Tuesday 25 November 2008
At sportscotland’s Annual Partners meeting in Edinburgh today, Chair, Louise Martin CBE confirmed that the decentralisation of the organisation is now taking shape and will be rolled out over the coming months, benefitting Scottish sport at all levels.
Following positive discussions with the Scottish Government it has been agreed that sportscotland will extend the principle of partnership working with Scottish sport’s key organisations by increasing the number of area offices throughout Scotland. Six area offices will now complement the new HQ in Glasgow, rather than the four originally proposed following the sportscotland review. This mirrors and builds on the existing Area Institute network and will result in sportscotland area offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.
This decentralised approach will enable sportscotland to address duplication in the way it deploys both human and financial resources to better deliver for Scottish sport and ensure that its partnership working with local authorities and governing bodies is even better connected. It will link the key people and organisations that are responsible for the delivery of sport within a region together, with clear roles and responsibilities identified for all partners.
Confirming the plans, Louise Martin said: “I am delighted with the progress we are making with our new structure. Having staff working from six areas, rather than the four originally proposed, will allow us to build on the existing excellent partnerships we have developed around the Area Institute Network and extend the concept further.
“These proposals are aimed at sportscotland delivering effectively and ensuring our partners are best supported to deliver sporting pathways that not only improve performance, but increase participation. Coupled with our HQ relocation to Glasgow, host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, this is a very exciting prospect for Scottish sport which will better position all of us to deliver a sporting legacy across the country.”
- The focus of work in each of the six areas will include:
- Lead the delivery of national and regional coach development.
- Work with Scottish governing bodies to establish and deliver regional sport specific plans ensuring they reflect the priorities of each SGB’s national plan.
- Drive implementation of existing and new SGB national and regional athlete development programmes.
- Develop national and regional SGB coaches, employed by the SGB and deployed to regions.
- Deliver support service programmes to national and regional athletes.
- Ensure integrated planning across local authority strategic plans for sport and, sport specific plans.
- Work with local authorities and governing bodies in the development and implementation of sport specific facility strategies at a local, regional and national level.
- The sportscotland HQ will be based at Templeton Business Centre, Doges, Glasgow Green for an interim period, until the completion of its permanent new headquarters on the site of the National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome. sportscotland will take over the new accommodation in November 2008 and it is anticipated that the interim move will be completed by April 2009.