Press release

Red tape review for sports clubs

Sports Minister wants ‘bonfire of costly bureaucracy’ to help increase participation.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

A review to cut red-tape and bureaucracy that hits sports clubs and holds back participation has been announced today by Minister for Sport and the OIympics Hugh Robertson.

The Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) has been asked to conduct the review that will look at a number of areas including licensing regulations, planning rules affecting sports facilities, water rate charges and the impact of safeguarding requirements on sports volunteering.

The review will look to ensure that the new vetting and barring system does not deter more volunteers into youth team sport and place an unnecessary burden on clubs. Previously coaches of teams (where players are aged 16 and 17 years old) would need to have been registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.  The review will also look at the portability of Criminal Records Bureau checks. The current system means that a teacher who has had a CRB check but who wants to volunteer at a sports club outside of school, working with young people, has to have a second check. 

On planning, the review will examine the current system and how it can be made easier and quicker to help improve sports facilities and playing fields.

The review, to be completed by the end of the year, will also look at the issue of water rates for sports clubs to see if more needs to be done to ensure that they receive concessionary rates from water companies. 

Some sports clubs have had up to 1000 per cent increases in water rate bills after companies changed the way charges were calculated.

Hugh Robertson said:

“Against the challenging economic backdrop, I want to start a bonfire of costly bureaucracy in sport. We need to remove as many barriers as possible that stop people getting involved or threaten the existence of community sports clubs.

“We also need to ensure potential volunteers for youth sport aren’t put off by a mountain of paperwork. My main priority is to extend the opportunities through sport to the maximum number of people and that’s what this review is all about.”

CCPR chief executive Tim Lamb said:

“There’s an urgent need to lift the burden of bureaucracy from clubs and volunteers. Red tape is preventing people from getting the opportunities they want in sport and taking up too much valuable volunteer time.”

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Notes to Editors

  1. For further information contact the Department for Culture, Media and Sport press office on 020 7211 6971.
  2. On 15 June 2010 the Home Secretary confirmed the stated intention of the coalition Government to review the Vetting and Barring and criminal records regimes. Voluntary registration was due to start on 26 July. However, the rollout of the scheme was halted to allow the Government to redraw the Scheme.
  3. The terms of reference for the remodelling of the VBS and the criminal records regime are currently being considered and a further announcement will be made in due course. We have asked CCPR to consider and contribute sport’s views.

Press Enquiries: 020 7211 2210
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Public Enquiries: 020 7211 6000

Published 26 July 2010