The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) yesterday released its report and recommendations following the triennial review of Sport England and UK Sport.
The triennial review of UK Sport and Sport England was launched on 21 November 2014. Triennial reviews are part of the government’s public bodies reform programme, designed to provide a robust challenge to the continuing need for non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and reviewing their functions, performance, control and governance arrangements.
The Alliance has facilitated exchanges between its members and government as part of the consultation to ensure that the sector’s voice was heard. This is the first triennial review of UK Sport and Sport England.
The review by DCMS consisted of an online survey and interviews of over 50 stakeholders from Government departments, home counties, NGB’s, national and international sport organisations, academics, local authorities and education organisers.
Some of the key recommendations made in the report include:
• Sport England and UK Sport could work better and more closely together in the areas of talent, participation and the governance of national governing bodies
• DCMS should set Sport England clearer targets for an overall increase in participation by early 2016
• DCMS should review the rules for using national lottery money to ensure they are flexible enough to allow partnerships with the private and voluntary sector
• Sport England should take a strategic view in the next funding cycle of where best to channel resources
• The government should consider extending Sport England’s remit to taker a stronger role in school sport policy
• UK Sport and Sport England should put in place a joint arrangement to provide support to national governing bodies on governance
• Sport England to do more to raise participation in sport by continuing to drive forward current reforms on channels of intervention and evaluation and appraisal
• More action is recommended on increasing diversity in relation to black, Asian, ethnic minority and LGBT groups - particularly at a board level.
A number of the recommendations made in the report carry a deadline of completion by the end of 2015, others by the spring/summer of 2016.
Commenting on the recommendations, James Allen, Head of Policy at the Sport and Recreation Alliance said:
"We are digesting the findings and recommendations of the Triennial Review with interest – some of them look far reaching and significant for our sector. We are particularly interested in the clear crossover between this review and the likely recommendations of the Government’s future sport strategy and would encourage members to send us their views and evidence as we work on our response to that wider consultation."
To read the full triennial review report, click here.
