Decision details

To award a contract to the value of £47,000 to Max Associates to compile a sports and physical activity strategy for Cheltenham based on an update of the Cheltenham playing pitch strategy & built leisure and sports facilities assessment.

In the council’s corporate plan 2023-2027, we set out our commitment to work with partner organisations to develop a sports strategy for Cheltenham in the expectation that this will improve sports provision and help improve health and wellbeing opportunities for local people

Alongside a vision and outcomes document that will be presented to cabinet in July, the council has also committed to update its playing pitch and built facilities assessments. Together, these studies will provide an updated picture of our current infrastructure and how well it will meet the future needs in our communities, along with an investment plan for how we secure funding to improve provision.

The council went out to procurement via Sport England’s Active Environments Framework and two bids were received. After full analysis, the decision is to appoint Max Associates to carry out both the playing pitch and built sports facilities assessments.

None.

·         Full engagement with Publica Procurement and OneLegal

·         Engagement with Sport England

·         Full engagement with lead cabinet member

·         Briefing to Leadership Team

Over the past few months, the council has worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a collective vision and shared outcomes for physical activity and sport and this forms phase 1 of the strategy.

Supported by colleagues from the national Leadership Centre, we began working with stakeholders in October 2022 which saw initial agreement to the emerging themes and cross-cutting issues relating to physical activity.

A series of engagement workshops in January were attended by 62 stakeholders at which they took part in participatory discussions on the current context, challenges and opportunities, plus consideration of shared values and an emerging vision.

At a further stakeholder workshop in April, the draft vision and outcomes were further refined in ahead of them coming to Cabinet for approval. This work will help inform the second phase of the strategy.