sport-england-2016-17-annual-report-and-accounts

TAKING PART
Over the last 12 months, 15 of the
sports we fund including football,
table tennis and swimming increased
the number of people taking part
once a month, while 17 saw a decline.
These trends, and an analysis of the data driving
them, helped to inform our investment in NGBs
between 2017-21.
Investment decisions were made by the Board
in December 2016, and once again in February
and March 2017.
In May 2016 we discussed each NGB’s strategy
and pinpointed any alignment with Towards
an Active Nation. We found that most NGBs are
working with core market customers, and each
NGB has agreed an exact number of customers
it can influence, and how.
Crucially, our insight helped us to identify and
agree what the typical patterns of behaviour
are for consumers of each sport. In many
cases, that means ‘success’ can be measured
in different ways from our previous weekly
30-minute measure.
An investment range was agreed for each NGB,
with the quality of their implementation plans
determining the final investment figure. We are
planning to invest £238 million in NGBs (including
investment in talent development) over the next
four years. NGBs will also have the opportunity
to access additional funding through other
investment programmes, for example through
mass market and tackling inactivity funds.
This remains a significant total but is
approximately 33% lower than the 2013-17
funding cycle, fulfilling the strategy promise of
a reduced subsidy. A large number of NGBs have
adapted by developing plans to increase their
non-public income and redesigning the way they
deliver sport to be more efficient. Sustainability
plans and commercial strategies, for those
needing to reduce their reliance most, will be in
receipt of our monitoring and support in 2017-18.
THE RESPONSE FROM NGBS TO THIS
NEW WAY OF WORKING HAS BEEN
LARGELY POSITIVE DESPITE THE
REDUCTION IN FUNDING
This represents a greater maturity in the
relationship between Sport England and NGBs,
with recognition that access to public money is a
privilege not an entitlement.
Another key difference with our future funding is
a focus on under-represented groups, particularly
those on lower incomes and from more deprived
communities. That’s where subsidy is needed
most – and sporting habits are more vulnerable
to day-to-day interruptions such as a friend
dropping out of an activity usually done together.
Reducing these inequalities has already been,
and will continue to be, a central focus of our
approach to both NGB and non-NGB core
market investment.
Investing in talent
Recognising the particular needs of those with
talent and the aim of international sporting
success for the England and Great Britain
teams, we will invest £85 million into talent
and high performance programmes across
50 different sports between 2017 and 2021.
This supports the 60,000 athletes in specific
talent development programmes.
THAT POSITIVE EXPERIENCE,
FOR THOSE WHO DO OR DON’T
MAKE THE PODIUM, IS A DRIVER
OF OUR INVESTMENT
Our future champions are in this group. Identifying
and nurturing their ability is why the talent system
exists, but their needs alone should not dominate
the experience of the rest.
That positive experience, for those who do
or don’t make the podium, is a driver of our
investment, along with a more inclusive talent
pool which should make our international teams
representative of our diverse population.
In December 2016 we signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with UK Sport to align our
respective talent strategies and investments.
In line with that document, investment decisions
in jointly-funded sport talent systems have been
made jointly.
We champion a responsible approach
to developing and retaining talent and have
had regular dialogue in 2016-17 and input into
the Duty of Care review, which was published
in April 2017. We are now assessing
its implications for our talent investment.