East Cambridgeshire District Council Outdoor Sports Facilities Audit and Strategy

East Cambridgeshire is a predominantly rural district. The Authority does not directly control any outdoor leisure facilities, apart from a small country park in Ely. All such facilities in the district are owned and managed by Parish Councils, schools, or free-standing local trusts or sports clubs. It is recognised however that in order to respond to local aspirations and emerging opportunities a coherent overview of provision and needs is increasingly necessary. The purpose of this study is to facilitate this. Objectives • To establish a comprehensive and up-to-date record of current facilities for outdoor sport and related leisure activities • To provide an objective evaluation of the quantity, quality, availability and use of all such facilities, taking account of relevant sports governing body or other technical benchmarks as appropriate • To identify and evaluate emerging and likely future influences on facility needs • To identify facility deficits and / or surplus provision, priorities for development and future provision, and opportunities for rationalisation, as appropriate, so as to guide planning and investment decisions for the period to 2036 • To engage partner organisations and local stakeholders in the process and its outcomes • To support engagement with current or impending sport-specific development strategies Key Outcomes The study must provide: • A comprehensive record of all outdoor sports facilities and resources in East Cambridgeshire, within the scope outlined below. • A comprehensive understanding of:  Usage patterns, including effective catchments  The strengths and weaknesses of all current facilities, including accessibility, management and usage arrangements, and ancillary facilities, as well as the core facilities.  The relevant objective standards of provision and / or user expectations which frame recommendations for development • A robust and workable facility development strategy, identifying:  Priorities for development, with indicative financial implications (both capital and revenue)  Opportunities for rationalisation or improved management arrangements  Key policy approaches