GOOD NEWS FOR GRASSROOTS
Spending protected by Osborne
by TurfPro Editor, Steve Gibbs
There was positive news last week for grassroots sports coming out of the Chancellor's Spending Review speech.
It was confirmed that spending for sport has been protected in real terms throughout the rest of the current Parliament.
The Sport & Recreation Alliance reported that despite widespread cuts to government spending, the funding for UK Sport has increased by 29%, while the Sport England Grant-in-Aid budget will increase and its 2017-21 budget will be at a very similar level to 2013-17. The budget for the UK Anti-Doping Agency will remain the same and funding for the Sports Ground Safety Authority will go up.
The Alliance have a lot to be thanked for. In the run-up to George Osborne's review they were all over social media, running the #GetYourKitOn campaign. The campaign was created to lobby the Chancellor to protect grassroots sport funding. It was seen by over 10 million Twitter users and enabled over 1,200 direct emails to the Treasury asking for funding to be protected.
Emma Boggis, Chief Executive of the Alliance said, "After campaiging hard with our members to persuade the government of the vital importance of sport and recreation, we’re delighted that Government has recognised this with sustained investment in sport and recreation at all levels from the podium to the grassroots."
And it's quite right that the government listened. Polling carried out by the Alliance shows that 79% of people believe the Government should do more to support grassroots sport. A further 75% believe grassroots sport should receive more funding from the Government.
In our industry we are fully aware of the benefits of quality grassroots facilities. Not just in terms of health, but it terms of community and improvements to social wellbeing. It is vital that people from all social backgrounds have access to well-maintained outdoor spaces for sporting activities. It's very pleasing to see those in position of power listening to well organised and reasoned pressure groups.
*p.s Following on from our story in last week's newsletter, Real Madrid's Paul Burgess contacted us to point out that he did in fact win the Premier League Groundsman of the Year 5 times.
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