Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. To decide upon the next steps for Hampshire County Council's approach to the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. Hampshire County Council activities and achievements to date.

2.2. Overview of developments around London 2012 since June 2006.

2.3. Future work areas and opportunities for innovation.

3) Recommendations:

3.1. That Hampshire County Council continues its enthusiastic support for London 2012 as a corporate priority.

3.2. That we define the successful legacy offers for the County through the innovative opportunities we generate for communities and individuals to engage in this historic opportunity.

3.3. That Executive Members and Chief Officers be encouraged to support the Executive Member for Recreation, Heritage and Communities in her efforts to broaden the range and scope of the county councils activity for 2012.

3.4. That the Recreation and Heritage Department continue to provide a co-ordinating role within Hampshire County Council and within current staffing levels, seeking to exploit opportunities wherever possible.

3.5. That an annual report of progress across the county council is made to cabinet.

MAIN REPORT

1) Purpose of the Report:

1.1. To inform Cabinet of developments in the plans and preparations for London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and to explore ways in which Hampshire County Council can provide further support to and derive further benefits from the Games for the people of Hampshire.

2) Contextual Information:

2.1. Since the last report in October 2006, several key activities and events have taken place. At a national level:

a) Construction of venues is ahead of schedule

b) Olympic and Paralympic handover events are planned

c) A national education programme will be launched on Paralympic handover day, 18 September 2008

d) The Cultural Olympiad was launched on the 4^th September 2008 (see appendix B) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7597460.stm

e) Sponsors have been secured

In the region:

f) Plans have been developed for each of the 6 subgroups; Sport, Visitor Economy, Business Investment, Community and Participation, Transport and Infrastructure and Skills.

g) SEEDA and Sport England South East have appointed a Regional Co-ordinator for the 2012 Games

h) A creative programmer has been appointed in the region to support the development of the Cultural Olympiad

i) A Legacy Trust bid has been supported with the vision "to use the inspiration provided by the International Paralympic Movement, with its origins in South East England, to tackle disadvantage, raise aspirations and celebrate excellence"

In Hampshire & the Isle of Wight

j) A report and presentation was made to the Hampshire & IoW Local Government Association to examine how the sub region can work together to derive benefit from the London 2012 Games

k) 3 sites have been included in the Paralympic Pre-training camp guide and 18 in the Olympic pre-training camp guide

l) Aldershot has been selected as Team GB's pre-training camp venue

In Hampshire County Council

m) A Corporate Working Group has been established and an action plan produced.

n) A joint project between Recreation and Heritage and Children's Services, with financial support from Policy and Resources, to provide a new Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme has been introduced to support our talented young people. This was the first scheme of its kind in the country.

o) Business support information has been provided through the economic development office's portal.

p) An event has been held to promote marine industry business opportunities through Marine South East.

q) An Olympic and Paralympic fund has been established through Policy and Resources to raise the profile of Culture and Sport in 2012.

r) A handover event, "The Big Live Your Dream picnic" was held on Sunday 24 August 2008.

3) Key Issues:

3.1. Hampshire County Council took the view that once the handover took place from Beijing to London that this would be the right time for Hampshire to increase its activity. Team GB has provided an absolutely inspiring performance and hopefully our Paralympians will do the same. This has created an unprecedented position for Team GB in the lead up to London 2012. Now seems the right time therefore to increase our commitment and activity.

3.2. There are numerous opportunities and innovative ideas within County Council departments - but these will only be unlocked if Departments fully support them and generate the time to ensure they develop. Some range from positive involvement of looked after children, to creating the opportunity for our olympians to "inspire" people of all ages; young people visits to the training camps; the opportunity at community level to gain access to the Games; volunteering and taking part in the cultural olympiad.

4) Progress to date

4.1. Originally, Kent was the only County in the region to have an Olympic Co-Coordinator, reflecting their geographical location as a gateway to the Games. More Co-ordinator roles have followed reflecting the increasing importance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games the closer to 2012 we get.

4.2. The coordinators commonly are providing added value to the legacy element of London 2012 in their counties. Headline benefits include:

a) Economic - additional business for small and medium businesses

b) Health - using the Games to promote healthy lifestyles and especially amongst disadvantaged groups.

c) Visitor economy - using the shop window of the Games to promote and support tourism.

d) Profile and Publicity - Hampshire can promote itself on the UK and international stage as well as within the county itself. It provides an opportunity to promote further Hampshire as the "County of Culture".

5) Co-ordination in Hampshire

5.1. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Government Association discussed opportunities for the sub region at a meeting in September 2007. Whilst no specific recommendations were made, members were asked to encourage member and officer networks to consider the opportunities the Olympics present.

5.2. Chief Culture and Leisure Officers have met and agreed 4 collaborative areas of work, supporting elite athletes, supporting the role and development of Sport and Physical Activity Alliances (SPAA's), branding and marketing and supporting the Cultural Olympiad. Considerable progress has been made in the areas of supporting elite athletes and the development of SPAA's.

5.3. Research with other local authorities suggests that there are further opportunities for co-ordination and collaboration in order to derive benefit from the Games. For example, West Sussex have ensured countywide coverage of handover events by working collaboratively on one picnic theme across all District areas.

6) Outline of Options:

6.1. Option 1: For Hampshire County Council to adopt a low key response to the Games.

6.2. Option 2: For the Recreation and Heritage Department, to continue to provide a co-ordinating role within Hampshire County Council and within current staffing levels, seeking to exploit opportunities wherever possible. The coordinator will need to devote time to develop knowledge, awareness and understanding of the complex agendas of all 6 sub groups in order for Hampshire County Council to exploit opportunities wherever possible.

7) Option Analysis / Comparison:

7.1. Hampshire is not a venue host. It already provides a strong Recreation and Heritage portfolio and it also has a very good track record of working in partnership with its Districts. However, the work programme for London 2012 is set to increase in the forthcoming months and years and Hampshire County Council will be challenged to respond.

7.2. The Recreation and Heritage Department can continue to provide some corporate support to London 2012. For this to be more effective and successful, Departments will need to review how to respond to the opportunities that the Games provides. In addition, further discussions between the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage, Communities, the lead member for 2012, the Executive Members and Chief Officers would also help to broaden the agenda and engender additional support.

7.3. Opportunities arising from the Games can be used to help Hampshire County Council achieve its corporate aims, especially in the areas of maximising well being and enhancing our quality of place. For example:

a) Health - through the inspiration of the Games, more adults could be encouraged to take part in 30 mins moderate intensity exercise 5 times a week and more schools could achieve the national healthy schools enhanced status.

b) Children and Young People enjoying learning and achieving to their full potential - through opportunities afforded by the national Games Education programme and the South East aim to "give every young person born after 1983 the chance to compete, create of collaborate with another young person in a competitor country, during the period 2008 - 2012", our children and young people could be inspired to perform better in their education. More specifically, a new Olympian for Life Programme, designed to help young people set out and achieve their aspirations is under development and will be piloted in Aldershot, the 2012 home for Team GB.

c) Green issues - more people could be encouraged to become more environmentally aware through the promotion of the `one planet games' and `going for green'.

d) Volunteering - Opportunity to increase the number of volunteers playing an active role in our communities and not just in a sporting setting.

e) Economy - Increased business opportunities through contracts relating to the Games and the visitor economy, for example, attracting international journalists.

f) Social Inclusion - Opportunities via the regional legacy trust project Accentuate, to address social inclusion issues. The bid's vision is "To use the inspiration provided by the International Paralympic Movement, with its origins in South East England, to tackle disadvantage, raise aspirations and celebrate excellence".

8) Conclusions:

8.1. Of the options outlined, the time would now seem right to give more time to the Olympic and Paralympic Games agenda, across the whole of the County Council.

9) Summary Recommendations:

9.1 That Hampshire County Council continues its enthusiastic support for London 2012 as a corporate priority.

9.2 That we define the successful legacy offers for the County through the innovative opportunities we generate for communities and individuals to engage in this historic opportunity.

9.3 That Executive Members and Chief Officers be encouraged to support the Executive Member for Recreation, Heritage and Communities in her efforts to broaden the range and scope of the county councils activity for 2012.

9.4 That the Recreation and Heritage Department continue to provide a co-ordinating role within Hampshire County Council and within current staffing levels, seeking to exploit opportunities wherever possible.

9.5 That an annual report of progress across the county council is made to cabinet.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION: