MD2777 Sport Unites 2021-22

1.1. In 2018, under cover of MD2244, the Mayor approved expenditure of up to £5.8m over four years for Sport Unites, his community sport investment programme for London. Sport Unites 2018-21 was developed to provide opportunities for Londoners to engage in sport and physical activity for improved health and wellbeing, contributing to the Mayor’s long-term vision of making London the most active and socially integrated city in the world.

1.2. The Sport Unites programme focuses on tackling five key social issues affecting Londoners as set out in the Mayor’s statutory strategy, “Sport for All of Us”, with sport or physical activity as the primary means of engagement. Projects supported under Sport Unites aim to reduce inactivity, improve mental health, reduce social isolation, increase social connectedness, and address the needs and circumstances of at-risk young Londoners.

1.3. “Sport for All of Us” recognises the importance of major sporting events in the city to unite and inspire Londoners. The Mayor also approved the award of up to £905,000 of grant funding to London Sport as a contribution to the delivery of its Major Sports Community Engagement Fund 2018-2021 under cover of MD2353. Aligned to the objectives of Sport Unites, this fund supports a programme of community projects linked to major sports events hosted in London.

1.4. Under cover of MD2265, the Mayor approved an additional allocation to Sport Unites of £3m of his £45m Young Londoners Fund. This specific youth strand of the Sport Unites programme includes community grants to grassroots sports organisations working with children and young people, and longer-term ‘Impact Partnerships’ to expand existing sport-based programmes focusing on the needs and circumstances of young Londoners. The Sport Unites Young Londoners Fund places a particular emphasis on providing positive diversionary activity and wraparound support for young people involved in, or considered at significant risk of, crime and anti-social behaviour.

1.5. Sport Unites therefore constitutes a £8.8m, four-year investment in community sport in London. To date the programme has delivered more than 300 projects directly benefiting 42,000 vulnerable, inactive and/or isolated Londoners, across all 32 London boroughs.

1.6. Since March 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic has severely limited Londoners’ activity levels and this has adversely affected their physical health and mental wellbeing. The pandemic’s impact has been compounded as restrictions persist, especially amongst more vulnerable groups such as children and young people, 83% of whom say their mental health has been made worse by prolonged or repeated lockdowns. This decision is proposed at this time as there is an urgent need to prepare for, and support, the delivery of safely facilitated, socially distanced or remote sport and physical activity interventions, particularly over the key summer period in 2021.

1.7. Research and insight conducted since March 2020 by the GLA, together with information compiled by specialist agencies such as Sport England, London Sport and Sported, highlight the needs of the community sport sector in serving London and Londoners. These include: additional training and support for the workforce; increased opportunities for networking and collaboration, to find new ways of delivering essential services and helping those not able to offer other, mainstream systems of support; access to facilities; ongoing guidance and leadership in responding to and transitioning from crisis; and funding and financial support, particularly for smaller, less established community groups who lack experience and support in accessing funds.

1.8. This decision form seeks approval for expenditure required to enable delivery of a programme of work for Sport Unites in 2021-22 that responds urgently and flexibly to the still-evolving Covid-19 situation, and to the needs of Londoners and the community sport sector to meet them. The programme recognises:

• that the Covid-19 situation continues to change, at times unpredictably, and may persist for some time yet. The past 12 months have shown that plans must be robust but also be able to change as the situation changes;

• the need to align with London Recovery Board mission-based work, and especially that undertaken within the Building Stronger Communities and A New Deal for Young People missions;

• the importance of collaborative efforts in starting to rebuild a more resilient London, and the crucial role of developing sport and non-sport partnerships, with targeted co-investment, in order to maximise the impact of the Mayor’s work in London to improve people’s health and wellbeing; and

• the success of collaborative grant funding models such as the London Community Response, and the benefits of adopting such a model within the sport sector to streamline systems and processes, optimise shared outcomes, and leverage opportunity for both funders and grantees.

1.9. The programme further aims to strengthen the Mayor’s core role as convener, influencer and thought leader in community sport in London and in other national and international cities.

2.1. The proposed programme has two overarching objectives: (a) to support Londoners by enabling local, free or affordable sport and physical activity-based interventions for their improved health and wellbeing; and (b) to support the community sport sector in responding to, transitioning out of and recovering from the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

2.2. It will respond flexibly to an ever-changing situation whilst incorporating forward-looking work to explore longer-term solutions to ongoing issues and challenges affecting London and Londoners. It will enhance the Mayor’s capacity-building and policy and research work in community sport to help the community sport sector build resilience in the event of reduced grant funding – or increased competition for available funding – in the future.

2.3. The programme is structured to take account of the learnings from Sport Unites 2018-21, together with insight and evidence gathered over the past year that is specific to the effect of Covid-19 on local communities and grassroots organisations. Particular emphasis will be placed on supporting individuals and groups who have been hardest hit by the pandemic, including but not limited to Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups; older Londoners; those with physical disabilities, learning impairments and long-term or underlying health conditions; and children and young people.

2.4. The programme aligns closely with the following recovery missions in particular:

• Building Stronger Communities, with a focus on ensuring that all Londoners have access to a community hub with the opportunity to volunteer, get support and build strong networks; and

• A New Deal for Young People, with a focus on ensuring all young people, and especially those in need, have access to a mentor and to quality youth services.

2.5. The programme will have three workstreams, as detailed below.

Programme workstreams

Grant programme

2.6. Grant funding under Sport Unites 2018-21 was allocated by theme, with each theme targeting one or at most two of the five key outcome areas of the overall programme. The Active Londoners fund, for example, supports projects tackling inactivity levels with associated mental health benefits; and the London Together fund in partnership with Comic Relief funds projects primarily addressing social isolation. Feedback from partners, stakeholders and grantees has highlighted both a substantial degree of cross-over between the themes and issues, and potential for an increased burden on organisations in applying for several different funds to support their work.

2.7. There has been a significant increase in demand for physical activity opportunities amongst Londoners and this in turn has led to an increase in demand for funds for the community sport sector. Further demand is anticipated as restrictions are eased in spring and early summer of 2021. In order to reach the most vulnerable groups and to support the effective transition and recovery of the sector, it is vital to dedicate a specific fund to community sport in London, which includes organisational development opportunities not currently available through similar collaborative funding models such as the highly successful London Community Response.

2.8. Using these learnings, the new grant programme proposed under this decision is a multi-outcome, centralised fund. In a consolidated process it will award grants for projects that tackle one or more of the five key Sport Unites issues. As an ‘umbrella’ fund it will simplify access for prospective applicants and streamline the associated funding mechanisms. It will also afford other funders the opportunity to contribute, maximising the chance of success for applicants and increasing the overall impact of the programme for London and Londoners.

2.9. Expenditure on the grant programme will total up to £595,000 comprising circa. £535,500 of grant funding to community sport organisations; and up to £59,500 to pay for external services required to manage and administer the grant programme. Administration costs will range from 5-10 per cent of the grant pot depending on the number of applications received. The programme anticipates awarding up to 30 grants of up to £10,000 each, and a number of larger grants of up to £50,000 each; the ratio and split of the grant sizes may change slightly once the applications are assessed, should it be of benefit to the programme.

2.10. The outcomes of this grant programme will be:

• more organisations delivering more effective sport- and physical activity-based projects that are rooted in the local community and tailored and accessible to those most in need as a result of the pandemic;

• increased support for the community sport sector, through affording organisations greater ease of access to, and increased chances of receiving, grants; and

• increased support for the community sport workforce through associated training and development opportunities, helping them respond more effectively to the priority needs of Londoners during Covid-19 transition and early recovery.

Targeted collaboration

2.11. The 2021-22 programme will provide grant funding of up to £85,000 of targeted investment in collaborations with sport and non-sport organisations (for example organisations who support mental health, or focus on specific barriers faced by Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners) to scale-up initiatives that tackle one or two of the five strategic issues. This will include investment of:

• Up to £50,000 in support for place-based initiatives such as Model City London. In collaboration with Laureus Sport for Good and Nike, Model City London supports resident-led coalitions to implement strategies for the use of sport for the benefit of young people and to tackle social integration challenges. Outcomes include local communities in Barking, Hounslow and Haringey that are more joined-up and more empowered to self-identify and address key issues affecting residents. The delivery method will be a grant agreement with project partners to provide training and development opportunities, including workshops, courses, webinars and associated print and digital resource, for each coalition in sustainability, leadership and communication. Developing these skillsets will support constitution of the coalitions and support their future operational sustainability to reduce dependence on external funding in the future.

• Up to £35,000 in community engagement initiatives linked to major sporting events scheduled to take place during 2021-22, including but not limited to the delayed Euros 2020 tournament. Outcomes will include more Londoners actively involved in London-hosted events through spectating, participating, volunteering and training and development opportunities, as set out in “Sport for All of Us” as a strategic priority. The GLA will grant funding to organisations as a contribution to the costs of projects which support safe, facilitated sessional training programmes; development opportunities that may support Londoners into relevant career opportunities such as esports; and celebratory and fan-based events linked to cultural and other initiatives surrounding the tournaments.

2.12. The overall outcomes of this targeted investment workstream will be improved sectoral and cross-sectoral collaboration. Services will be joined up more effectively to meet the needs of Londoners and maximise the impact of investment through economies of scale and the sharing of expertise. Going forwards, collaborations developed under the Sport Unites targeted investment workstream will enable the GLA to work with some of the biggest brands and organisations in sport as well as with pivotal non-sport stakeholders, for example Thrive LDN to better address a pressing need for mental health support.

2.13. Mindful that the proposed programme straddles the Mayoral term and the principle that the GLA should not do anything which fetters the discretion of a successor administration officers will take care to ensure that:

(a) agreements entered into concerning the decisions sought will contain GLA termination for convenience rights and any milestones are configured so as to mitigate abortive costs; and

(b) to the extent that it is proposed that funding and/or contracts be awarded after the 2021 GLA elections: (i) it is made clear to applicants by express inclusion in application and other programme materials that the award of any funding will be subject to internal GLA approvals; and (ii) such award decisions are confirmed/approved (as applicable) by the then Mayor.

Sector support

2.14. Due to the pandemic and other factors, such as the already adverse effect of cuts in public service spending, the community sport sector in London is under an existential threat at a time when communities need and value it the most. Emergency grants and help with funding have been cited as the biggest sectoral needs, but where Sport Unites has not been able to meet financial demand, the programme’s in-built leadership, flexibility and capacity-building elements have enabled many individuals and organisations to access different types of support.

2.15. A budget of up to £75,000 will explore and develop a capacity-building workstream that will support the sector in building back to be more resilient and sustainable in response to and beyond the pandemic. The majority of the budget will be issued as grant funding, but there will be associated project costs for events and additional support activities.

2.16. The sector’s response to the pandemic has revealed how over one-quarter of grassroots groups are worried that they might not be around in six months’ time. Through this workstream the GLA will support the sector to be stronger and more resilient by bringing people together and sharing ideas, tools and resources. Community sport organisations will convene around shared challenges and access needs-based training and development. This will be linked, where possible, to other capacity building support that is being made available either via the recovery mission workstreams or other organisations. The offer will be complementary and not duplicative. Outcomes will also include contribution to a robust evidence base to showcase impact and lobby for further investment and resource to enable London’s sport sector to ‘build back better’.

2.17. As per good practice it is essential to monitor and evaluate the Sport Unites programme effectively to be fully accountable, gather learnings, and act on recommendations to ensure both the best value for money for GLA resources and the provision of optimal services for London and Londoners. It is especially important, due to the ever-changing conditions imposed by the pandemic, that the programme is able to respond flexibly and swiftly to Londoners’ needs and pivot the priorities of the programme accordingly. Therefore, underpinning these workstreams is expenditure of up to £75,000 for programme management including external services for monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning of the workstreams; community engagement; and staff training and development. This expenditure will follow the GLA Contracts and Funding code in order to secure delivery partners.

2.18. Combined outcomes for the Sport Unites 2021-22 programme outcomes will align with the five key strategic issues set out in the Mayoral strategy for sport and physical activity, “Sport for All of Us”. They will include:

• increased activity levels amongst London’s inactive and less active populations;

• improved mental health, wellbeing and resilience, especially amongst more vulnerable Londoners;

• enhanced support for children and young people, especially those considered at risk, into positive diversionary activity, with associated mentoring and wraparound support for better life chances;

• decreased social isolation and loneliness through the provision of inclusive, welcoming and accessible sport- and physical activity-based interventions; and

• enhanced social connectedness and social mixing within and across London’s communities.

3.1. Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2. Equal opportunities are enshrined within all the projects and programmes delivered against the Mayor’s strategy for sport and physical activity, Sport for All of Us. The Mayor’s investment into community sport aims to ensure that all Londoners can access sport and physical activity opportunities that overcome barriers to active participation, enrich their experiences of living and working in the city, encourage and enable better connection to their local communities, and improve physical health and mental wellbeing.

3.3. The Sport Unites programme is open to all, regardless of race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment.

3.4. In planning the Mayor’s investment into community sport in 2021-22 the sport team has consulted stakeholders and partners to ensure that as many Londoners as possible, particularly those with protected characteristics, have been considered and will have the chance to be involved in some way, be that through participating, training, project delivery or volunteering.

3.5. Sport Unites embraces London’s diversity by connecting Londoners from a variety of demographic and geographic backgrounds in support of common causes and activities. This includes place-based pilot projects working intensively with communities in a defined geographical area, using community organising and asset-based community development to identify and address issues (using sport) that communities themselves recognise as being of concern in their local area.

3.6. Sport Unites advances equality of opportunity between persons who share a protected characteristic. For example, a portion of Sport Unites funding has been designated for initiatives that support Londoners with mental health difficulties by using sport to help people deal with, overcome or have a greater understanding of mental health difficulties such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or substance abuse.

3.7. Projects delivered by Sport Unites in 2021-22 will place particular emphasis on supporting individuals and groups who have been hardest hit by the pandemic, including but not limited to Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups; women; LGBTQ Londoners; older Londoners; those with physical disabilities, learning impairments and long-term or underlying health conditions; and children and young people.

Key risks and issues

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.1. This programme of work links to the Mayor’s strategy for sport and physical activity, “Sport for All of Us”, and extends the Mayor’s community sport investment programme, Sport Unites 2018-21 (approved under MD2244). It further aligns with:

• The Mayor’s investment of £905,000 of grant funding (approved under MD2353) to London Sport as a contribution to the delivery of its Major Sports Community Engagement Fund 2018-2021, supporting a programme of community projects linked to major sports events hosted in London. Although the majority of major sports events scheduled for 2020-21 were postponed or cancelled as a result of the pandemic, the budget for community engagement aligned to such events, including for the Euros 2020 tournament, was repurposed to crisis response support for the community sport sector via the London Community Response.

• Sport Unites’ allocation of £3m (approved under MD2265) of the Mayor’s £45m Young Londoners Fund, focusing on the needs and circumstances of young Londoners.

4.2. The programme also supports and contributes to the London Recovery Board’s mission-based work, in particular (but not limited to) Building Stronger Communities and A New Deal for Young People.

Conflict of Interest

4.3. There has been consideration for any potential conflict of interests, with none found including for those involved in the drafting and clearance of this form.

5.1 Approval is sought for expenditure of £830,000 on community sports and physical activity-based initiatives, to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Londoners, and to contribute to the recovery and future sustainability of the community sport sector as it transitions into recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The expenditure breakdown is as follows:

a) a grant programme of up to £595,000 enabling projects that support Londoners by tackling one or more of the five key issues set out in the Major’s “Sport for All of Us” strategy;

b) up to £85,000 of targeted investment to scale-up collaborative initiatives, using sport to support Londoners by tackling one or two of the five strategic issues;

c) up to £75,000 on and developing a capacity-building programme to support the sector; and

d) expenditure of up to £75,000 for programme management including monitoring and evaluation.

5.2 The expenditure will be funded from the 2021-22 ‘Building Stronger Communities’ mission budget and allocated to the Team London and Community Sports Unit.

6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers to promote and/or to do anything which is facilitative of or conducive or incidental to social development within Greater London. In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

(a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;

(b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and

(c) consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2 In taking the decisions requested the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.3 If the Mayor is minded to make the decisions sought officers must ensure that:

(a) supplies and/or services required for the delivery of the proposed programme are be procured by Transport for London Commercial who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and appropriate contract documentation is put in place with and executed by the GLA and proposed service providers before the commencement of the required supplies and/or services;

(b) any grant funding awarded to third parties in respect of projects falling within the remit of the programme, is distributed fairly, transparently and in manner which affords value for money in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and appropriate funding agreements are put in place with and executed by the GLA and proposed recipients prior to making any commitment to provide such funding; and

(c) the terms of all agreements entered into, commitments made in respect of and arrangements for the delivery of the programme do not have the effect of fettering the discretion of any successor administration, considering in particular the London elections taking place in May 2021.