I have been asked to attend and take part in the CCPR review of regulatory burden on sport. Funnily enough this was one of the things I put into the Labour manifesto too – so once again there should be good cross-party support for anything that comes out of this review. The details are below, but at this stage I am looking for examples from sports clubs and organisations of burdens that could be lifted. As I am participating as Chair of Sport Strategic Partnership for Volunteers I am specifically interested in reducing burdens on our 4 million sports volunteers.
CCPR | Home | August 2010
CCPR has been asked by the Minister for Sport to undertake a review of bureaucracy as it affects sport, and those who run community sports clubs. The aim of this review is to complement and inform the sports policy objectives of the new coalition government. The review has been asked to work in tandem with the existing government reviews of vetting and barring and Lord Young’s Health and Safety Review. However the full range of regulatory burdens will be examined through a survey of clubs and national governing bodies which will be followed by a series of expert working groups. How will this affect sport and recreation?The review is a great opportunity to formally highlight to government the problems affecting sport at its grassroots. The report will not only examine the issues, but offer positive policy recommendations which CCPR can continue to campaign on.What can our members do?CCPR is embarking on the first stages of research. Members can help by highlighting any areas of regulatory burden they wish us to examine, offering case studies and declaring an interest in sitting on expert panels. Please contact Syann Cox at scox@ccpr.org.uk.
View from the Margins 
Amateur sports clubs run almost entirely by volunteers should become self-regulatory. Club Secretaries and the like already take overall responsiblity for the accuracy and completion of paperwork for CRBs/Vetting and Barring/Risk Assessment/Health and Safety,not to mention reams of forms to complete to access Grants and sundry impositions/initiatives from National Governing Bodies.
LikeLike
Our governing body (UK Athletics) has been taking a ‘gold plated’ approach to CRB/Vetting & Barring requirements. Whilst coaches often have one to one situations with athletes in their care, technical officials such as judges and timekeepers have only limited contact and not with the same athletes on a regular basis. Requiring such officials to undergo checks is an unnecessary burden, particularly as many often work alongside unqualified and unchecked helpers.
Sporting governing bodies are also putting increasing pressure on clubs to have volunteer members attend courses on equity, working with children etc. These may be worthwhile first time round but there is then often an expectation that the same course should be repeated every two or three years. This has parallels in the world of health and safety – course repeats generate income for the course providers !
LikeLike