Sport Strategy Green Paper: Response of Minister for Planning and Environment

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A decision made on 29 May 2013:

Decision Ref:	MD–PE–2013-0051
Subject:	Education, Sport and Culture Green Paper: Sport Strategy: consultation document
Decision Summary Title:	DS – sport strategy green paper
DS Author:	Director
DS Date:	29 May 2013	DS Status:	Public
Written Report Title:	WR - Education, Sport and Culture Green Paper Sport Strategy: consultation document
WR Author:	Director
WR Date	20 May 2013	WR Status:	Public
Oral Rapporteur:	Director
Decision(s):	The Minister for Planning and Environment resolved to respond to the ESC Green Paper Sports Strategy on the basis that he: welcomes the development of a sports strategy that seeks to establish a strategic approach for the development and provision of sport in the Island, particularly where the provision of and access to sporting opportunity is integral across government services and activity; and wishes to encourage and protect the sustainable provision and use of dedicated sports facilities and other sporting opportunities in the Island that meet the community’s realistic expectations in terms of the provision of sports facilities and opportunities where that accords with the Island’s planning policy framework; and wishes to continue to work with the Minister for ESC and other stakeholders in the development of a new sports strategy for the Island and to proactively plan and promote the future development of sport in the Island.
Reason(s) for Decision:	The provision and protection of sporting facilities and opportunities is an integral element of seeking to plan for the community’s needs and aspirations and should be pursued in the most sustainable way possible having regard to the key planning objectives set out in the Island Plan.
Legal and Resource Implications:	None
Action required:	Advise the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture of the Minister’s response to the ESC Green Paper Sports Strategy.
Signature:
Position:	Deputy RC Duhamel, Minister for Planning and Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different to Date Signed):

Sport Strategy Green Paper: Response of Minister for Planning and Environment

		Item No:
		Date:

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Education, Sport and Culture Green Paper

Sport Strategy

Purpose of the Report
This purpose of this report is to provide the Minister with an opportunity to comment on the ESC Green Paper Sport Strategy Consultation Document (attached).

Background and discussion
The Minister for ESC has published a Green Paper that seeks to highlight some of the key challenges facing sport in Jersey which are identified as:

the development and strategic co-ordination of sport; and
the provision and management of facilities.

The report is prepared against the context of objectives which seek to promote sport and access to it for a variety of health, social, community and economic benefits.

There are no specific proposals in the report but a number of potential options are outlined. Land use planning implications are, therefore, considered to be limited at this stage of the development of the strategy but the following issues are considered to be worthy of note.

Strategic development and co-ordination of sport

The report recognises that there is presently no overall strategic approach to sport for the Island, with no overarching management of sports development and no central co-ordination: accordingly, there is clear recognition that this needs to be addressed if the objectives set for sport are to be better realised.

The report suggests that an independent body for sport might be established to fulfil this function.

From a land use planning perspective, there is considered to be benefit to be derived from the establishment of a strategic approach for the development of and provision of sport in the Island. In particular, this can help to ensure that the extent, location and access to sports facilities and sporting opportunities can be better provided and planned for, relative to the distribution of homes, schools and travel options. It may also provide greater opportunity for more intensive and shared use of sports facilities and other sports opportunities.

It should also seek to ensure that the provision and promotion of sporting opportunity is promoted, in particular, across government in an integrated way to ensure added value from existing and future investment.

Provision and management of facilities

The report states the major sporting facilities in the Island are provided and managed by the Department for Education, Sport and Culture, with recognition of the existence of other private and club sports facilities. It recognises that the management and administration of public sports facilities now and in the future represents a financial challenge: the report states that there are no new public sports facilities planned presently other than the upgrade of parts of two existing facilities.

The potential adoption of various models for the running of and investment in sports facilities is outlined by the report.

In land use planning terms, the most important issue is that sports facilities and opportunities for sport are available to meet the needs of the community and are provided in the most sustainable way, having regard to their location and accessibility. All existing sports facilities in the Island, whether they are provided by the public or private sector, are currently protected under the terms of existing Island Plan policy, and their potential loss is a material planning consideration in relation to any development proposals that might affect them.

Given the constraints on the availability of land in Jersey, it is considered essential that there is some regard had to the strategic provision of and access to publicly accessible sports facilities throughout the Island and heightened attention given to the ability of existing sports facilities to meet the widest range of sports, educational and community requirements.

Furthermore, it is also considered appropriate that there is a greater recognition of the role and importance of other parts of the Island’s public infrastructure which provides sporting opportunity - including roads, footpaths and slipways. Their role in providing sporting opportunity should be explicitly recognised in decisions relating to their use, maintenance and development – to ensure that the widest range of sporting opportunities is maintained.

Reason(s) for recommendation

On the basis of the above, it is recommended that the Minister for Planning and Environment responds to the ESC Green Paper Sports Strategy on the basis that he:

welcomes the development of a sports strategy that seeks to establish a strategic approach for the development and provision of sport in the Island, particularly where the provision of and access to sporting opportunity is integral across government services and activity; and
wishes to encourage and protect the sustainable provision and use of dedicated sports facilities and other sporting opportunities in the Island that meet the community’s realistic expectations in terms of the provision of sports facilities and opportunities where that accords with the Island’s planning policy framework; and
wishes to continue to work with the Minister for ESC and other stakeholders in the development of a new sports strategy for the Island.

Reason(s) for recommendation

The provision and protection of sporting facilities and opportunities is an integral element of seeking to plan for the community’s needs and aspirations and should be pursued in the most sustainable way possible having regard to the key planning objectives set out in the Island Plan.

Legal and resource implications.

None

Action Required

Advise the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture of the Minister’s response to the ESC Green Paper Sports Strategy.

Written by

Kevin Pilley, Director: Policy, Projects and the Historic Environment

Attachments

ESC Green Paper: Sports Strategy consultation document

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