Back in January, we set ourselves some New Year’s Resolutions as a way of showing our members and stakeholders just some of the many areas we want to make a big impact on in 2012.

We last updated you in April and with the London 2012 Olympics over but with the Paralympics yet to come; it seemed like a good time to give you our next update. Here’s how we’re getting on:

1. We will help our members’ grassroots to flourish

So far we have:

• Won an exemption for community sports clubs from government proposals to charge licensed premises a light night levy – a move which has saved the sector up to £12m.
• Raised awareness in the media of the challenges faced by the UK’s sports clubs, including battling red tape and the need for increased exposure of minority sports.
• Published Red Card to Red Tape: One Year On which tells the story of the battles we’ve won, the debates we’re still having and the work still to do in ridding the sector of unnecessary regulation.
• Co-ordinated a child performance licensing review with the movement and dance division and Department of Education for a more streamlined system that will benefit our members.
• Worked with local authorities to recognise how they can make life easier for grassroots sports clubs.
   

2. We will support our members to improve their governance

So far we have:

• Signed up 53 organisations to our voluntary code of good governance for the sport and recreation sector – a figure which is growing every month.
• Launched Board Members for Sport – a scheme that offers members a deeper talent pool from which to recruit independent board directors and which also provides crucial networking and development opportunities.
• Partnered with the Institute of Directors to launch Board Skills for Sport – the first bespoke training course for board members in sport and recreation organisations.
• Secured European Union funding to create and roll out a European code of good governance in 2012.
• Worked with members to launch a new Sports Betting Group website and code of practice to tackle irregular and corrupt betting – one of the biggest threats facing sport.

3. We will develop new ways to bring money into the sector

So far we have:

• Offered members a number of innovative shared services at discounted rates, including BOND payroll outsourcing, HR support and the ability to ‘buy’ staff time to support research and administrative projects.
• Continued to partner with energy experts Utility Aid to provide savings for our members and the UK’s clubs through free energy audits.
• Laid the groundwork for an online lottery and fundraising website operated by society lottery experts Rogavi, to raise much-needed cash for our members and clubs.
• Jointly launched the Legal Panel Framework with UK Sport, Sport England and Sport Wales which provides members with discounted legal advice through approved law firms.
• Secured a £150,000 pro bono legal fund to enable small national governing bodies and sport and recreation organisations with limited funds to access free legal advice.

4. We will ensure our members’ interests are protected during the merger of UK Sport and Sport England, and throughout any changes to funding or strategies

As the merger won’t take place until the excitement of the Olympics and Paralympics has died down, there has been little progress to make. In the meantime, we are keeping a close eye out.

Here are the aims we will pursue on your behalf:

• Represent and advocate the views of our members on how the re-organisation can best serve sport.
• Highlight any potential problems in the proposed merger and use our influence to ensure that they are addressed.
• Work closely with Sport England, UK Sport and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that there are no gaps in funding or service provision.

5. We will improve access for our members to the UK’s woodlands and forests

We have forged a partnership with the Forestry Commission which so far has:

• Opened up a new dialogue with forest owners and managers through our new forestry working group meetings, the first of which took place in March.
• Conducted surveys and gathered case studies to find out the views of our outdoor members, woodland managers and the general public on forest access issues.
• Created a forestry code to increase understanding between landowners, managers and users, and free up access to our forests.