Funding for sports strategy should be seen as investment, not a cost, commissions say

Friday 25 August 2023

Funding proposed for Active 8 strategy will provide people, regardless of age, background or ability opportunities to stay active.

Eduction, Sport & Culture is fighting to get £300,000 a year for Active 8, which will be delivered by the Guernsey Sports Commission and Health Improvement Commission.

Policy & Resources instead simply wants it reviewed.

The Chairs of the the Guernsey Sports Commission and the Health Improvement Commission, Jon Ravenscroft and Mike Bane, have expressed their strong support for ESC.

“The proposals put forward by [ESC President] Deputy Dudley-Owen should be seen as an investment not a cost,” said Mr Bane.

“The Active 8 plan that was presented to the States of Deliberation in March 2020, and overwhelmingly supported, says: ‘sport and physical activity have a unique ability to bring people together and promote a sense of belonging, as well as innumerable physical health, wellbeing and mental health benefits'.

“That statement is truer now than ever. The benefits of sport and activity are increasingly evident and the cost-benefits of properly targeted activities are supported by research. The funding proposed for the Active 8 strategy will enable both Commissions to provide the people of Guernsey, regardless of age, background or level of ability, the opportunities and pathways to participate in sport and stay active in the manner most suited to them, thereby reducing their burden on the state” 

Mr Ravenscroft said: “While we are pleased that the Committee will be leading this amendment, the funding being proposed for the Sports Commission still falls some way short of what we need to be able to deliver the Active 8 workstreams in full."

“We will continue to rely on the private funding we receive in support of a range of our work across the community and will need to increase this further to be able to deliver the objectives of Active 8.

"If this amendment does not receive widespread support from deputies then our work promoting the good governance of sport, our support for broadening PE experiences in secondary schools and our support for children from vulnerable families to access sport outside of school will be seriously curtailed. These are just some examples of the work we have been doing as part of the Active 8 Strategy for Sport. 

“We look forward to the opportunity to explain to deputies the impact of our work and the importance of this funding continuing.”