The challenges
Corby, famous for its industrial past and steelworks, is now
reinventing itself as a dynamic and vibrant place to live and work
with a visionary programme that is set to double the population’s
size to 100,000 over the next 30 years.
Corby Borough Council believes that sport and culture has a
critical role to play in helping to transform the town. It has
invested around £50m into cultural facilities over the last four
years, including £20m into Corby East Midlands International Pool
which opened in July 2009.
The significance of this investment should be seen against the
challenges Corby faces. Levels of deprivation are high. Corby ranks
75 out of 354 local authorities in the Index of Multiple
Deprivation, and 18 of its Super Output Areas are in the top 20%
nationally, with four in the top 10%. Teenage pregnancy rates are
high, as are smoking, coronary heart disease and cancer, along with
lower life expectancy and low levels of physical activity compared
to national and regional averages.
The approach
Corby Borough Council’s sustained and significant investment
into culture and sport is driven by two needs. First, low
participation levels, high levels of deprivation and poor health
inequalities demonstrated a strategic need for investment in
facilities.
Secondly the town’s expansion plans mean that any investment
must not only meet demand today, but must have the capacity of
meeting the increased demand tomorrow.
An understanding of these factors at both officer and member
level within the council, as well as input from the chief executive
and support from key political figures, ensured that the commitment
was explicitly written into the council’s plans – including the
Community Plan 2003-2008 and One Corby 2008-13.
It was also incorporated into plans for the town’s physical
transformation, developed first by urban regeneration company
Catalyst Corby and taken up by the North Northamptonshire
Development Corporation.
As well as making its own investments, the council has also been
active in attracting funding from other partners and programmes
including the Amateur Swimming Association, Sport England and the
Football Foundation, who contributed £2m into a new football field
and improved athletics centre at Rockingham Triangle.
Finally, the council has also worked hard to generate additional
revenue from its revamped and new facilities, to offset any
increased costs. For example, the launch of a new Leisure
Membership Scheme has attracted 2,400 members and brings in
£600,000 per annum. While the improved facilities have drawn in a
wider participative population and club structures from across the
East Midlands, for example around diving in the new pool. In fact,
East Midlands International Pool and Rockingham Triangle Sports
Complex are both potential venues for the 2012 Olympic and
Paralympics Games.
The results
While it’s too early to say what impact the facilities will have
on the borough’s Active People NI 8 results, it is clear that
Corby’s strategic approach underpinned by strong and consistent
leadership has significantly improved the sport and physical
activities on offer. The creation of impressive new facilities in
central, highly visible locations also appears to have raised the
aspiration of residents, according to the council.
Early quantifiable results, suggest the investment is making an
impact:
- The Place Survey (2008) shows that satisfaction with local
sports provision increased from 63% to 74.1%. This figure surpasses
both county and national figures.
- Total attendances have surpassed all expectations, recording
300,000 visits within the first year of operation (85,000 in the
first 10 weeks).
- 1000 children in seven local schools took part in diving talent
ID, with 120 invited back for second phase testing.
The lessons
- Strategic leadership from the top at officer and political
level over a long period of time is essential
- A willingness to manage risk (choosing to create an asset now
and planning likely population increases linked to housing growth
linked and expansion is critically important
- Ensure the Council’s priorities around sport and active
recreation are reflected in key strategic documentation (e.g.
Community and Corporate Plans) preferably in their own right as
well as contributing to reducing health inequalities,
- There should be a tight focus on ensuring investment in
facilities is linked to ‘real’ participation improvement
opportunities for local people
- There must should be a willingness to see the plans for growth
of the local authority area as of significant importance to the
locally, regionally, pan-regionally and nationally.
- Local authorities must engaged with national governing bodies
of sport to identify mutual opportunities leading to
investment
More information