Community Sports Networks

Brief Overview: The (Single) Delivery System for Sport & Physical Activity

Key documents below.

'The Structures for administering and delivering sport... are extremely complex. They have evolved, ad hoc, over a long period of time'

Game Plan, December 2002

Government has set a national target to widen the base and increase participation in England by 1% annually. To achieve this, it will be necessary to work through a Single System for the delivery of community sport in England which is simple, systematic and joined up, overcoming the inefficiencies identified in both Game Plan and the Review of National Sport, Effort and Resources.

The National Framework for Sport identified that 'at a local level there was felt to be a need for all local authorities to 'take the lead', individually or in partnership with neighbouring authorities, for overseeing the strategic planning for structured sport, physical education, and lifelong learning through sport, and informal recreation activities. This should incorporate all of the educational and early years, public sector, voluntary sector and commercial sector interests within their geographical boundaries and be linked to the wider ‘shared priorities’ for their communities'.

The Delivery System and Community Sports Networks offers this opportunity.

The Delivery System for community Sport will ensure:

• One strategy for Sport
• An evidence based approach
• Robust performance management
• A bottom up, top down planning mechanism with investment targeted where it is needed most
• Resources that are placed where they can make the most effective and quickest difference to the end user
• Joined up or integrated delivery

The Single System offers the opportunity to create one system for community sport across the country bringing in key partners such as local authorities, school sports partnerships, national governing bodies and other groups working together with a common theme.

London's hosting of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games offers a unique opportunity to change the face of sport and physical activity. Through focussed investment in the Single System for sport, talent identification and performance pathways will be grounded in the community pulling together key agencies, quality facilities and governing body resources to provide a long-lasting legacy for everyone with the aspiration to achieve their potential.

Community Sports Networks

Community Sports Networks (CSNs) are an integral element of the Single System for Sport. At a very basic level these groups are a locally co-ordinated network whose core functions are:-

• Increasing participation in sport and physical activity
• Widening acess to opportunities
• Bring together and align partners existing priorities and targets within one joined up local vision and relevant action plans
• Improving levels of performance in sport

Many such networks, alliances and partnerships already exist at this local level and their integration into the Single System should be viewed in terms of a process of evolution and change rather than a new development or initiative.

Whilst CSNs are likely to be local authority based, co-ordination and planning across local authority boundaries will be necessary to avoid duplication and to take advantage of creating economies of scale. Within the Single System County Sports Partnership are ideally placed to take on responsibility for this countywide perspective supporting the CSNs within their geographic area.

Where possible, building upon existing local networks, CSNs will:

• Be a group of local ‘delivery agents’ pulled from a range of relevant organisations and sectors
• Identify local needs and potential interventions, and develop a locally shared vision with buy in from key partners including the Local Strategic Partnership
• Secure resources from a broad range of partners to deliver the identified interventions and outcomes
• Focus upon building capacity to increase participation and widen opportunities

Key Documents for The Cheshire & Warrington Sports Partnership:

Cheshire & Warrington Guidance for Developing CSN's / SPAA's (correct as of 25/10/06)

Partners within Cheshire & Warrington are advised to use the County specific guidance when developing visioning documents and action plans as this demonstrates relevance to the Regional Sports Board (concise and specific to area).  When submitting CIF bids to the Regional Sports Board information and actions need to be demonstrated to be inline with the CSP, LSP (and other local priorities) and Sport England NW.

The Sport England documents below detail the National context with regards to CSN's, giving broad information and guidance.

Sport England Policy Statement: The Delivery System for Sport in England (20/10/06)

Community Sports Networks: Implementation & Investment Guidance (Sport England) (20/10/06)

Community Sports Networks in Cheshire and Warrington

The target for Cheshire and Warrington is to have all CSNs set up by March 2007

Click on each Local Authority to find out about their contact details, terms of reference, minutes of meetings and action plan.

• Chester
• Congleton
• Crewe and Nantwich
• Ellesmere Port and Neston
• Macclesfield
• Vale Royal
• Warrington

For further information please contact Ian Duckmanton - Community Development Manager on 01606 871812 ext 240 or on iand@sportcheshire.org

Digital Library:

For further information, contact: Ian Duckmanton, iand@sportcheshire.org , tel: 01606 871812 / 07809 394 873