A performance overview of sport in Scotland Prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland April 2008 Auditor General for Scotland The Auditor General for Scotland is the Parliament’s watchdog for ensuring propriety and value for money in the spending of public funds. He is responsible for investigating whether public spending bodies achieve the best possible value for money and adhere to the highest standards of financial management. He is independent and not subject to the control of any member of the Scottish Government or the Parliament. The Auditor General is responsible for securing the audit of the Scottish Government and most other public sector bodies except local authorities and fire and police boards. The following bodies fall within the remit of the Auditor General: • directorates of the Scottish Government • government agencies, eg the Prison Service, Historic Scotland • NHS bodies • further education colleges • Scottish Water • NDPBs and others, eg Scottish Enterprise. Acknowledgements: Audit Scotland prepared this report for the Auditor General for Scotland. This study was managed by Irene Coll and supported by Rebecca Seidel and Gareth Dixon, under the general direction of Barbara Hurst, Director of Public Reporting (Health and Central Government), Angela Cullen, Assistant Director of Public Reporting (Central Government) and Bob Leishman, Portfolio Manager (Tourism, Culture and Sport). We have had the generous support of the Scottish Government and sportscotland. In addition we would like to thank the following organisations for providing valuable information and insight: Cricket Scotland, Event Scotland, Forestry Commission, Royal Caledonian Curling Club, Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils, Scottish Athletics, Scottish Hockey Union, Scottish Sports Association, Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Universities Sport and the Sports and Recreational Trusts Association (SPoRTA) Scotland. Audit Scotland is a statutory body set up in April 2000 under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. It provides services to the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission. Together they ensure that the Scottish Government and public sector bodies in Scotland are held to account for the proper, efficient and effective use of public funds. A performance overview of sport in Scotland Contents Summary Part 3. Preparations for the Page 2 Commonwealth Games Page 16 Background Key messages About our study The public sector has committed Key messages £298 million to the cost of staging Page 3 the Games Recommendations Arrangements to deliver the Games Page 4 are still being developed Page 17 Part 1. The organisation of sport in Scotland There are significant risks associated Page 5 with staging major events Page 18 Key message Part 4. Performance against The Scottish Government sets sports national targets policy and strategy Page 20 A range of organisations are involved Key messages in delivering sport in Scotland Page 6 Targets have been set to monitor progress against national objectives Progress in linking national and local sport objectives has been mixed Performance against national targets Page 8 is mixed Part 2. Sport funding Adult participation in sport is declining Page 9 Page 21 Key messages Targets for young people’s participation and school physical The public sector spends more than education provision are not likely £558 million on sport each year to be met Page 10 Page 24 Despite significant investment in Good progress has been made in elite recent years, many indoor sports athlete performance facilities need upgrading Page 25 Page 13 Appendix 1. Examples of sport’s contribution to wider policy objectives Page 26 2 Summary Not enough people are taking part in sport and the quality of sports facilities need to improve. Staging the 204 Commonwealth games provides a good opportunity to promote sport and benefit Scotland. Summary Background • showcase Scotland on the 10. A study of council leisure services international stage is proposed in Audit Scotland’s 1. Sport can benefit everyone living work programme. This study will in Scotland. It provides exercise, • increase Scotland’s sporting be done on behalf of the Accounts contributes to good health, and can achievements Commission and will build on the help develop skills and self-esteem. findings of this report. It can help foster community spirit • improve facilities and sports through clubs and local teams. The venues Key messages performances of top sports people can foster national pride and may • inspire long-term change • Public services in Scotland spend help to generate economic benefits. in Scotland.2 more than £558 million a year on Sport also contributes to Scotland’s sport. Councils are responsible tourism industry. Events such as 6. The Scottish Parliament’s Health for around 90 per cent of this the Commonwealth Games and and Sport Committee is currently (£511 million); sportscotland championship golf tournaments undertaking an inquiry called Pathways spends around £26 million; and draw tourists to Scotland and raise into Sport that addresses participation sport has received an average Scotland’s profile on the world stage. and excellence in sport. Its report is of £2 million each year over expected in summer 2008. the last three years from lottery 2. Public bodies in Scotland have funding, although this source of spent on average over £558 million About our study funding is declining. per year on sport. Most of the money was used to provide and maintain 7. This report examines how sport • Sport can make a significant facilities and to deliver programmes to is organised and funded to deliver contribution to the Scottish encourage participation and support national sport policy objectives and Government’s strategic individual athletes. Additional money considers how well Scotland is objectives and its national was also spent on sport-related performing against those objectives. It outcomes. It is important in projects designed to contribute to a also looks at the funding implications areas such as helping us to range of non-sport policy objectives of Glasgow’s successful bid to host live healthier lives, reducing in education, health, transport and the Games. childhood obesity, improving tourism (Appendix , page 26). well-being and building 8. The report is in four parts: supportive communities. In 3. A number of sport strategy addition, the Commonwealth documents have been published in • the organisation of sport in Games in 204 offer a major recent years, all of which promote: Scotland opportunity to attract visitors and investment to Scotland. • opportunities for participation • sport funding • The provision of sports • social inclusion through sport • preparations for the facilities and other services Commonwealth Games is currently fragmented, • excellence in sporting with no clear links between achievement. • performance against national the Scottish Government’s targets. national strategy for sport and 4. In addition, the Scottish Budget councils’ investment of money Spending Review 2007 set the 9. We reviewed documents and in facilities and services across goal of “creating a legacy through analysed published information such Scotland. The development of major events such as Olympic as annual accounts and reports, an outcomes-based approach and Paralympic Games and spending review papers, performance to performance management Commonwealth Games.” monitoring data, evaluation evidence provides an opportunity to and wider sport-related research clarify the links between 5. In November 2007, Glasgow won its papers. We also interviewed Scottish national and local strategies, and bid to host the 204 Commonwealth Government officials, sportscotland ensure that they are aligned. Games (the Games). The Scottish staff and a sample of representatives Government views the Games as an from sports organisations in Scotland. opportunity to: Sport 21 2003-2007: The National Strategy for Sport, sportscotland; 200, Reaching Higher: Building on the Success of Sport 21, Scottish Executive, 2007; Scottish Budget Spending Review, Scottish Government, 2007. 2 Scottish Parliament Official Report, Scottish Parliament, 9 January 2008. Audit Scotland Programme of Performance Audits 2007/08, Audit Scotland, 2007. 4 • A national audit of sports • it takes forward discussions facilities in 2006 identified that on a Scotland-wide approach investment of around £110 to sports facility planning and million a year is needed for the investment next 25 years to bring them up to an acceptable standard. • the significant risks associated While some steps have been with staging any major sporting taken to adopt a strategic or cultural events are properly approach to facility planning, managed in relation to the 204 there is no associated strategy Commonwealth Games. for nationwide investment. • Significant amounts of national funding have been targeted at two priorities: increasing participation in sport, and developing Scotland’s elite athletes. Performance in these areas is mixed. Targets for young people’s participation are not being met, while adult participation is declining. Performance is better against the targets for elite athlete performance, which will be important for success at the Commonwealth Games. • Arrangements to deliver the 204 Commonwealth Games are still being developed. These will be critical in ensuring the success of the Games and safeguarding the large sums of public money that will be invested. Recommendations The