Summary
Through our strategic planning we have helped increase participation in Lincolnshire.
Approach
Two of our local authority clients in Lincolnshire are celebrating significant increases in activity levels following strategic planning support from Sport Structures.
Our approach was the carry out in depth consultation and review of actions and then develop a meaningful plan with the local authority
Outcome
Once labelled "the fattest place in England" by the media when only 14.6% of adults were active three time a week, Boston has seen an increase of 7.3% taking the 2009/10 figure to 21.9%. Sport Structures were commissioned to produce a community sports strategy and facility options appraisal for Boston Borough Council in 2007. The strategy defined the Council's contribution to the promotion and delivery of increasing participation in sport and physical activity within the Borough and set in motion a series of delivery action plans.
West Lindsey has also seen a dramatic 5.1% rise in participation rates to its current high of 25.7%. It national ranking has risen from a lowly 166th to 31st of the 237 areas covered in the Active People survey. Again, Sports Structures was commissioned to produce a local strategy and the resultant Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2008-2011 provided the framework for local action.
Both cases are examples of the enormous importance of strategic planning and the effect this can have on outcomes for local residents.