members of the sports family’ in the City operate independently and without reference to, for example, sustainability or the capacity to make a relatively cohesive ‘follow-up’ offer available to those whose interest is stimulated by initial opportunity. There is, thus, a need to:
Improve cross-agency coordination. This is vital if individuals are to be effectively supported to find their way into and then stay in, sport and physical activity and if the ambition to increase levels of participation in the City is to sustainably rise. Linked to this, review the role, effectiveness and membership of CSPAN.
Addressing specific personal barriers
To reach and assist those who presently do not participate or whose engagement is limited, a range of specific barriers must be collectively addressed. These include:
Visibility: examining and improving mechanisms via which people are made aware of opportunity. Accessibility: examining, improving and measuring factors such as visibility, awareness, cost (affordability) and location. Acceptability: taking away the ‘fear’ of failure, embarrassment etc., and providing options and activities which do not frighten people, or preferably that will excite them to action (each end of the continuum examples include; walking and BMX). Balanced competitive and recreational opportunity: Making an offer that reflects people’s interests, competence, confidence, lifecycle stage and physical capacity.
Workforce development
It is essential that support is given to those managing or working directly on delivery of local sport, particularly those working on a voluntary basis but also those who derive some form of income from their involvement. The City’s sporting workforce will be offered:
Resources and training to improve their knowledge base, personal and organisational effectiveness and the efficiency with which they work and manage in sport. Those currently working (or intending to work) in teaching/coaching/instruction will be given opportunity to enhance their generic and sport-specific skills. A range of competency based options to develop will be offered linked to national programmes to drive volunteer support and development plus club accreditation.
Club and league development
Numerous large and small, NGB affiliated and non-affiliated clubs operate in the City offering a range of opportunities to young people and adults. Areas in which strategic investment in coordinated support will be offered include:
Assisting clubs (and leagues) to ensure that this aspect of their operation is effective and efficient – and taking full advantage of national resource available to support this via national SupportforSport and Club Leaders programmes. Improving the capacity of clubs to recruit and then work effectively with a larger number of members (adults and young people). Assisting clubs to gain and retain nationally recognised Sport England Clubmark accreditation.
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Work on specific elements of the organisational skills and capacity of clubs assisting them to evaluate and deal more effectively with issues such as: voluntary work organisation and delegation, succession planning and consideration of how and where to ‘re-direct’ time and resources released via more efficient task organisation. Improving the numbers, capacity, skills and qualification levels of those involved in teaching, instruction and coaching people in community and club environments.
As of December 2011, 23 Clubmark accredited clubs4 were located in (or were serving) the City plus a further 15 recorded as presently ‘working towards’ the award.
Clubmark clubs
Sport Clubmark Sport ‘Working towards’ Cricket Fordhouses CC Athletics Wolves and Biston AC Cricket Penn CC Canoeing Wolverhampton Canoe Club Cricket Wolverhampton CC Golf Greenfield Golf Club Cycling Wednesfield Aces Cycle Speedway Club Golf Oxley Park Golf Club Cycling Wolverhampton Wheelers Cycling Club Netball Molineux Netball Club Football Ashmore Park Rangers F.C. R/League Wolverhampton RLFC Football Bilbrook Junior FC Squash University of Wolverhampton Football Bilston Casuals FC Squash Bilston Leisure Centre Football Danesmore Diamonds FC Sub aqua Black Country Barracudas Hockey Wolverhampton HC Swimming Bilston SC (Skill Development, Swimming) Football Willenhall Colts JFC Swimming Heath Town SC (Teaching, Swimming) Football Wolverhampton Wands Girls C of E FC Swimming Royal Wolverhampton School Gymnastics Wolverhampton GC T- Tennis Woodfield Social & Sports Club Ltd Hockey Old Wulfrunians Hockey Club T- Tennis Woodfield TTC Hockey Wolverhampton & Tettenhall Hockey Club Judo Wolverhampton Judo Club Judo Wolverhampton Youth Judo Centre Squash Wolverhampton LT & SC Swimming Chase SC (Skill Development & Swimming) Swimming Wolverhampton SC Tennis Albert Lawn Tennis Club Tennis Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis/Squash Club Triathlon Black Country Triathletes Volleyball Tettenhall Tigers Volleyball Club
School to club links
Key to providing young people with the opportunity to maintain existing, or develop new, participation habits in the community are school-club links. These will be delivered via:
Working with schools to ensure that what they offer (on the curriculum and in after- school activity) is planned to reflect opportunity realistically and sustainably available in the community. In other words they provide young people with a quality ‘start’ in sports in which there is a realistic chance of continuing to play outside of school.
4 Of The City’s 218 clubs not all are eligible for Clubmark. For such clubs the Wolverhampton Club Registration Scheme is regarded as the next most appropriate route.
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Enhancing the visibility of out of school opportunity and the ease with which a young person can ‘make the transition’ via careful planning and support. Improving the extent to which clubs and providers of sport and recreational opportunity are geared to receive young people and have the capacity, skills, knowledge and motivation to provide good quality, enjoyable, affordable opportunity. Broadening the range of out-of-school participation options to ensure that they encompass the needs and aspirations of both talented and able young people and those simply seeking to take part in enjoyable recreational activity.
Older people
The proportion of Wolverhampton’s population aged over 65 is high and set to increase further. Attracting, in particular, the presently sedentary over 50s is difficult but represents both good social policy and economically sensible planning. Key ambitions include:
Building upon some of the good work and advocacy already being delivered by, for example, the Wolves Elders Group, low impact ‘social sports’ such as boccia and new age curling presently being delivered at Blakenhall, Ashmore Park Community Centre and Lower Bradley Community Centre. Via adoption of a cohesively managed line of approach, engaging more consistently and effectively with existing group structures that offer ‘reach’ into this market. Raising levels of community awareness about, and use of, the network of (PCT funded) Easyline gyms located at community centres and outdoor gyms throughout the City (and to ensure that if and when the number and status of said facilities changes going forward, the quality and accessibility of this provision is maintained). Link physical activity to the long term management of chronic diseases.
Best Practice: Ashmore Park
A new unique community based programme of exercise classes has been developed at Ashmore Park Community Centre aimed at the over 50s. This initiative was funded by the PCT.
The Centre now has 17 pieces of gym equipment and eight interactive dance mats. More than 100 local residents per week have signed up to enjoy the programme of hour-long sessions led by a fitness instructor.
The hydraulically driven gym equipment is ideal and safe for people new (or not used) to exercise or unable to work out for long periods. It enables everyone to exercise at their own pace.
A number of those taking part have got medical problems, such as diabetes or heart disease, or have had hip operations, and so everyone is encouraged to take things at their own pace. There are currently 10 over 50s sessions a week with the majority being at full capacity.
Such centres are at the heart of key local areas and are considered, by the community, to be safe, friendly and familiar environments which are, perhaps, less daunting than traditional leisure centres. Ashmore Park is in Wednesfield; an area that has, in parts, high levels of deprivation. This programme has brought non traditional physical activity to people’s doorsteps to encourage those who would normally never exercise to try something new at an affordable cost.
Events, competitions and legacy
In Wolverhampton, both regular participation events and, over the next two to three years others associated specifically with London 2012 such as the Schools Olympics will take place.
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Clubs and individuals are engaged in a regular cycle of sport involvement to which extra lustre can be added on the back of the profile and publicity surrounding the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is particularly important to use this momentum to add impetus to the drive to increase participation ensuring that people from all groups in society and all parts of the City are included. (See also Objective D). Key actions include, for example:
Optimising the school-club value of the School Olympics events and using this to more fully embed this aspect of the school-community relationship. Utilising the Wolverhampton Community Use Standard (see Objective 7) to further embed a culture of positively endorsed and promoted school-club links. Adding a London 2012 lustre to regular participation events; walks, rides, fun-runs with a focus on addressing personal barriers, ensuring that communication channels are opened up with people who enter such events – enabling them to be engaged with and offered opportunity in the longer term. Relevant upcoming events include:
Disability Athletics Challenge Gymnastics 2012 World Cup 2012 Canoe Slalom World Cup Modern Pentathlon World Cup 2012 Track Cycling World Cup 2012 Sailing World Cup 2012 World BMX Championships 2012 European Figure Skating Champs 2012 MTB Cross Country World Cup Rugby (League) World Cup 2013 2012 Diving World Cup Rugby (Union) World Cup 2015
Utilising market segmentation and intelligence gained directly from Wolverhampton’s own communities, to develop improved cross-partner understanding of people’s sporting needs and interests; recreational, exercise-based, competitive etc.
Talent pathways – ‘future champions’
Across the full range of partners, Wolverhampton has capacity to offer those with talent a real range of support options allowing people resident (or studying) in the city to progress as far as their ability and their determination allows. Key is ensuring that a ‘player-centred’ approach to development pervades all aspects of provision and a cross-agency culture of collaboration and ‘selflessness’ is defined and encouraged. To do this it is important to
Influence and maximise pathways at all levels of the participation continuum enabling all participants to progress. Establish competition structures across a range of team and individual sports which provide all young people in secondary and further education opportunity to participate in sport at a variety of levels. Explore opportunities to work with local businesses to provide a package of support, via sponsorship, for talented (including adult) athletes to progress up to higher levels of the relevant sport as a bursary scheme. Continue to provide existing support i.e., that offered vi the Athlete Support Scheme.
Best Practice: Athlete Support Scheme
Wolverhampton City Council’s athlete support scheme provides free training passes to young sports people based in the City who compete at County level and above to the following facilities:
Aldersley Leisure Village Bilston Leisure Centre Central Baths Blakenhall Community and Healthy Living Centre Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre
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Objective 2: To establish a benchmark for current provision and participation levels
The measurement of progress and thus the assessment of achievement and capacity to gauge the value and return gained on investment is crucial. This is not only because it is business-like and represents best practice but also to effectively justify and defend ongoing investment in subsidy and support for sport and recreation and enhance opportunities for bidding for funding in the future.
It is also essential to generating the inter-partner cohesiveness described above. The City Council and partners ought to make every effort to invest now in systems and processes to ensure that they can, where possible, ‘measure by doing’ and install mechanisms to enable intelligence-led analysis of progress and evaluation of investment impact. Key areas to which this applies include:
User/member information systems at WCC leisure facilities; encompassing all forms of user; preferably under a system whereby all become card-holders and pricing and front of house entry management systems enforce the collection of information. Access to school-site based facilities to be linked to ‘customer/client club provision of specific usage/member data Clubs-based access to new indoor and outdoor facilities, schools etc. Facility occupancy information to be stored and analysed at a central point to ensure that full use of all facilities across the City is made and that ‘assets are sweated’. (See also Developing and Accessing Sustainable High Quality Facilities section). Managing/coordinating an annual physical fitness testing programme (see under Tackling Youth Obesity section); linked to a concurrent out-turn survey of participation levels. This could also be linked to the work on exercise and diet being driven by the PCT in partnership with the Wolves Community Trust.
This could and should be accompanied by development of a coherent evidence base plus progressively increased capacity to communicate both via intermediaries and directly with people so as to enable effective dissemination of information with regard to participation, personal development and training opportunity in the City. The diagram below illustrates how both direct communication and that channelled via key partners and facility managers and operators will reach partners and the volunteer workforce.
Communications and dissemination of information
CRM contact list recruitment
First stage contact via and/or endorsed by key intermediaries
University & Black WCC NGBs/clubs Leisure CSPAN Other informal Country CSP College CDT leagues Trust/DC
Volunteers & workforce: NGB affiliated clubs
People from non-affiliated groups and organisations
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Basic user data collection can furnish the City and partners with substantial, high quality management information as illustrated by the example of Tameside, Greater Manchester.
Card-based exercise recommendation: management information: Tameside Sports Trust
Lifestyle Club members Member take-up by referral type Unknow n (by postcode) DA PA OLDHAM Dietician Mossley GP 22 Phas e IV 15 Physio department Practice nurse Self BucktonBuckton ValeVale 33 Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne 10 27 39 31 20 24 25 DroylsdenDroylsden 5 38 7 9 4 1a StalybridgeStalybridge 3 8 40 18 2 StalybridgeStalybridge 21 13 30 1b DukinfieldDukinfield AudenshawAudenshaw MANCHESTER 14
32 29 34 11 HIGH PEAK 1719 36 LongdendaleLongdendale 23 26 DentonDenton HydeHyde 16 35a 12 37 Number of new 35b 28 6 active people STOCKPORT STAM FORD HOUSE 2.4% CHURCHGATE SURGERY 2.4%
GORDON STREET M EDICAL CENTRE 2.6%
BEDFORD HOUSE M EDICAL CENTRE 2.6%
CHAPEL STREET M EDICAL CENTRE 2.7%
DONNEYBROOK M EDICAL CENTRE 2.8%
CLARENDON M EDICAL CENTRE 2.8%
TAME VALLEY M EDICAL CENTRE 3.1%
M OSSLEY M EDICAL PRACTICE 3.4%
GROSVENOR M EDICAL CENTRE 3.4%
THORNLEY HOUSE M EDICAL CENTRE 3.8%
STAVELEIGH MEDICAL CENTRE 4.2%
76 M arket St reet 4.2%
Medlock Vale Medical Practice 4.3%
THE HOLLIES 4.8%
THE BROOKE SURGERY 5.5%
HA UGHTON V A LE SURGERY 5.6%
WINDM ILL MEDICAL PRACTICE 6.0%
LOCKSIDE M EDICAL CENTRE 6.3%
ALBION M EDICAL PRACTICE 9.2% Volume participation 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0% 8.0% 9.0% 10.0% by condition Osteoporosis 17
Depression 42
Hyper/hypo thyroidism 70
Hyper/hypo cholesterolemia 79
Pulmonary Disease 135
Diabetic conditions 194
CVD 241
Hypertension 300
Osteo/Rheumatoid Arthritis 317
Other 384
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
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Objective 3. To identify and prioritise mainstream and emerging/developmental sports and how these can be further developed to increase participation.
Some sports are more effective attracting people from targeted groups (e.g. boxing and walking), or have a stronger, more flexible resource base than others (e.g. cricket and rugby). Similarly certain activities contribute more to social objectives than others because of their community appeal and status, capacity and developmental ethos. Focus sports should be devised and based upon core criteria, which reflect local options and ambitions and greatest potential impact. The purpose is to select sports at which additional effort will be directed and for which resource allocation will be given greater priority enable them to:
Make an enhanced contribution to increasing levels of participation in the City. Develop/improve the player pathway and standards of athlete performance.
Segmentation
Market segmentation would appear to indicate good levels of latent demand identified for swimming, fitness and cycling but it is vital that both directive and generic support for the development and sustained provision of sports and activity is carefully planned, cohesively implemented and gains optimum benefit from the coordinated involvement of all agencies.
Based upon the national profiling of these segments, interventions around swimming, keep fit/gym and cycling plus possibly netball, coupled with some athletics and badminton are, thus, considered likely to be the most successful in meeting latent demand.
Best Practice: Athletics, walking and jogging
Walking and jogging are some of the most popular participation activities in the UK. Each has clear health and social benefits, universal appeal and can be offered and supported at either no, or low cost. Specific effort should be made, across City Council departments and in conjunction with educational institutions and employers in Wolverhampton to drive/encourage/promote, for example:
Parents to walk to/from school with children. Schemes to encourage people to walk to (in return for some form of reward or subsidised transport home from) the supermarket/library or job-centre. People to walk/jog all, or part of, the way to work – preferably in the company of others to ensure social and motivational benefits. Those managing City Council provided transport (to schools/college or other destinations) to consider whether people can be dropped off at points a fixed distance away from destinations end encouraged to walk for the balance of their journey – allowing time and flexibility to achieve this in transport schedules. Carefully timed (i.e., at the start of summer) promotional events to support the above. Engagement with local Run England Activators. Continued support for, and promotion of, the Waking for Health programme.
A series of criteria have been used to determine which sports and activities should be provided with additional support and momentum so as to provide the City Council and partners with the optimum chance of raising participation levels; as per the key headline objective of the Strategy.
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Priority sport criteria
Criteria: Sports/activities that offer/bring: Ref. Ability to significantly increase levels of adult participation. A Ability to sustain levels of adult participation. A1 Ability to significantly increase levels of young people’s participation. B Ability to sustain levels of young people’s participation. B1 Current/potential facility base available/accessible to accommodate expansion/enhance sustainability. C No specific facilities required C1 Sport/activity that allows ‘lifelong engagement’ D Traditionally strong sport in Wolverhampton community & sustainable capacity to deliver. E Potential strength and growth prospects. F Strong sport in secondary school curriculum enabling ‘out-turn’ of potential participants: and school Æ club links G Established ‘performance pathway’ infrastructure in the City. H Current/potential capacity to support City Council wider social objectives. I Current/potential capacity to support Health Lobby objectives. J NGB commitment to support with revenue resource/programmes K NGB commitment to capital investment support L Sport suited to targeting women/girls. M Sport suited to targeting older people. N Sport suited to targeting people from the City’s BME communities. O Sport suited to targeting people with physical, learning and sensory impairment. P Sport England market segmentation priorities Q
On this basis, the following will, over the early stages of the Strategy period, be focused upon.
Proposed priority sports/activities - for the first phase of Strategy implementation
Sport: Criteria met. Football A1, B, B1, C, E, G, H, I, J, K, L, M , O, P Cycling A1, B, B1, C1, D, E, H, J, M, N O, P, Q Sports hall sports (badminton, netball, basketball) A, A1, B, B1, C, D, F, G, J, M, Q Swimming A, A1, B, B1, C, D, E, H, I, J, M, N, P, Q Combat sports/martial arts A, B, C1, F, I, M, N, O Fitness (sports facility and free to access outdoor-based) A, A1, B, C, D, F, I, J, M, N, O, P, Q Athletics (including jogging and walking) A, A1, B, C1, D, I, J, M, N, O, P, Q
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OUTCOME B: TARGETING KEY ISSUES, AREAS AND GROUPS
To take positive action to support and encourage specific groups and enable targeted under-represented groups to achieve their potential in sport and physical activity.
Key objectives:
4. To specifically and measurably reduce the number of overweight and obese young people in the City.
5. To use internal and external opportunities effectively to target resources at developing opportunities for key under-represented groups and localities.
Objective 4: To specifically and measurably reduce the number of overweight and obese young people in the City
As noted elsewhere, Wolverhampton faces major problems with respect to obese and overweight young people. There is a need to invest time and both City Council and partner resource in a comprehensive programme designed to tackle this issue aligning a process via which:
Young people’s levels of physical activity is substantively increased and concurrently; Specific aspects of their lifestyle, notably diet and nutrition are also worked upon.
This will be delivered via a combination of:
Schools themselves becoming more directly involved in the management and delivery of internal interventions for their pupils while also facilitating and working with and alongside externally driven programmes. Developing and expanding the content, reach and longer-term impact of external interventions such as the PCT funded Wolverhampton Inspiring and Supporting Health – WISH) project and the partnership with Wolves Community Trust based ‘Wolfie’s Workout’ and ‘Food Dudes’ programmes. Focusing particularly on girls for whom the adverse affects of obesity are greater. Proactively driving up the profile and take-up of programmes designed to increase the number of young people walking and cycling to school linked to local, sustainable travel planning. Providing a comprehensive ‘bikeability’ training programme for the City’s schools. Physically ensuring that cycling to school, particularly for young people of secondary school age is made as straightforward as possible via, for example, the provision of secure bike storage locations at school sites. Concurrently studying, in detail, and then, in the medium/long-term working to improve key (attractive) routes that young people could/should take to school plus the linkages between journey segments and, for example, related public realm and street-lighting. Building a series of rewards for both individual young people and schools related to take up of physical activity and/or improved diet and nutrition habits/practices – assessing impact relative to specific baselines. Linking these rewards to the overall need to develop ‘across the board measures of improvement to build upon the existing, very useful, sample based assessments upon which some of the current figures quoted are based.
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Objective 5: To use internal and external opportunities effectively to target resources at developing opportunities for key under-represented groups and localities
Some communities in Wolverhampton face significant challenges relating to crime, worklessness and health inequality. In certain neighbourhoods, residents are three times more likely to be a victim of crime than elsewhere; one quarter of the city's working age population have no qualifications at all and significant numbers of children grow up in households where no-one has ever worked.
Some communities suffer significant health inequality, low life expectancy, teenage pregnancy and obesity. The wards of Graisley, Merry Hill, East Park, Bushbury, Wednesfield North, Fallings Park, Bilston East, and Spring Vale are amongst the most deprived.
Programmes with and via which key messages with regard to sport and physical activity benefits and opportunities might be targeted at under-represented groups include:
The WISH lifestyles programme. The City Council’s work on digital inclusion which is also aimed at improving the lives and life chances of disadvantaged people and the places in which they live. Adding specific messages to information about lifestyles, safe drinking, safe sex etc., as part of the multi-partner ‘Keep it Safe’ campaign. Linking into the project to make free school meals available to all children from low income families (not just those on benefits); a primary focus of this programme is to reduce levels of youth obesity. SMILE which ensures that children and young people with a disability are afforded opportunities to participate through capacity building for clubs. Pathways have been created for children and young people. This programme engages over 200 young people and is supported by over 100 volunteers.
Sport and Learning Skills Academy (SALSA)
SALSA has an opportunity to use sport, active leisure and physical activity to narrow the gap in educational underachievement, strengthen relations and education, employment and skills opportunities for local people.
It’s mission is “to establish a coherent approach for entering and developing career pathways within the sport, active leisure and physical activity industry and for matching training needs to volunteering and employment demands across the City of Wolverhampton”.
It is delivered via a collaborative agreement between the City of Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Wolves Community Trust, Wolverhampton City Council, the Black Country Consortium Limited and the University of Wolverhampton.
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Best Practice: Physical Ability & Fitness Testing
There is an opportunity working closely with the Wolves Community Trust, the PASS and PE specialists within the secondary sector to support delivery of core physical literacy.
Transferring the present Year 6 based height and weight measurement process which is used to inform local statistics on childhood healthy weight and obesity to the start of Year 7 would release resource to enable a more comprehensive evaluation of young people (delivered in tandem with PE staff) to occur.
Such a process could incorporate simple (enjoyable) tests of agility, balance, coordination and fitness plus collection of information about (e.g.) self-assessed swimming ability and current sport/exercise participation.
Concurrently, young people could be ‘signed up’ to a City leisure card and (on a voluntary ‘opt in’ basis) be invited to provide contact details enabling WCC to contact them with regard to opportunities, programmes, courses, club contacts, diet and nutrition advice etc.
This process would provide a baseline to evaluate year on year progress with regard to healthy weight and, thereafter, a contact base to enable promotion of opportunity and to measure response rates. It would also allow partners to offer specific services to young people already overweight or at risk of being obese and to disseminate information and support to young people (and parents) with regard to healthy eating.
It could also be used to underpin drives to, for example, increase the number and proportion of young people walking to and from school in the City.
In establishing a legacy of mass participation for the town following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games this measurement should continue into adulthood. This type of continued measurement should seek to provide tailored interventions and referrals at appropriate intervals.
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OUTCOME C: DEVELOPING/ACCESSING SUSTAINABLE HIGH QUALITY FACILITIES
Outcome: To deliver sustainable, accessible, affordable, high quality facilities to support and accommodate the drive to increase participation in sport/physical activity in the City.
Key objectives:
6. To better co-ordinate the development, operation, programming and management of facilities in conjunction with key partners. To, in particular, establish a more coherent, structured relationship with schools to maximise community use of educational facilities. 7. To develop a robust approach to planning, maintaining and developing sporting facility
assets within the City, set out an initial investment programme (identifying key facility development priorities) and optimise internal and external opportunities for partnership and capital investment. 8. To confirm and agree recommendations in the Playing Pitch Strategy and, as part of the PPS, mitigate loss of playing fields to meet Sport England requirements providing a robust strategy to allow the release of Council sites providing sufficient mitigation. 9. To ensure synergy between the City Parks and Green Spaces Strategy (and Action Plan), its Playing Pitch Strategy and this Sports Development and Investment Strategy.
Objective 6: To better co-ordinate development, operation, programming and management of facilities in conjunction with key partners. To, in particular, establish a more coherent, structured relationship with schools, the College and the University, to maximise community use of educational facilities.
As is illustrated below, the delivery of facility-based sport and physical activity is heavily reliant upon education-based provision.
Ownership types of sporting facilities by local authority area: Wolverhampton5
Ownership Type Ownership Type Facilities Count Local Local Commercial Education Others Commercial Education Others Authority Authority Athletics track 3 0 2 1 0 0% 67% 33% 0% Golf 4 4 0 0 0 100% 0% 0% 0% Grass pitches 93 0 61 29 3 0% 66% 31% 3% Health & fitness suite 24 9 9 5 38% 38% 21% 4% Ice rink 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - Indoor bowls 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - Indoor tennis centre 1 0 0 0 1 0% 0% 0% 100% Ski slope 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - Sports hall 43 0 39 4 0 0% 91% 9% 0% Squash court 4 0 2 1 1 0% 50% 25% 25% Swimming pool 21 4 10 7 0 19% 48% 33% 0% Artificial grass pitch 6 0 4 2 0 0% 67% 33% 0% Total 199 17 127 49 6 9% 64% 25% 3% West Midlands 6,268 801 3,190 1,467 810 13% 51% 23% 13% England 64,379 8,678 29,821 16,859 9,020 13% 46% 26% 14%
5 Sport England: Local Sport Profile
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Clearly, schools are essential to provision of sustainable high quality facilities. Education- based provision accounts for 64.5% of overall provision in Wolverhampton. This is very high compared to West Midland (51%) and national (46%) averages and reinforces the importance of community access to schools. In a nutshell, the efficient, effective programming and use of school indoor and outdoor sports facilities (plus associated changing accommodation, on-site parking etc.) for community benefit is vital to the achievement of strategy targets to increase and sustain participation levels. For sports halls, the position is more extreme. Most capacity in the City is provided at schools. Very little is made directly by the Council or commercial sector. This further underscores the importance of gaining access to school provision to cater for sport and physical activity.
Sports hall ownership (supply and demand)
Sports halls Wolverhampton West Midlands England All use, all ownership 135.76 156.70 165.22 Community use, all ownership (i.e. schools) 127.13 140.25 148.84 Community use, commercial ownership 0.0 6.55 3.95 Community use, local authority ownership 20.22 29.57 32.22
Delivery of key projects including the Barnhurst Lane outdoor sports centre and other facility investment commitments to which the City Council and partners are already committed will be an important stage via which Wolverhampton progresses towards the point where it maximises the contribution of partners (see Objective 7).
BSF protocols
Under BSF there is an unparalleled opportunity to develop, adopt a consistent Wolverhampton definition of (and benchmark for) community use of schools’ sports facilities. This could be achieved via development of structured, coordinated, ‘no hassle’ programming relationships with schools to maximise clubs & community use. To ensure that maximum benefit is achieved from the refurbishment and redevelopment of school sports facilities via the BSF and other school redevelopment funds (e.g. PFI, Academies), the following protocols should be considered for adoption:
Within the negotiations for the development of schools (sports facilities) requirements for the type and role of community use should be set out ensuring that there is no ambiguity about the role of the school. Management arrangements for community use of school sports facilities should be clearly identified prior to ‘signing off’ capital investment. They should reflect the best option for effective delivery and it should not be automatically assumed that the school or academy itself is best placed to do this. Operational arrangements will address school liability based and/or site supervisory issues related to caretaking and security looking, within appropriate health and safety parameters, to minimise cost making it both affordable and surplus-generating. All schools should go through a set process via which its process for delivery in respect of the Wolverhampton community use standard is clearly identified. If it is not the school that manages community use, the operator should adopt an open book approach to management resulting in clearly defined financial benefits to school and operator as well as ensuring a contribution to future facility maintenance. The programming of school sports facilities should be fair to sports and clubs and complement programmes at other community and schools based sports facilities.
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Facility planning, master-planning and design
Wolverhampton’s BSF processes have been managed with a focus on, in the context of master-planning and design, enabling cost-effective community use. Full consideration needs to continue to be given to all forms of end use of a facility, both from an educational and community use perspective. All new development on school sites should be designed to “exemplar” standards, in the context of master-planning and the technical specification of activity areas. All should meet NGB/Sport England technical design guidance standards as a minimum. The “exemplar” master-plan layout as detailed below should be the starting point for any school redevelopment and should remain the aspiration in order to achieve the highest possible standard.
A key consideration of this strategic framework must be the extent to which it can be enshrined within the planning process. By including key aspects of the master-planning and community use framework in supplementary planning document for new or refurbished facilities the potential exists to ensure that good practice with regard to community use of sports facilities is adopted in the planning, consultation about, development and operation of any new school facilities.
Figure: “Exemplar” layout
Road Site entrance
School car park
Break‐ Pitches out Break‐out Break‐out space spaces spaces
Community/visitor car park Floodlit STP/MUGAs/ tennis/netball
Fit- Community Library ness reception Office MAIN SCHOOL BUILDINGS Seminar Dance/arts music /meeting space rooms Changing facilities Sports hall (indoor/outdoor
Capacity to separate/‘shut‐off’ rest of school
Site perimeter
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The following key aspects should be considered for adoption:
WCC (and if appropriate its delegated sport provider) will automatically be consulted with regard to the development or refurbishment of any new school in the city and (in partnership with the Black Country CSP) take a lead in identifying and facilitating consultation with appropriate NGBs to identify local sports specific need and influence the technical specification for all new sports facilities. If applicable, there must be a detailed and justified explanation as to why the location and access arrangements for a school sports facility deviate from the exemplar design model as outlined within this strategic framework. There must be a detailed explanation as to why the technical design standard for specific activity areas does not meet that stipulated by key NGBs and Sport England. Planning awards for all school-based sports facilities will be conditional on the application of the identified definition of community use and operating requirements. The operator may be required to demonstrate community use in line with the above definition for an agreed number of years following the opening of the facility. The checking of this should pass from planners to leisure departments or, as applicable, external partners (e.g. the new Leisure Trust).
Central facility programming coordination
A key aspiration and principle of the Strategy is the development of a bespoke, centralised, coordinated facility management system for all facility types including pitches, sports halls, swimming pools and other types of specialist or sport-specific provision. A coherent programming structure will afford Wolverhampton an unparalleled opportunity to get to the position where, at any one time, there is a clear understanding as to what activity is occurring where in the City. There is also a key action to use capacity and quality of facilities where they exist to stimulate demand to increase participation. The policy that sits behind this should be founded on, for example:
Principles: facility access and charging
Use of all facilities, irrespective of provider, is charged for at affordable (variable) level: i.e. one that takes account of: 9 Charges made for City Council facilities. 9 The value of the activity being provided. 9 The ‘market’ for that activity’ 9 The need for certain owners/providers of facilities (e.g., schools) to generate a ‘rate of return’ which is justified in the context of their wider commitments and responsibilities. Where relevant, charges should cover changing rooms, showers and on-site parking. All facility operators (schools/academies, leisure trust, DC Leisure, Central Lettings etc.) should consult the City Council SDU in respect of the most suitable clubs and groups to which programme time is offered. Clubmark accredited sports clubs should be given priority with regard to the selection of ‘booking slots’ available. This will help to answer key questions for many schools including; Is there a youth section to which young people (pupils) can have access? Is it inclusive?
Does it have a safeguarding policy in place? What is the scope for learning opportunities? Is the club sufficiently solvent and sustainable?
This should be adopted with a focus on sports and community development priorities and may have to be built into existing and pending new leisure management contracts.
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Wolverhampton community use: definition and benchmarks
It is an aspiration over the first three years of the period of the strategy that a ‘Wolverhampton standard’ for community use is tested and phased in as City Council corporate policy. This would effectively mean targeting its adoption and application at all 11- 16 schools and academies in the City administrative area. It would, thus, become the City benchmark with regard to the community use of schools’ sports facilities:
Wolverhampton: Aspirational Community Use Standard
A school deemed to be offering ‘Wolverhampton standard’ community use enables, for example, as a suggested standard:
A minimum of 15 hours peak (weekday evening) sports hall time to be affordably available to (and actively used by) the community A minimum of 15 hours of peak (weekday evening) AGP time to be affordably available to (and actively used by) the community Each of its grass pitches to be affordably available to (and actively used by) the community for at least 1 match per week.
(Further detail with regard to the programming and management of the proposed community use standard is provided in Appendix 1).
Adoption of this definition of community use and approach to managing the facilities and services should enable the effectiveness of use to increase significantly as it will allow key partners and operators to:
Provide variety within the overall programme which accommodates recreational and competitive opportunity at all levels of performance. Offer a combination of direct delivery and intervention via a range of partners (e.g. sports clubs, individual coaches or instructors and key agencies) as appropriate. Collect management information and intelligence to underpin actions to extend the reach of the service, which will: Introduce new people/communities to existing activities and club opportunities. Introduce existing customers to a new range of activities and club opportunities. Enable operators to develop innovative programmes for hard to reach groups. Continually seek to re-present the sport and physical activity offer to the local community. Develop the service in such a way that people in local communities are able to make informed choices about it.
The City Council CDU is to provide its directive advice and guidance based upon:
A fully informed perspective on how all facilities in the City are programmed. Knowledge and understanding of community need, having engaged and consulted on a regular basis with local representative agencies such as youth clubs, tenants and residents associations, older peoples groups, local pressure groups, etc. Proven knowledge and understanding of the local sporting infrastructure, including sports clubs, NGBs, leagues and providers already in situ in the local community. The needs of identified priority sports. Consultation with the CSPAN.
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Objective 7: To develop a robust approach to planning, maintaining and developing sporting facility assets within the City, set out an initial investment programme and optimise internal and external opportunities for partnership and capital investment.
Facility stock
Wolverhampton has a good stock of core indoor sports facilities, three of which (Aldersley Leisure Village, the Bert Williams Leisure Centre and Central Baths) are managed by Wolverhampton Leisure Services the fourth (Wolverhampton Swimming & Fitness Centre) by DC Leisure under the terms of the PFI agreement. The City also has, as a consequence of the substantial investment in schools through the BSF process a new or upgraded set of school indoor sports halls and outdoor sports facilities.
Present stock – sports halls (4+ badminton courts)
Site Size: by no. of badminton courts St Peters Collegiate School 4 Aldersley High School Sports Centre 4 Colton Hills School Sports Complex 4 Moseley Park School Sports Centre 4 University of Wolverhampton Sport Centre (City Site) 4 The King's C.E. School: A Specialist Visual Arts & Sports College with Science 4 St. Edmund's RC School 4 North East Wolverhampton Academy (Foxley Campus) 4 City Of Wolverhampton College (Wellington Road Campus) 4 Our Lady and St Chad Catholic School 4 Wolverhampton Girls High School 4 Heath Park Business Enterprise College 4 Tettenhall College 4 Deansfield Community School 4 St Peters Collegiate School 5 The Wolverhampton Grammar School 5 Aldersley Leisure Village 12
Present stock - swimming pools
Site name Size: by no. of lanes Esporta Health & Fitness (Wolverhampton) 3 Aldersley High School Sports Centre 6 Bert Williams Leisure Centre 5 Colton Hills School Sports Complex 6 Coppice Performing Arts School 3 Wolverhampton Central Baths 8 The King's C.E. School: A Specialist Visual Arts & Sports College with Science 4 Wolverhampton Swimming And Fitness Centre 6 South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy 6 The Royal Wolverhampton School - Smestow School 4
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Wolverhampton: 4+ court halls - location
Wolverhampton: swimming pools - location
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In addition, there are numerous sports halls and pools in neighbouring local authority areas. Those located within three miles of the City Council boundary are mapped and listed in appendices 2 and 3.
Present stock – outdoor sports
The outdoor sports facility stock is as follows:
Football: the City has 82 sites available for community use, providing a total of 100 pitches plus 46 (mainly junior and mostly located on school sites) not currently accessible to the community. Cricket: there are 13 cricket pitches available for community use (including senior men’s, women’s and junior boys and girls). Rugby union/league: with the main clubs located just outside the City boundary, pitch provision is predominantly school-site based. Hockey: there are 5 full-size AGPs suitable for competitive hockey in the City plus two currently disused (East Park and Jennie Lee Centre). Bowls: Wolverhampton has 27 bowling greens located at a range of sites Tennis: the City has 138 tennis courts, the majority of which are of good quality. Athletics: the floodlit, six lane, 400 metre track facility at Aldersley Leisure Village – which is in good condition. Cycling: Aldersley Leisure Village Velodrome, cycle speedway – East Park and Ashmore Park, Aldersley High School BMX track.
Examples of the level of provision on school sites
75 of the City’s playing pitches (of all types) are on school sites. 84 of the City’s tennis courts are on school sites. 41 of the City’s netball courts are located on schools sites. 13 of the City’s secondary schools (including colleges and independent schools) presently claim to offer some form of community use. Ten primary schools report that their outdoor playing fields are available for community use but only one reports actual usage. Nine schools with a service level agreement do not allow community use of grass pitches (demand is primarily for football). Reasons stated include access, high levels of extracurricular activity and lack of funds to maintain pitches and mitigate additional wear and tear. In the majority of instances, where pitches are available and in use, access to school changing accommodation is limited or not available at all.
Key issues
A range of facility-related issues need to be addressed, these include
The need for regular, coordinated access to school sports facilities – which is dealt with elsewhere in the Strategy. Reducing the substantial levels of overplay and catering for latent and anticipated future demand for senior and junior pitches by improving pitch quality. The quality of existing AGP provision. Of the five in the Authority, four were built in the 1990s. None of the surfaces have been replaced and all four carpets are now either already in a state of disrepair or approaching the end of their life span.
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The Sport England Facilities Planning Model identified need for an additional two AGPs in the City to service training needs for football plus hockey. (This supports locating them in the eastern half of the City to meet the greatest unmet demand). The overplay at certain cricket sites, the shortfall of pitches in the Tettenhall Area, and anticipated increased demand to service a further 4.3 teams by 2026. The fact that the number of bowling greens available in the City has reduced over the past five years. To date participation has remained static or decreased but 11 clubs are now looking to increase the number of teams run. Although growth can reportedly be accommodated at existing provision, given that the over 65 population of the City is projected to increase by 20% by 2026, at the very least retention of existing provision at the same or a higher level of quality (carrying capacity) would help to sustain current levels of participation. The deterioration of the two AGPs at Aldersley Leisure Village. Hockey clubs have not been able to use them for senior matches and to fulfil JDC & JAC requirements; the revenue income generated has reduced by over one quarter in the last financial year.
In lieu of these it is recommended that a number of strategic decisions are made with regard to development, management and maintenance of facility provision in the City and strategic investment decisions moving forward:
AGPs: Given the FPM-led Sport England recommendation that addressing the AGP shortfall should focus on the East of the City, consider adopting a broader policy (encompassing development of Barnhurst Lane – see below) which leads to a greater focus on development and maintenance of grass pitches in the West of the City. Pitch maintenance: (Linked to revised charging structures) set out, in more specific detail the programmes that the City Council will implement to ensure that the quality, in particular of grass pitch surfaces, carrying capacity and durability plus, as a secondary issue, clubhouse and ancillary accommodation, is improved over the next 5-10 years.
Maintenance regimes
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Charging levels: Present levels of investment are simply insufficient to maintain, let alone improve, facility quality. Part of the process of alleviating this will be to set out a mechanism that will ensure that facility pricing allows WCC to generate sufficient revenue income to maintain and sustain facilities. This is particularly pertinent for pitch facilities which are regarded as being offered at an extremely competitive rate. Consultation suggests that clubs would, in the main, absorb an increased charge if it allowed for an hypothecated improvement in pitch quality. Site design and layout: Adopt good practice in the design and layout of new/redesign of existing sites so as to allow for pitch movement and rotation; thus enabling the higher quality attained via investment to be retained.
Pitch layout good practice
Asset transfer: Linked to this and reflecting FA aspirations in this regard, consider football pitch sites, particularly but not exclusively in the east of the City Council area, that would be suitable for asset transfer to either in situ or interested clubs. Site disposal: Linked to plans for development of new (higher carry capacity) pitch sites and potentially greater use of school pitches, asset the extent to which specific surplus to requirement open spaces and/or (predominantly single pitch and/or high maintenance) pitch sites might be disposed of with a view to reinvestment of any capital receipt accruing into the improvement of existing or development of new higher value sites. Capital investment in key projects: Invest in capital projects, in particular those where multi-partner involvement can add substantially to the value for money obtained by the City that will address/alleviate/incorporate the issues/desirable factors outlined above. (See key investment projects and programmes overleaf).
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Key investment projects and programmes
The City Council is looking to take forward a number of key projects to support delivery of Strategy objectives. The following table outlines the key decisions which need to be made to enable the City to progress and update its facility stock appropriately.
Site Issues and solutions Partners/funders Barnhurst Issues Lane Barnhurst Lane is a proposed solution to address issues arising from Sport FA England objections to planning applications which identify a loss of playing fields Football Foundation for Highfields and King's schools. BSF It occupies and could potentially make full use of most parts of a ten ha site, even Aldersley High though only 3-4 hectares of provision is required as part of the planning conditions School for the mitigation for the loss of facilities elsewhere in the City. England & Wales Size and design issues are critical to site development. Whilst Aldersley High Cricket Board School alone could not ‘fill’ the site it must be recognised that the opportunity Bilston Youth exists to develop an excellent multi-sport site with potential to service City-wide Football League demand. Sport England The project faces issues around which agency might to fund specific additional aspects of the site including, for example, changing and AGP/MUGA provision. In order to make the case to develop Barnhurst Lane as a legitimate sustainable city-wide facility there is a requirement for additionality. Consideration should be given to developing it as a site clearly geared to delivering mini and junior football on pitches of the right size and requisite quality to reflect upcoming FA regulations. Building in some of the good design principles cited above and the best possible community use agreement it could become an example of good practice that might attract funds from a range of sources including Sport England, the Football Foundation and possibly other NGBs. Solutions Development of Barnhurst Lane would allow creation of a hub site servicing the North of the City As a key action for the investment strategy WCC should work with partners to develop a full feasibility study for the venue. This should cover (e.g.) site design principles and layouts, changing provision, multiple grass pitches (for football; making allowance for the upcoming regulations with regard to junior football team numbers and pitch sizes, cricket (and rugby union?), floodlit AGP/MUGA and linked floodlit grass training areas plus other possible outdoor sports uses. The study should also consider the site business plan taking account of school(s) use, revenue funding streams, maintenance requirements and related factors such as its potential operational linkages to community use of indoor sports (and cultural) facilities at the school. Jennie Issues Lee The closure of the Jennie Lee centre has resulted in the relocation of the Bilston FA Youth Football League to the North East Wolverhampton Academy (Pendeford Bilston Youth College). This has led to a reduction in the deficiency of mini-soccer pitches in the Football League Wednesfield analysis area which now has a slight surplus of 0.5 mini-soccer Sport England pitches. Solutions The League has relocated to the North East Wolverhampton Academy (Pendeford site). This has had the effect of increasing the deficiency of mini and junior football pitches in the North analysis area. Barnhurst Lane provides an opportunity for the League to secure a central venue.
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Site Issues and solutions Partners/funders Parkfields Issues School Parkfields is one of the sites to be vacated as part of wider BSF plans for the FA school stock in the City. This is one of the few venues in the Central and South Football Foundation analysis area which could serve as a true hub site for the south of the City. BSF Parkfields is recognised to have limitations in the context of its low the realisable Punjab Utd land value, it could, however, be a genuine asset as an outdoor sports hub site. Sport England Punjab FC is currently preparing a business plan for the site. It is, however, recognised that management by a single club may limit full community use. Solutions Feasibility work should be undertaken to consider the options available to WCC to work with partners to develop this site for outdoor sports use. Alderlsey Issues Leisure There is a pressing need to address the quality issues of the AGPs. There are Wolves Community Village currently. Built in 1994 there are two adjacent pitches of very poor quality which Trust cannot be used competitively for senior hockey. Although the carpets have been FA patch repaired, both now need to be replaced. Football Foundation Solutions There are opportunities to create an innovative solution to the AGP requirements across the City. Options exist including: a) Resurfacing both pitches as sand-based b) Resurfacing both pitches as 3G c) Resurfacing with one of each surface d) A hybrid alternative suitable for football and hockey (generally not favoured). e) Options to create a third AGP on land adjacent to the existing two pitches. i54 Issues Bilbrook JFC i54 located in South Staffordshire on Wolverhampton’s northern boundary is to provide business land for Jaguar. The i54 site is a joint development by the City Council, Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire District Council. Within the site there is an area of pitches (currently used by Bilbrook Junior Football Club) which is subject to allocation for business use. Solutions Opportunities exist to upgrade adjacent pitches (owned by Bilbrook Junior FC). It is anticipated that like for like mitigation will be required given that the site is likely to be used as business use. It is unlikely to achieve additional funding without any housing development as additional demand per se is not created. Wolves The ‘dome’ at Aldersley Leisure Village is to become redundant with the relocation Wolves Academy Academy of the Wolves Academy onto the Compton campus (at which Wolves FC is Wolves Community investing £700,000 into drainage to upgrade the pitches). Trust Under the lease arrangements the facility must offer a minimum of 15 hours per week community use. However it is not envisaged that this facility will become available for full community use but rather that it will be used to deliver Wolves Community Trust’s community based projects for the majority of time. Westcroft The School has a very small sports hall. It is currently subject to an Iconic Facilities Sport England School bid to develop a new sports hall for wheelchair sports to be accommodated. AGP City investment in AGPs needs to take account of the modelled demand for Sport England require- facilities and reflect understanding of the various scenarios testing while also ments taking account of the impact of other influences on the scale and depth of requirement of potential user groups. (See Appendix 3 for detail about the FPM report).
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Other strategic elements
Issue Proposals/ solutions Partners/funders Asset As City Council budgets come under increased pressure it should, in tandem City Council transfer with key partners, explore the extent of the appetite of all parties to explore asset Sport England transfer. NGBs It involves the transfer of the ownership of land or buildings from local authorities Local sports clubs to community groups such as local sports clubs and trusts, often at discounted BCSP prices provided there is a benefit to the local community. This presents sports clubs (working closely with the City and the relevant NGBs) with options to take ownership of their own facilities. It may also provide presently non-asset owning sports clubs with their first chance to take on a building. Inspired Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund is focused on making it easier for local City Council facilities community and volunteer groups to improve and refurbish sports clubs or CSPAN transform non-sporting venues into modern grassroots sport facilities. It is PCT important that the City is fully geared up to take advantage of the plans (under Sport England the Places People Play programme to deliver a London 2012 legacy of increased mass participation in sport) to invest £50 million of National Lottery NGBs funding in up to 1000 community sports projects between 2011 and 2014. Local sports clubs BCSP Attracting Wolverhampton is an area that will be ‘on the radar’ of a number of NGBs. It is vital City Council external that the City Council and partners maintain a dialogue with and are fully geared up CSPAN revenue to benefit from options to secure external partner support to establish and drive PCT invest-ment programmes in the City. Sport England There is a need for the CITY to be cohesively proactive and for partners to NGBs collectively make the case (for example, on the back of the investment strategy and some of the innovative processes being developed to secure comprehensive Local sports clubs access to school sports facilities) for such investment. BCSP
Objective 8: To, as part of the PPS, mitigate playing field loss to meet Sport England requirements
As a statutory consultee on proposals for development which affect playing fields, Sport England must oppose the granting of planning permission for any development which would lead to the loss of (or prejudice the use of) all or any part of a playing field unless:
A carefully quantified and documented assessment of current and future needs has demonstrated to its satisfaction that there is an excess of playing field provision in the catchment, and the site has no special significance to the interests of sport. (It may object to the loss of a site, which has special significance; i.e., is one of exceptional quality or importance to the development of sport, even if it can be shown that there is an excess of provision within its catchment. The playing field(s), to be lost as a result of the proposed development, are replaced by a playing field or playing fields of an equivalent or better quality and of equivalent or greater quantity, in a suitable location and subject to equivalent or better management arrangements - prior to the commencement of development.
Sport England must also be satisfied that the sustainability of the (new) site is supported through the proposed developments. Capacity to cope with future management and maintenance costs must, thus, be demonstrated via a clear business and management plan, created in conjunction with the site management.
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This is, in effect, the starting point for any negotiation for mitigation for the loss of playing fields. Evidence cited in the PPS should be used to identify additional demand with regards to quality and/or quantity and build this into future negotiations.
Summary of PPS key surpluses and deficiencies6
Bilston Central & South North Tettenhall Wednesfield 2011 2026 2011 2026 2011 2026 2011 2026 2011 2026 Senior +2.5 +2.2 +1.5 +0.7 -1.0 -1.9 +3.0 +3.0 +4.0 +2.6 football Junior +1.0 0.6 -1.5 -1.8 -2.0 -2.2 -3.0 -3.0 -1.0 -1.4 football Mini - - +1.0 +0.9 -10.5 -11.6 -1.0 -1.0 +0.5 +0.2 football Cricket - -0.1 +1.8 +1.6 - - -2.4 -2.4 - - Rugby ------1.5 -1.5 - - Issues Latent demand Need to Juniors play on senior The deficiency of mini- expressed for increase pitches. This can be pitches is transitional junior football. community use addressed by the with the league. at school sites surplus of senior However some play to cater for football pitches. should be maintained more junior There is a need to to reflect localised play and protect cricket sites provision. consider the and increase the development availability of non-turf of a central wickets. venue site.
The City Council, with its partners, should adopt the PPS objectives (see immediately below) to enable development of a high quality network of facilities enabling it to:
Address quantitative deficiencies to meet existing unmet demand and plan for new provision (as/where required). Address qualitative deficiencies and enhance existing provision to support high levels of participation. Maximise levels of access to all outdoor facilities across the City (including DDA compliances, marketing and accessibility). Ensure that planned increases in participation can be met by provision of facilities. Support development of local leagues and clubs to meet their needs within the City. Ensure that adequate maintenance and facility replacement funds are in place and protected to support the quality and quantity of provision to sustain sporting facilities/ grounds for the future. Develop a prioritisation and sequencing process for future investment to ensure that identified deficiencies and opportunities are addressed.
6 Information sourced from the Playing Pitch Strategy.
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Objective 9: To ensure synergy between the City Parks and Open Spaces Strategy, the Playing Pitch Strategy and the Sports Development and Investment Strategy
A key issue affecting, in particular the City Council’s capacity to implement and invest in delivery of all three strategies, is the standards applied to its open spaces provision. In order to address the issues raised by the open spaces assessment and to ensure robust and achievable open space quantity standards, they have been revised, primarily via the removal of the majority of sites that are less than 0.2 hectares in size and that do not fulfil a specific community function or have a particular local value.
This, in turn, has a knock-on impact on the Council’s flexibility with regard to the use, maintenance and future status of such sites allowing a greater focus on key strategic open spaces in the context of focus investment and maintenance intensity.
The resulting proposed revised quantity standards provide a guideline as to how much open space, sport and recreation provision per 1,000 people is now considered to be required in the City to meet current demand.
Typology Proposed quantity standard (ha per 1,000 population) Parks and gardens 0.94 Natural and semi-natural open space 1.40 Provision for children 0.02 Provision for young people 0.02 Amenity green space 0.58 Allotments 0.14 Civic spaces 0.005 Outdoor sports facilities 1.44
In effect, the proposed quantity standards are lower than the current OSANA standards for all typologies with the exception of parks and gardens and this is due to sub-categories being combined.
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OUTCOME D: TO ADD PROFILE AND IMPETUS TO STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION BY MAKING EFFECTIVE USE OF THE LEGACY OF THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES AND SUBSEQUENT INTERNATIONAL SPORTS EVENTS
As noted earlier in this document, this is an unprecedented opportunity to use the excitement and profile generated by the Olympic and Paralympic Games to generate interest in participating or the management and delivery of sport among people who have, hitherto, not been involved. Maximum benefit will be derived via:
Schools Games
Publicised as ‘an opportunity to get more young people than ever before enjoying the benefits of playing competitive sport’, is the School Games, which was piloted on behalf of the Black Country Partnership by Wolverhampton. The intention is that it will be a celebration of competitive sport that involves all young people in school years 3 to 13, encompassing those of all abilities and backgrounds. It comprises four levels of competition:
Level 1: Intra-school competition, culminating in a School Games day Level 2: Regular inter-school competition between schools at a local level Level 3: Annual county/area culmination of inter-school competitions – School Games Festivals Level 4: National multi-sport event
In addition, each of the 4,000 secondary schools in England, is to offer a community sport club on its site with a direct link to one or more NGBs. This will be wholeheartedly supported in the City and planning for the school-club links element of the process, building upon the objectives with regard to this cited earlier will commence immediately. There will be a particular focus – within the Games themselves and with respect to school-club links – on sports for which there is a good player pathway thus enabling young people who wish to progress outside of school to have the opportunity to do so.
Engaging with the City’s sporting champions
Sporting champions have a potential role inspiring and motivating young people to engage in sport and physical activity. Wolverhampton has several current and former elite athletes including Denise Lewis, Densign White and Tessa Sanderson. Where feasible, working around their existing work or training commitments, every effort will be made to engage them to support and promote delivery of activity within schools and the community as part of the legacy programme for the City.
They will be encouraged to ‘front up’ on specific projects and programmes and, for the duration of the Games and thereafter, become the positive face of sports development and the drive to attract new and retain existing participants.
They (and other perhaps slightly less well known non-disabled and disabled sportsmen and women from the local area who have achieved prominence in their field) will be encouraged to play their part in promoting and inspiring those who are just starting out on a sporting career or who are, as yet, not engaged in sport.
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Alongside these, community role models (equally important as people with whom local residents can empathise and who can be trained to engage non-participants) will be identified and supported to become local champions who will, going forward, assisted by, for example, heath trainers to deliver locally based activity responding to local need.
High priority will be attached to providing suitable training and development opportunities for these roles in the first instance. This will be achieved via work with the Borough’s further education establishments and targeted at skill development. As noted above, a secondary but vital by-product of this will be the training of local people to enhance their chances of securing sustainable employment.
Sport Makers
Local sports bodies and CSPAN partners will work closely with the Black Country Sports Partnership to ensure that the City generates its full ‘quota’ of Sport makers, enables them to make positive use of the 10 hours of initial volunteering to which they commit and then seeks to encourage them to retain their volunteer input on a more consistent, ongoing basis, working closely with local (affiliated and informal) clubs or supporting local sports events.
Sportivate
Sportivate is part of the 'Places People Play' initiative. It has been made possible by the Government's National Lottery reforms and is intended to bring additional funding into grassroots sport. It aims to capture the excitement of sport by providing attractive and sustainable sporting opportunities for participants in the sport of their choice within their community.
Year 1 of the programme has the ambition to see more than 1,800 young people across the Black Country retained in a variety of activities ranging from adventure sports and dance to rugby, football, hockey and basketball. 25% of the projects delivered during 2011/12 will target young people with disabilities.
Developing and enhancing the City’s event programme
A concerted effort will be made to add glamour to pre-scheduled and regular local events due to run in the City over the next 2-3 years and to capture the ‘buzz’ and enthusiasm generated. In addition, the intention is to run specific participation, training and promotional events in parallel with the Olympic/Paralympic games and celebrations to capitalise on the City’s heightened interest in sport over summer and autumn 2012 using these as a springboard to attract more participants and volunteers into programmes which will be accommodated by the concurrent work to improve and expand the accessible facility base..
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APPENDIX 1: ASPIRATIONAL WOLVERHAMPTON COMMUNITY USE STANDARD
Use of schools sports facilities, whether programmed and managed directly by them, centrally under the Council’s Schools Letting System or via another operator, should, for example, be based upon seeking that, for a minimum of 40 weeks per annum between the beginning of September and the end of June:
For grass pitches - assuming reasonable weather conditions and sufficient quality pitches, it is suggested that (for example): A minimum of one match per pitch per week (played on Saturday or Sunday dependent upon the age group and league to which clubs subscribe) is made available on a regular (weekly) basis to community based sports clubs/groups. Use is charged for at an affordable level (i.e. one that equates to charges made for the use of City Council grass pitches). Where needed, within said charges, access to changing rooms, showers and on-site parking is available to user groups. That irrespective of which agency manages the letting, individual schools/academies and the Lettings Service consult the City Council Community Development Unit in respect of the most suitable clubs and groups to which to offer pitch access. Clubmark accredited sports clubs should be given priority with regard to the selection of ‘booking slots’ available.
For indoor sports halls, it is suggested that (for example): A minimum of 15 hours per week of weekday evening (Monday to Friday) ‘peak demand time’ (between 18.00 and 22.00) is made available on a regular basis to community based sports clubs and groups. Use is charged for at an affordable rate (i.e. one that equates to charges made for the use of City Council facilities such as those at Aldersley Leisure Village and the new Bert Williams Leisure Centre at Bilston). Where needed, within said charges, access to changing rooms, showers and on-site parking is available to user groups. That irrespective of which agency manages the letting, individual schools/academies, or the City Council Lettings Service consult the City Council SDU in respect of the most suitable clubs and groups to which programme time is offered. Clubmark accredited sports clubs should be given priority with regard to the selection of ‘booking slots’ available.
For artificial grass pitches, it is suggested that (for example): A minimum of 15 hours per week of weekday evening (Monday to Friday) ‘peak demand time’ (between 18.00 and 21.30) is made available on a regular basis to community based sports clubs and groups. Use is charged for at an affordable level (i.e. one that equates to the standard charges for use of City Council artificial grass pitch facilities. Where needed, within said charges, access to changing rooms, showers and on-site parking is available to user groups. That irrespective of which agency manages the letting, individual schools/academies and the Lettings Service consult the City Council Sports Development Unit in respect of the most suitable clubs and groups to which programme time is offered. Clubmark accredited sports clubs should be given priority with regard to the selection of ‘booking slots’ available.
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Within this same protocol it is suggested that: Partners will collaborate to ensure that available space is fully utilised. Schools can expect to achieve an agreed, consistent, ‘hassle free’ income return. Jointly administered investment pots will be created to generate long term maintenance funds. Relevant insurances and public liability issues will be dealt with. Clubmark accredited clubs should have priority access to all sports facilities. CDT are involved in s106 discussions in relation to sport and physical activity.
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APPENDIX 2: WOLVERHAMPTON 4+ COURT HALLS & THOSE IN 3 MILE RADIUS
Map ID Site Catchment 7 Codsall Leisure Centre 1 miles 9 Coseley Leisure Centre 1 miles 11 Dormston Sports & Arts Centre 1 miles 23 Pool Hayes Arts And Community School 1 miles 24 RSA Academy 1 miles 25 Sneyd Community Association (Sports) 1 miles 28 St Thomas More School 1 miles 33 Tipton Sports Academy 1 miles 3 Alumwell Business And Enterprise College 2 miles 14 Frank F. Harrison Community Association 2 miles 35 Willenhall School Leisure and Community 2 miles 38 Wombourne Leisure Centre 2 miles 4 Castle High School 3 mile 5 Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre 3 mile 12 Dudley Leisure Centre 3 mile 13 Forest Community Arts Centre 3 mile 15 George Salter Collegiate Academy 3 mile 17 Joseph Leckie Community Technology College 3 mile 21 Phoenix Collegiate (North Campus) 3 mile 22 Phoenix Collegiate (South Campus) 3 mile 36 Wodensborough Community Technology College 3 mile 39 Wood Green High School 3 mile 40 YMCA (West Bromwich) 3 mile
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APPENDIX 3: WOLVERHAMPTON SWIMMING POOLS PLUS THOSE IN 3 MILE RADIUS
Map ID Site Catchment 6 Codsall Leisure Centre 1 miles 13 Pool Hayes Arts and Community School 1 miles 15 Sneyd Community Association (Sports) 1 miles 2 Alexandra High School & Sixth Form Centre 2 miles 3 Alumwell Business and Enterprise College 2 miles 11 Frank F. Harrison Community Association 2 miles 17 The Ellowes Hall Sports College 2 miles 21 Wednesbury Leisure Centre 2 miles 22 Wednesbury Leisure Centre 2 miles 23 Willenhall School Leisure And Community 2 miles 26 Wombourne Leisure Centre 2 miles 5 Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre 3 miles 9 Dudley Leisure Centre 3 miles 12 Joseph Leckie Community Technology College 3 miles 19 The Meadows School 3 miles
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APPENDIX 4: SPORT ENGLAND FACILITIES PLANNING MODEL: RESULTS
Sport England’s Facility Planning Model was applied to assist the Council to understand current supply and demand issues with regard to the need for full size artificial grass pitch (AGP) provision in Wolverhampton. The study consisted of 4 runs:
RUN 1 - Current supply of AGPs including known commitments and based on 2011 population estimates. RUN 2 – As Run 1 but resurfacing 1 pitch at Aldersley Leisure Village with a rubber crumb surface and 1 with a new sand based surface. RUN 3 - As Run 1 but resurfacing both pitches at Aldersley Leisure Village with a rubber crumb surface RUN 4 – As Run 3 with new sand based pitch at Wednesfield High School
The key findings in Run 1 concerned the perceived under provision of facilities to provide for users in Wolverhampton. When consideration is given to how demand can be expressed at available pitch space for both hockey and football, under provision relates most significantly to football users. This is consistent with the perceived situation across the Black Country and across the West Midlands region.
Runs 2 and 3 tested resurfacing options at Aldersley Leisure Village. This would result in increased pitch availability for football use and a decrease in pitch availability of hockey use. Whilst it was not thought that reducing the availability of pitch space for hockey would lead to additional unmet demand, the model did perceive that this would result in more hockey use in Wolverhampton being exported to outside the city. In terms of the impact on the identified unmet demand for football users, the additional pitch availability created by the modelled change meets some of this unmet demand but is not sufficient to address it totally.
Run 4 modelled the impact of delivering a new pitch at Wednesfield High School. This change meant additional supply for hockey and football use and resulted in the overall stock of provision meeting more Wolverhampton demand for AGP provision (both football and hockey). However, this additional provision was again not considered to totally address the under supply of AGP’s identified by the model.
Overall, the model indicates that the changes to AGP supply modelled in Runs 2-4 are positive in responding to the issues identified by Run 1 (current situation).
There are however, impacts on the way in which the stock of pitches provides for different sports within Wolverhampton which should be carefully considered. In particular, the modelled changes to the type of provision at Aldersley Leisure Village are thought to result in more hockey use being exported outside the city.
In addition, it should be remembered that all the runs have been based on the existing estimated demand levels. Consideration should be given to any projected changes in participation levels, the import & export effect to specific facilities or areas and to planned new areas of housing in the city. This will assist in determining the location of any new future pitches, which itself would be viewed as a positive response to the perceived under provision of AGP’s in Wolverhampton.
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APPENDIX 5: WOLVERHAMPTON INITIAL SWOT ANALYSIS
The data informing this SWOT analysis was collected through workshop sessions with the CSPAN and other partners. This has informed strategy development.
Strengths Weaknesses
Facility offer Lack of coordination Participation Lack of quality clubs Club infrastructure Attracting Asian women to facilities Outdoor gyms Pathways Play Marketing Orienteering Profile recognition Ashmore Park Community Centre Identifying demand Breadth of opportunities Partnerships – areas of duplication Partnership working Community use of facilities Role models School/ club relationships Non-traditional sports Competition Young people – SEN Voluntary sector voice Sporting history Lack of vision Contacts sports Ambition Olympic/ Paralympic success Leadership Events attracted to the City Traditional School sport networks Lack of provision knowledge 50+ programme of activities Lack of evidence base Wolverhampton Wanderers Community facility access Not risk takers Red tape Missing trends Selling what we do (& what we do well) Size of the task Allocation of resources Barriers to participation (all ages)
Opportunities Threats
NGB support & investment Affordability of facilities Bilston Leisure Centre Growing concern of obesity BSF Olympics/ Paralympics Prioritisation & sequencing Funding – budget cuts Lifestyle change Doing other activity Shared vision & strategy Legislation (perception) More consultation Hoops to jump through Scope of activity Perceived safety risk Raising the profile of sport in the City Security Growing concern re obesity Employment rates Olympics/ Paralympics Image Doorstep delivery Workforce – ‘Big Society Enterprise e.g. i54 (making facilities attractive Joint working across BC Asset transfer
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APPENDIX 6: SPORT ENGLAND MARKET SEGMENTATION: ALL GROUPS
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