In March 2011 the Sport and Recreation Alliance published Red Card to Red Tape – How sports clubs want to break free from bureaucracy, a report reviewing the regulatory burdens impacting on sport and recreation clubs.

This Review addressed over 50 burdens and made more than 100 recommendations for removing barriers across six key areas: clubs, training needs, health and safety, finance and funding, finance and taxation, and facilities and access. To reach this point 1,400 sports clubs were surveyed online, NGBs and members of the Alliance submitted evidence papers, site visits to clubs were conducted and six themed expert workshops were held. Some of the facts we found out along the way are that:

• 61% of sports clubs believe they are subject to too much regulation

• For every £1 the Government contributes to sport, £5 is taken in tax

• Since 2002 almost 6,000 CASCs (Community Amateur Sports Clubs) are estimated to have saved £85.1 million thanks to the scheme

• 53% of clubs believe planning regulations have a negative impact on them

• two in five clubs (41%) suffer as a result of the rateable value of their club site

• Holding 20 motorsport events a year would deliver an estimated £40 million of economic benefit to local economies over the next five years

To find out more detail about the burdens clubs face and the policy recommendations to address them you can download full copies of the Review and the Executive Summary. Please bear in mind the large file size of the full report. 

Red Card to Red Tape - Full Report

Red Card to Red Tape - Executive Summary

Red Card to Red Tape - Press release 22 March 2011

The Review was commissioned by the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP, to feed into the Government’s wider review of regulation being conducted by the Cabinet Office. It was funded by a grant from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

Following the Review, the Sport and Recreation Alliance will continue to campaign for improved conditions for sport and recreation clubs.

For more information contact Syann Cox.