East Cambridgeshire District Council Outdoor Sports Facilities Audit and Strategy

Descriptions

East Cambridgeshire is a predominantly rural district. The Authority does not directly control any outdoor leisure facilities, apart from a small country park in Ely. All such facilities in the district are owned and managed by Parish Councils, schools, or free-standing local trusts or sports clubs. It is recognised however that in order to respond to local aspirations and emerging opportunities a coherent overview of provision and needs is increasingly necessary. The purpose of this study is to facilitate this. Objectives •To establish a comprehensive and up-to-date record of current facilities for outdoor sport and related leisure activities •To provide an objective evaluation of the quantity, quality, availability and use of all such facilities, taking account of relevant sports governing body or other technical benchmarks as appropriate •To identify and evaluate emerging and likely future influences on facility needs •To identify facility deficits and / or surplus provision, priorities for development and future provision, and opportunities for rationalisation, as appropriate, so as to guide planning and investment decisions for the period to 2036 •To engage partner organisations and local stakeholders in the process and its outcomes •To support engagement with current or impending sport-specific development strategies Key Outcomes The study must provide: •A comprehensive record of all outdoor sports facilities and resources in East Cambridgeshire, within the scope outlined below. •A comprehensive understanding of: Usage patterns, including effective catchments The strengths and weaknesses of all current facilities, including accessibility, management and usage arrangements, and ancillary facilities, as well as the core facilities. The relevant objective standards of provision and / or user expectations which frame recommendations for development •A robust and workable facility development strategy, identifying: Priorities for development, with indicative financial implications (both capital and revenue) Opportunities for rationalisation or improved management arrangements Key policy approaches