Agenda item

Report attached.

Members considered a report of Councillor Kimberley Whitehead, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Culture Heritage and Sport, seeking Cabinet approval for the creation of a Sports Development Programme in Hyndburn.

Councillor Whitehead provided a brief introduction to the report, outlining the Council’s aim of engaging with grassroots teams and clubs and highlighting the how this would deliver long-term benefits, including inward investment and sustainable funding.  Given the desire to implement this quickly the Cabinet was being asked to waive the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to appoint Hyndburn Leisure, who had the relevant expertise, existing links to teams and clubs and the ability to access grant funding.  Hyndburn Leisure would shortly advertise for a sports development officer.

Councillor Melissa Fisher commented that this had been discussed at the recent Leisure Trust Board meeting.  The Board had been very pleased to welcome this proposal.

Councillor Zak Khan indicated his support for the proposal and asked if other delivery partners had been considered and who the sports development officer would be accountable to.  Councillor Whitehead responded that Hyndburn Leisure were best placed to deliver this programme and that the other providers considered had too narrow a focus.  The use of Hyndburn Leisure would allow greater access to long term funding and the addition of this work to the Trust’s portfolio would also help to support their own viability.  The Council was working with other organisations too.  The sports development officer would be accountable to the Council and its Scrutiny function, as well as to Hyndburn Leisure.   The arrangements would be subject to a Service Level Agreement.

The Leader summed up by stating that the Council knew that Hyndburn Leisure could deliver this programme, would work closely with the authority and would be able to access additional funding.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

As part of the budget process, the Council had agreed to provide £45,000 funding per annum (for financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28) for the creation of a new sports development post, together with £100,000 (total funding for financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28) to support healthier communities, youth engagement and long-term participation in sport in the Borough and aligning with the Council’s wider commitment to community wellbeing.  Hyndburn Council did not have the resources or expertise to deliver the proposed Sports Development Programme in-house and due to the limited timescales before needing to start delivery of the 2026/27 programme, it was not considered possible or sensible to tender the provision for the service or recruit an in-house sports development officer.

The report recommended that the Council waived its Contract Procedure Rules and appointed HL to deliver the Sports Development Programme from 1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2028 for the following reasons:

• HL were ideally placed to start delivery of the programme quickly having already extensive networks with local sports teams and strong relationships with local schools, colleges and national governing bodies for sport, together with a successful record of securing grants from external funders, which could generate additional resources for sports development activity.

• HL held existing operational infrastructure, safeguarding systems, community partnerships and delivery capacity necessary to mobilise within the required timescales.
• The Council wished to commence the provision of the programme quickly and there was not time for the Council to run a procurement or recruitment exercise given the short period before the commencement date.
• HL would be better placed than the Council to support the work of the new sports development officer.
• HL would directly employ the sports development officer and would take on full employer responsibility.
• A service level agreement could not be signed and the funding released to HL unless the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules were waived.

It was envisaged that HL would create a new post with the overall purpose of providing strategic leadership for the development, sustainability and profile of sport and physical activity across Hyndburn.  The new postholder would lead the strengthening of local sport infrastructure, oversee borough-wide club network development, build strong and effective partnerships with National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) and education providers, and take strategic responsibility for marketing and promotion of sport and physical activity opportunities.  The new postholder would ensure that opportunities to be active were visible, accessible and inclusive - making sport and physical activity something everyone in Hyndburn could enjoy.

Key responsibilities of the role would be:

• Strategic Leadership & Infrastructure;
• Club Development & Network Leadership;
• Strategic Partnerships;
• Education & Participation Pathways;
• Marketing, Communications & Profile Raising;
• Inclusion & Reducing Inequalities; and
• Funding, Investment & Performance

The Sports Development Programme to be delivered by HL under the terms of the proposed agreement for the service would generate initiatives that delivered the overarching outcomes mentioned below.  The final targets and thresholds would be requirements of the agreement for the service.  Performance would be monitored through quarterly reporting to the Council, supported by narrative case studies where appropriate.

Support delivery of the Active Environment Strategy

The Sports Development Programme would make a direct contribution to the delivery of the Council’s Active Environment Strategy by increasing opportunities for residents of all ages and abilities to participate in regular physical activity.  The role would work across leisure facilities, parks, open spaces, schools and community venues to ensure that physical activity opportunities are visible, accessible and well-connected across the Borough.

The programme would place a particular emphasis on increasing participation among those who were currently inactive or under-represented in sport and physical activity, supporting the Council’s wider ambitions around prevention, health improvement and community wellbeing.  Aligning sports development activity with the Active Environment Strategy would help create a coherent, borough-wide approach that embedded physical activity into everyday life and supported healthier, more active communities.

Support grassroots sports teams/clubs

The programme would provide structured and strategic support to grassroots sports teams and clubs operating within Hyndburn, recognising their vital role in delivering local participation opportunities and sustaining long-term engagement in sport.  This would include support with club development, funding opportunities, governance, safeguarding, volunteer recruitment and retention, and pathways to accreditation where appropriate.

By strengthening club networks and improving connectivity between clubs, schools, education providers and NGB’s, the programme would help to build capacity, resilience and sustainability within the local sporting infrastructure.  This support would enable clubs to grow participation, improve quality of provision and respond more effectively to local need, ensuring that grassroots sport continued to thrive across the Borough.

Establish a benevolent fund

As part of the Programme, HL would establish and oversee a benevolent fund designed to reduce financial barriers to participation in sport and physical activity.  The fund would be used to provide targeted support to individuals, clubs or community groups where cost would otherwise prevent engagement, such as assistance with membership fees, equipment, kit or access to facilities.

The benevolent fund would be aligned with the Council’s equality and participation objectives and will support inclusive access to sport, particularly for children and young people, those from low-income households and other under-represented groups.  By addressing affordability and access challenges, the fund would help ensure that opportunities to be active were genuinely open to all residents, regardless of background or circumstance.

Secure long-term sports legacy

The Sports Development Programme was designed to deliver sustainable, long-term benefits rather than short-term interventions.  By investing in strategic leadership, partnership development and local capacity-building, the programme would help create a strong foundation for sport and physical activity that endures beyond the life of the initial funding period.

Through strengthened infrastructure, enhanced club networks, improved participation pathways and the pursuit of external funding opportunities, the Programme would support the creation of a lasting sports legacy for Hyndburn.  This legacy would be characterised by increased participation, stronger community organisations, improved health and wellbeing outcomes, and a higher profile for sport and physical activity across the Borough.

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

Cabinet could decide not to waive the Contract Procedure Rules to appoint HL to deliver the Sports Development Programme.  This was not recommended for the reasons highlighted in paragraph 3.1 and 3.2 of the report.

Resolved                                 (1)   That Cabinet agrees to waive the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to appoint Hyndburn Leisure (HL) to deliver the Sports Development Programme on behalf of the Council for the period 1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2028.

(2)   That Cabinet agrees to delegate authority to the Executive Director (Environment) to agree all terms relating to the Sports Development Programme Service Level Agreement with HL, in consultation with the Executive Director (Legal & Democratic Services) and Portfolio Holder.