+ GD I N BVRG H +

T H E CITY OF E D I N B U R G H C O U N C I L

Item Report

no 5

CONSULTATION ON THE PITCH STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH

Executive of the Council

23 August 2005

Purpose of Report

1 To present to the Executive the results of the further consultation on the proposed Pitch Strategy, and to seek the Executive’s approval of the Strategy.

Main Report

2 Working with partners including sportscotland and Edinburgh Leisure, the Culture and Leisure Department oversaw the preparation of a Pitch Strategy for the city, which was reported to the Council Executive on 26 April 2005. Copies of the earlier report and the Strategy are attached to this paper.

3 The report made three recommendations:

Note the Pitch Strategy

Instruct the Director of Culture and Leisure to conduct further consultation on the Strategy’s recommendations before re-submitting it to the Executive for final approval

Approve consideration of the report by the Leisure and Cultural Development Scrutiny Panel as part of the consultation process.

4 The two principal recommendations centred on the issue of consultation. In this regard (i) a meeting was arranged on 17 May 2005 which engaged representatives of football, rugby, hockey and cricket , (ii) on 16 May, the Strategy was reviewed by the Leisure and Cultural Development Scrutiny Panel, and (iii) a copy of the Strategy was e-mailed to all Members and comments on it were invited.

5 At the meeting with the sports representatives, 23 organisations attended and welcomed the Strategy and its recommendations. The general feeling was that it was a much needed piece of work as a first step towards improving the city’s pitches and pavilions. A number of specific issues were raised, e.g. cricket expressed concern that provision of facilities did not currently match demand, this particularly recognising the growth in the sport and the fact that

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several cricket pitches had been removed from operation. Other general points about partnership working, planning gain possibilities, sports lottery, and related funding issues were raised.

6 At the Leisure and Cultural Development Scrutiny Panel, discussion and questions to officials touched on several issues, including:

Funding strategies

The merits and demerits of synthetic versus grass pitches

Damage to parks and pitches from heavy funfair rides

Charges for use of pitches

0 Booking systems, particularly co-ordination with other providers

Community use of school pitches

The Panel agreed to:

a) Welcome the introduction of the Pitch Strategy

b) Stress the importance of including clauses on community use of school pitches within all future PPP contracts

c) Highlight the importance of introducing an integrated pitch booking system, with appropriate funding support

d) Stress the key importance of the National Planning Policy Guideline 11 (NPPG 1 I ) , Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space

e) Suggest that greater priority needed to be given within the Strategy to the development of cricket pitches

7 The invitation to Members to comment on the Strategy only produced a few suggestions. These resulted in the addition of 3 sites to the document: Moredun Primary School (former site), Crawfurd Road Playing Field, and Drum Street Playing Field.

8 A number of minor changes to the wording of the document were suggested by the Director of City Development, following the previous consideration of the document by the Council Executive.

9 All of the amendments suggested as a result of the above consultation process have now been incorporated into the revised Strategy document. None of the suggestions involve any additional financial implications.

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Recommend at ions

10 It is recommended that the Council Executive:

0 Approve the Pitch Strategy (as amended) for the City of Edinburgh

0 Instruct the Director of Culture and Leisure to establish a Pitch Quality Group to oversee the implementation of the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches.

Herbert Coutts Director of Culture and Leisure

10 ", &d . G 5

Appendices 1. Pitch Strategy Report to the Executive of 26 April 2005

2. Edinburgh's Sports Pitch Strategy

David Wardrop 0131 529 7738 ContactlTel

Wards affected City wide

Background Papers

Available in the Culture and Leisure Department, 23 Waterloo Place

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I.

Appendix 1

+ ED IN BVRG H +

T H E CITY OF E D I N B U R G H C O U N C I L

Item no Report no

A CAPITAL COMMITMENT TO SPORT - PITCH STRATEGY FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH

Executive of the Council

26 April 2005

I

1 .I

2

2.1

2.2

3

3.1

Purpose of Report

To present to the Council Executive the proposed Pitch Strategy for the City of Edinburgh, the overarching objective of which is to provide "quality pitches for all".

Summary

The Council and partners have made, and are planning to make, investment totalling c. E20.664m in the upgrading of sports pitches and associated facilities. Despite these initiatives, much remains to be done and the Sports Pitch Strategy is intended to advise on the best approach to adopt to the future provision and management of sports pitches in the city.

Consultation with sports clubs indicated that the main issue of concern was the quality of basic provision and the maintenance of the City Council owned pitches. Actions proposed by the Strategy include establishing Edinburgh Quality Standards for pitch quality and maintenance, and for changing accommodation. To deliver real improvements to pitch provision and pavilions across the city, further significant funding will be required over a series of years. Working with a range of Strategy Partners, this should be achievable.

Main Report

In recent years, the Council has made, and is planning to make, a significant contribution to the upgrading of sports pitches and sports facilities in the city, through the Childre?, and Carniiiss Depakmnent's Smart SchDol's Initiative and Planning Agreement. Investment in pitch and changing room developments in the school estate for the Smart School's Initiative amounts to a total of c. f16.9m.

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L

3.2 These include:

Meggetland Playing Fields - facilities included at this venue are:

- 4 soccer 7’s - 1 floodlit rugby pitch and grandstand - 2 football, including I floodlit - 1 synthetic hockey - floodlit - 1 cricket table - 16 changing rooms, referees room, first-aid and function rooms

This development funded through Developer Contribution will be delivered by June 2006.

Bangholm Playing Fields - additional funding has been secured from the Big Lottery Fund and the Council Capital budget for:

- 1 full size floodlit synthetic pitch - 2 upgraded rugby pitches - small synthetic cricket wicket - 6 new changing rooms and meeting room

Budgeted within the Council’s 2005-2008 Capital Investment Programme with the remaining contribution secured from the Big Lottery.

Smart School’s Initiative at Gracemount, Craigmount and Royal High Schools - newhefurbished facilities now delivered at these venues total:

- 3 synthetic floodlit pitches - 5 A grade football pitches - 1 A grade rugby pitch - 8 soccer sevens size synthetic pitches at 8 new primary schools

(floodlighting to be funded in the Capital budget 2005-2008) - Associated changing accommodation

Smart School’s Initiative - New High schools are planned at:

- Craigroyston High School - Holyrood High School - Tynecastle High School - Broughton High School - St Augustine’s High School - Forreste: Yigh Sshooi

All new schools will have floodlit synthetic pitches, with the latter 3 including Grade A grass pitches.

2

2 New primary schools are also planned with soccer sevens floodlit synthetic pitches. All costs associated with these developments are included in the costed Smart School’s Initiative full business case.

3.3 Outwith the school’s estate, other projects are currently planned, or are being delivered] involving total expenditure of c. f3.764m. These include:

Cramond Campus - the facilities are being provided through Developer Contribution and will include:

- 2 full size synthetic pitches - 2 quality natural grass pitches - 1 lacrosse/American football pitch - 1 quality cricket square along with a sports pavilion finished to a high

standard .

Work has already started at this site

Morgan Playing Field - this 5.42 acre site has been transferred to Council ownership and the undernoted facilities are being provided through Developer Contribution and will include:

- 1 full sized pitch - 1 small sized pitch

Work on this site is planned to commence in autumn 2005 with site handover in summer 2006.

Lochend Park - the development of this site is being progressed on the basis of Planning Agreement resulting from the building of a new care home on the edge of the park by the Social Work Department. The facilities being provided are:

- 1 upgraded full sized pitch - Showerkhange accommodation

Colinton Mains Park - facilities at this site are also benefiting from a Planning Agreement] and will be linked in the future to the “Twin Peak” project. Facilities proposed include:

- 4 grass pitches - 2 additional soccer 7’s - new pavilion

Planning Agreement negotiated as part of the Meggetland development is contributing to this project. Culture and Leisure will now take on responsibility for the delivery of this project.

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3.4 While the above represent solid progress, it has to be acknowledged that much remains to be done to upgrade pitches and pavilions across the city to 21“ century standards.

3.5 The National Planning Policy Guideline 11 (NPPG 11) Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space, requires local authorities to recognise the importance of playing fields for sport, recreation and amenity. Such playing fields in Edinburgh are coming under increasing pressure from developers. sportscotland’s planning policy states that: “Establishing the long term requirements for sports pitches in an area requires the production of a local pitch strategy.” The decision was therefore taken to prepare a Pitch Strategy for Edinburgh which would:

Serve as a framework for future planning issues

Identify the key strategic issues governing pitches and changing accommodation

Assess the adequacy of present provision to meet future needs

Provide recommendations for future action

3.6 The Strategy is intended to advise the Council on the best approach to adopt to the future provision and management of sports pitches, in order to maximise the development of pitch sports and to inform wider planning and open space land use issues. Central to the exercise has been the development of the Edinburgh Standard for pitches and changing facilities.

3.7 In preparing the Pitch Strategy two other recent Council strategies were taken into account:

a) The Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy “A Capital Commitment to Sport”, which is of particular relevance as it represents a major commitment by the Council to increase levels of physical activity in the city. The quality and availability of pitches is a critical factor if pitch sports are to contribute to this objective.

b) The Open Space Framework, which furnishes the overarching planning context for open space developments in the city.

3.8 To oversee the preparation of the Strategy, a working group was set up comprising representatives from the City Development, Culture and Leisure, and Children and Families Departments, sportscotland and Edinburgh Leisure.

3.9 Genesis Consultants were commissioned to take forward the development of

work, surveys and consultation were undertaken to inform the process, involving those who directly contribute to the preparation and delivery of services, along with user groups that form the core customer base for outdoor pitch sports (ie. football, rugby, hockey and cricket clubs).

the St:atan,~ -sJ >?de: the supen.isiDr sf the \yg;kivg g:oup, T5rogghggt the

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3.10 The Strategy was produced in two phases. Phase one identified the present level of pitch provision, quantified present and future demand, identified the concerns of the pitch sports and sought to address the main issues through five key strategic goals. Phase two evolved from the findings of phase one to take forward the recommendations into a specific action plan. The key objective was to produce a plan that, once implemented, would deliver the best network of sports pitches and ancillary facilities in Scotland.

3.1 1 To achieve their vision for the future of pitch sports in the city, the working group identified five strategic goals that needed to be delivered:

a) To provide a network of quality sports pitches throughout the City appropriate to the present and future needs of pitch sports and the comm u n it ies of Ed in b u rg h .

b) To have an agreed investment plan for the development of the network of pitches and ancillary facilities.

c) To develop an integrated approach to the management, booking and maintenance of public pitches in Edinburgh.

d) To have an agreed planning policy framework.

e) To establish a partnership approach between providers and users to monitor the implementation of the Strategy and ensure that effective links are maintained with all relevant CEC policies, strategies and plans.

3.12 These goals were, in turn, refined into four key actions:

a> Develop standards for the quality and maintenance of public pitches in Edinburgh.

b) Establish an investment programme for a radical improvement in the Council’s pitches and changing accommodation.

c) Identify the further work to be done on planning guidance.

d) Develop proposals for a “one-stop-shop” for pitch bookings and maintenance co-ordination.

3.1 3 Early conclusions reached in the research for the Strategy were that:

The main issue of concern to all sports was the quality of basic provision and the maintenance of City Council owned pitches.

One third of the pitches in City Council ownership were of inadequate quality and changing facilities were almost universally seen as poor.

The supply/demand analysis indicated that, while there is an apparent equilibriilrc k the supply and =ie;n27c’ of pitc3es. no real allowance is available in the form of a strategic reserve (as recommended by sportscotland) and that such a reserve could be achieved through the improvement of existing pitches and/or new provision.

Any disposal of pitches should continue to require compensatory provision.

5

3.14

3,15

4

4.1

4.2

The working group agreed detailed actions required to achieve its goals. It proposed that a high level strategic partnership group, including representatives from all the agencies engaged in the delivery of pitch sports, be created to carry forward the Strategy's recommendations by overseeing the development and delivery of action plans contributing to each goal.

The actions proposed fell into four categories:

a) Establishing Edinburgh Quality Standards for pitch quality and main ten an ce .

b) Building an investment programme to deliver real improvements for pitch provision in Edinburgh.

c) Integrating pitch policy considerations into wider planning policy.

d) Creating effective partnerships built on improved management and booking practices.

In all, eighteen actions are recommended by the Strategy. Among these are:

Apply the Edinburgh Quality Standard to pitches and changing facilities.

Develop a detailed pitch maintenance specification based on the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches.

Construct 12 informal multi-sport courts throughout the city.

Develop a 3-year investment programme to raise the standard of pitches and changing accommodation.

Establish a network of 6 major pitch venues.

Create a pitch management group.

Continue to ensure that Smart School's Initiative contracts deliver and maintain new pitches to the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches (Grade A).

Promote new partnership arrangements with clubs.

Financial implications

Inevitably, local pitch improvements and the development of six major pitch venues could not be achieved without significant financial investment. Over three years, the local pitch improvement programme would require total funding of E5.359m at present-day prices. The delivery of six major pitch venues over five years would cost a total of f6.883m. In addition to these costs, there will be further revenue consequences as a result of the new maintenance regime of E50 000 per annum, and a one-year only cost for a database aeveiopnent office; of f25,03C.

At first sight these costs seem daunting. However, the Council's recent decision to double the annual revenue funding for parks development (many of the pitches are located in parks) in 2006107 from €100,000 to €200,000, and the inclusion of f l . 9 m for parks and pitch upgrading in the Culture and Leisure Department's three-year Capital investment programme represent important

6

first steps. Also, prior to these developments, €336,549 remained in the Department's Capital programme for pitch and pavilion upgrading. In addition, many other sources of funding are available including sportscotland grants, Edinburgh Leisure contributions, Planning Agreement, the use of the Prudential framework, sponsorship from commercial organisations, partnership funding from sports clubs, etc.

4.3 It is a critical part of the implementation process for the Strategy partners, including sportscotland, to work together on an on-going basis not only to bring together the funding packages, both large and small, to implement the overall plan, but also to consider the most efficient and effective way of rebrigading the Council's portfolio of facilities.

4.4 In that context, the Strategy's capital and revenue targets are designed in such a way that they can be spread over the number of years which the availability of resources dictates. The three-year revenue projection and the five-year capital projection are, in the view of the Strategy working group, the optimum to achieve the best impact for the City but, nonetheless, they are only indicative targets. Clearly, the Council Departments involved will have to make their own decisions about the priority of the Pitch Strategy in the context of their overall budget positions. To further assist in this process an agreed set of criteria will be developed, and will include issues such as:

a) Overall condition of pitches/pavilions at each site.

b) Providing a geographical spread of upgrading works.

c) Taking account of the asset management plans of Council Departments

d) Levels of usage of facilities, both existing and potential.

5 Future Consultation

5.1 While considerable consultation with a wide range of sports bodies preceded the preparation of the Strategy, it is felt that once it has received initial consideration by the Council Executive further consultation on its recommendations should take place, to afford interested organisations the opportunity to propose amendments, prior to it being re-presented to the Executive for final approval.

6 Vision

6.1 When the Council approved the city's first ever Sport and Physical Recreation St ra teg "A Capital Commitment to Sport" last year, it adopted the objective of transforming Edinbuyn into " h e most pkysicaliy active zity in Ezmpe by 2020". The increased participation in pitch sports which could be delivered through the implementation of the Pitch Strategy recommendations would represent an important step in achieving that transformation and contribute to the improved health and well being of people in the city, and in particular the young.

7

7 Conclusion

7.1 When implemented, the Sports Pitch Strategy will deliver the best network of sports pitches and ancillary facilities in Scotland.

8 Recommendations

8.1 It is recommended that the Council Executive:

Note the Pitch Strategy

Instruct the Director of Culture and Leisure to conduct further consultation on the Strategy's recommendations before re-submitting it to the Executive for final approval

Approve consideration of the report by the Leisure and Cultural Development Scrutiny Panel as part of the consultation process.

Herbert Coutts Director of Culture and Leisure

Appendices

Con tactlTe I Richard Vinnicombe 0131 529 7996

Wards affected City wide

Background Papers

Available in the Culture and Leisure Department, 23 Waterloo Place

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Appendix 2

A CAPITAL COMMITMENT TO SPORT

Quality Pitches for All

Edinburgh's Sports Pitch Strategy

1

Report of the Sports Pitches Steering Group March 2005

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 3

SECTION ONE: DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES

IDENTIFIED BY THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE ................................... 5

SECTION 2: FROM GOALS TO ACTION ................................................ 12

SECTION 3 RESOURCES ..................................................................... 20

APPENDIX 1 ...................................................................................... 22

PHASE ONE - RESEARCH AND CONSULTATIVE DATA .......................... 22

APPENDIX 2 ...................................................................................... 40

A SUMMARY OF ALL ACTION AREAS ................................................... 40

APPENDIX 3 ...................................................................................... 45

THE EDINBURGH STANDARD FOR PITCHES ........................................ 45

APPENDIX 4 ...................................................................................... 52

MASTER LIST OF PITCHES ................................................................. 52

APPENDIX 5 ...................................................................................... 70

PROPOSALS FOR THE SIX QUALITY VENUES ....................................... 70

2

INTRODUCTION This strategic process has been led by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with sportscotland to review the provision of sports pitches in the City for the purposes of improving provision and the development of effective planning policies. I t is to be implemented as an integral part of the City’s Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation - A Capital Commitment to Sport.

The initiative has been conducted in two phases. The first comprised a detailed review of current provision, consultation with pitch users and the framing of the main strategic vision and goals for this strategy. The second phase was the development of the proposed actions to respond to the strategic challenges identified,

The first phase of the process was led by the Council‘s City Development Department and the second phase by the Culture and Leisure Department. I n both cases, the conduct of the project has been supported by a Strategy Group comprising representatives of the Council’s Culture and Leisure, Children and Families and City Development Departments and Edinburgh Leisure and was supported by Genesis Consultants. This is the final report of the Strategy Group.

This strategy is designed to advise the Council on how best to adopt a strategic approach to its future provision and management of sports pitches in order to maximise the development of pitch sports and to inform wider planning and open space land use issues. Central to the exercise has been the development of t h e Edinburgh Standard for Pitches, maintenance, pitches and changing facilities.

Process

Phase One

The first phase of the process adopted by the Strategy Group followed the approach in the sportscotland Guide to the Preparation of Sports Pitch Strategies (Information Digest FP23) and comprised five clear stages:

Defining the scope of the Sports Pitches Strategy

Identifying the present level of provision of pitches in Edinburgh

Quantifying the present and future demand for pitches

Identifying the main concerns of the pitch sports

Developing the Strategy to address the issues through 5 key strategic goals

As this was the first exercise of its type to follow the sportscotland guide, the report also comments on the difficulties encountered in aspects of the exercise.

The Strategy Group decided a t the outset that the scope of the strategy would include those sports identified in the sportscotland guide as essential. These are football, rugby, hockey and cricket.

The summary of the main research outputs from Phase One is included in this report as Appendix 1.

Phase Two

I n the second phase, the Steering Group:

Reviewed the issues raised by the research process

Confirmed the strategic goals for the strategy and refined them into four key actions:

1) Develop standards for the quality and maintenance of public pitches in Edinburgh

2) Establish an investment programme for a radical improvement in the Council’s pitches and changing

3) Identify the further work to be done on planning guidance

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4) Develop proposals for a “one-stop-shop” for pitch bookings and maintenance coordination

Strategic Context

It is important to note three concurrent areas of strategic development taking place within the Council to which this initiative relates.

The first is the development of open space standards and policies for the City. The second is the Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy being led by the Culture and Leisure Department and the third is the Parks and Gardens Strategy being developed also by that Department.

The Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy is of particular relevance in the context of this initiative because it reflects a major commitment in the City to increasing levels of physical activity and the quality and availability of pitches is a critical factor if the pitch sports are to play their full part in increasing activity.

The Council is about to agree an Open Space Strategy for the City, which explains the overall policy context for all types of open space including sports pitches.

Scottish Football Association

It is also important to note the new strategy for Scottish Youth Football produced by the SFA. This is designed to unify youth football throughout Scotland and develop strong partnerships with Local Authorities and other organisations to assist in the establishment of six regional football centres of excellence, operated under the new regional football alliances structure.

Contenb of this Report

This report contains a summary of both phases of this initiative and is designed, once agreed by the Council, to be the Sports Pitches Strategy for Edinburgh.

The report has three main sections:

SECTION 1: DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY THE CON SU LTATIO N EXERCISE

SECTION 2: FROM GOALS TO ACTION

SECTION 3: RESOURCES

These sections are supported by a series of appendices providing the detailed information related to relevant aspects of the Strategy.

4

SECTION ONE: DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE The Strategy Group reviewed the information as it was being received and collated from the consultation process in Phase One and identified its vision and the Strategic Goals which had to be achieved to deliver the vision.

The Strategy Group‘s Vision of Success

The following elements were seen by the Group as being part of their vision of success for five years time if an effective Strategy has been fully implemented.

Quality Issues

Quality pitches

Quality changing facilities

Locations of quality venues throughout the City

Equality of access for all communities

A hierarchy of provision

Planning

Local plan policy linked to the Strategy

The Strategy to be a key input into open space policy

Clarity of definition between open space and pitches

I n vestment

Investment outcomes

Implementation plan with capital and revenue programmes

Adaptability/flexibility built into plans

Management

Integrated approaches

Simplified booking processes

Regular coordination among departments

Other

Community involvement

Increased participation

Contribution to making Edinburgh Europe’s most active city

I t was agreed that the phrase “Quality Pitches for All” successfully expressed the twin aims of improving quality and increasing access and participation at all levels.

Key Strategic Goals The Strategy Group identified five strategic goals which they believed needed to be achieved if their Vision was to be delivered. They were:

To provide a network of QUALITY sports pitches throughout the City appropriate to the present and future needs of pitch sports and the communities of Edinburgh

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To have an agreed INVESTMENT plan for the development of the network of pitches and ancillary facilities

To develop an INTEGRATED approach to the management, booking and maintenance of public pitches in Edinburgh

To have an agreed PLANNING policy framework

To establish a PARTNERSHIP approach between providers and users to MONITOR the implementation of the strategy and ensure that effective links are maintained with all relevant CEC policies, strategies and plans.

The Group then proceeded to identify for each strategic goal, the key issues which needed to be tackled and the broad actions which would be required. The next section of this report analyses each goal describing the following:

Background

The most significant information from the synopsis of the supply demand research reported above

Key Issues

Broad actions proposed

The following section translates the goals into an extensive and coordinated programme of action which will revolutionise the provision of sports pitches in Edinburgh and give Edinburgh a leading position in the UK in this type of initiative.

Goal One: To provide a network of QUALITY sports pitches throughout the City appropriate to the present and future needs of pitch sports and the communities of Edinburgh Background

The interim feedback of the supply and demand analysis confirmed that, while there appeared to be a balance between supply and demand, users were putting up with extremely poor facilities. Equally, the lack of any long term plan for development and maintenance meant that the carrying capacity of the existing pitches was often very limited.

Despite the fact that Edinburgh has amongst the greatest densities of synthetic pitch provision in Scotland, there appeared to be concern even here about the quality of maintenance.

The geographical distribution of pitches in Edinburgh is not generally an issue of concern as it might be in other non-city locations. I n terms of formal pitch sports provision, the distribution has little impact as teams will travel to good venues (or even poor venues!).

Research Synopsis

Key conclusions reported above:

The main issue of concern to all sports was the quality of basic provision and of maintenance of Council owned pitches

One third of the pitches in Council ownership were of inadequate quality.

The supply/demand analysis suggests that, while there is an apparent equilibrium in the supply and demand of pitches, no real allowance is available in the form of a strategic reserve and that could be achieved through the improvement of existing pitches and/or new provision.

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Key Issue Broad Action ~ ~~

Analysis of the current state of provision

To be delivered through the Pitch Strategy

Goal Two: To have an agreed INVESTMENT plan for the development of the network of pitches and ancillary facilities Background

Outwith the Smart School’s Initiative and Planning Agreement projects, there would appear to be limited current investment in Edinburgh in the development, repair and maintenance of pitches and their associated ancillary facilities like changing pavilions. This problem is compounded by the number of agencies involved in each pitch site in the public sector.

At best, approaches to the improvement of individual sites have been ad hoc and inadequate maintenance has often meant that new facilities, like the synthetic pitches, have been allowed to deteriorate to unacceptable standards.

Research Synopsis

Key conclusions:

Lack of investment in pitches and changing accommodation

Changing facilities not covered by the Smart School’s Initiative are almost universally seen as poor in the Council Sector

An urgent programme is required to renew synthetic surfaces and this should be part of the Council’s on-going capital program me

Identifying user requirements on an on-going basis

Equality of access (geographical and social)

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Review current consultative mechanisms

Upgrading and new development to be informed by the geographical analysis

Developing broad support for the importance of pitches

Maintenance regimes

No quality targets

No investment programme

Strategy to be used to build an effective action plan

Establish current and define future regimes, set quality targets and identify quality bench ma r ks Set quality targets

See GOAL 2

Key Issue I Broad Action

Alternative sources of funding

I No priorities established

No investment plans 1 Quantify resource requirements

Explore alternative sources of funding including :

0 Developer contributions

0 Joint ventures

0 Lottery-Big Lottery, sportscotland

0 Land disposal

0 Grant aid

0 Smart School's Initiative

Identify priority sites and communities

No implementation plan Develop an investment strategy and secure support from stakeholders

Goal Three: To develop an INTEGRATED approach to the management, booking and maintenance of public pitches in Edinburgh Background

The public pitches of Edinburgh are owned, managed, maintained, funded and booked through a complex pattern of relationships. To a degree, the internal operational systems are of less significance than are the external ones. I n other words, if the service to the customer is efficient and effective then they will have little concern about the way in which the Council arranges for the provision of pitches.

However, the arrangements for bookings alone seen from the customer perspective suggest the internal structures and systems are more important than the service to the public. To book a public pitch in Edinburgh clubs could contact Edinburgh Leisure, Culture and Leisure, individual secondary schools, Smart School's Initiative services or the central booking service in Children and Families Department (for primary school and free-standing school sites).

There are similar concerns about the other aspects of management of the pitches of the City in terms of maintenance and pitch improvement, with responsibilities lying in up to three Council Departments and no strategic coordination to ensure that Best Value is provided both in terms of costs and quality.

Research Synopsis

Key conclusions:

Ownership and management responsibilities are complex and confusing and provide neither an efficient service for the public nor Best Value for the Council.

8

Key Issue

No single booking system for public pitches

No coordinated maintenance

Confused and confusing management systems

Broad Action

Investigate the feasibility of an integrated system with a One-Stop Shop or front office approach

Review and modify current contracts. Best Value contracts should be based on outputs and reflect user requirements

Clarify existing practice and modify as appropriate

0 Prepare improvement programme

0 Prepare a range of specifications appropriate to specific sites and activities

Seek to establish a one-door approach to management, maintenance and improvement to ensure quality and value for money

Goal Four: To have an effective PLANNING policy framework Background

Edinburgh's urban open space heritage is a precious resource. Sports pitches in particular attract high land values and can come under intense development pressure. The Council has existing general planning policies which address recreational open space but these need to be refined and reviewed to specifically address the pitch issues. They must be informed by comprehensive and up- to-date information on the supply of and demand for pitches. National planning policy guidance' also provides a framework for considering sports pitch land use issues.

Edinburgh needs an effective, integrated planning strategy to meet present and future sports pitch needs and help maximise participation and physical activity. The revised planning strategy should allow CEC to:

Defend the retention of existing pitches where necessary

Develop criteria to assess where some land release could be appropriate within the context of wider open space objectives

Guide the location of new pitch provision

Reinvest capital receipts directly into pitch provision where appropriate

Research Synopsis

Key conclusions:

Supply and demand are in reasonable equilibrium but only because users, especially of football pitches, put up with poor quality provision

No strategic reserve is currently available

National Planning Policy Guideline 11 - Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space (NPPG11) (1996) The Scottish Office

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Any disposal of pitches should require compensatory provision

Distribution of pitches is not a major issue because of the relative compactness of the City and the fact that pitch sports users are used to travelling. However, all communities should enjoy reasonable access to playing fields.

Replacement provision need only be considered to be location specific when the pitches which are to be lost are associated with a school and/or there are specific local issues in relation to access to pitches.

Key Issue No comprehensive data on location, quantity and quality

Impossible to identify surpluses or deficits at present

Links to other strategies, plans and policies

The importance of external agencies’ approaches

~~

Development plan policy

Broad Action

Prepare a GIs-based Inventory and keep it up to date (in hand)

Assess supply and demand and plan for future demand (being done through the strategy). Keep the database up to date and monitor the strategy

Build links to the Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy, Parks and Gardens Strategy and other relevant strategies feeding into the Open Space Framework

~~~ ~

Liaise with sportscotland and ensure that approach is consistent with National Planning Policy Guidelines and sports development initiatives

Prepare supplementary planning guidance and revised local and structure plan policy

Goal Five: To establish a PARTNERSHIP approach between providers and users to MONITOR the implementation of the strategy and ensure that effective links are maintained with relevant policies, strategies and plans Background

Producing a strategy is often the easiest part of creating change. The difficult bit is actually implementing that change. I n a city context, the processes of implementation are often complicated by the size of the services involved and by the historical development of complicated service structures.

I f this strategy is to succeed in achieving its overall vision for improving the pitch provision in Edinburgh, more of the same will not be good enough. A commitment amongst all the providers to a rationalised approach will be key. Central to this should be a far greater partnership between providers and users.

Research Synopsis

Key conclusions:

The major difficulties faced in obtaining any significant response from user clubs reflects the significant lack of a genuine partnership between the Council and the clubs and especially a cynicism about the likelihood of anything being done to improve the situation

No plans existed in any of the relevant organisations to deal with the pitch issues being identified through this process

10

Key Issue

Common practice

Steering Group

Updating and review

Feedback and consultation

Broad Action

All agencies and departments need to sign up to an agreed implementation approach

Inter-departmental officers' group needs to be established to oversee implementation

Build links to the Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy and Open Space Framework

Strengthen the role and functions of user groups and forums

11

SECTION 2: FROM GOALS TO ACTION The Strategy Group reviewed its goals carefully and agreed that the detailed actions it was to propose fell into four categories:

Establishing Edinburgh Quality Standards for pitch quality and maintenance

Building an Investment Programme to deliver real improvements for pitch provision in Ed in burgh

Integrating pitch policy considerations into wider Planning Policy

Creating Eflective Partnerships built on improved management and booking practices

I n the remainder of this report, these categories are expanded in detail to form the core action plan for the implementation of this strategy over a three year period. A summary of all the action areas is given in tabular form in Appendix 2 to this report.

The broad actions identified and developed in Phase One have been reviewed and reorganised below to avoid overlaps and to expand, where necessary, the detail required for implementation. A considerable amount of extra work has been done by the Strategy Group to build the approaches and processes to deliver the strategy and the overall pitches database has been reviewed and reorganised as required. All of these aspects are reported below.

EDINBURGH QUALITY STANDARDS Quality is the biggest challenge facing pitch managers and providers in Edinburgh. As can be seen from the analysis of consultation responses in Appendix 1, the sports do not believe they are getting either a good service or have any hope of one in the public sector. This is, in the main, due to pitches not having been seen as a priority and suffering from the dual problems of budget cuts and the impact of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) on the specialist skills base in grounds maintenance agencies.

I n Phase One, an extensive piece of work was done to build the database of sports pitches in the city and the pitch quality and changing was evaluated against a simple model developed by South Lanarkshire Council. The Strategy Group was concerned that this model was too simplistic and did not, for instance, separate pitch quality from changing facilities. The Group has, therefore, developed The Edinburgh Standard for Pitches, against which to grade the pitches of the City and to plan for future investment. I n the same vein, the Group has also developed a set of maintenance specifications designed both to improve the pitches and maintain that quality in future. This standard has been welcomed by sportscotland.

I n terms of Council owned pitches, the Group agreed that more coordinated action was required to ensure that quality measures and processes delivered "Best Value" and proposals are included to achieve this. Also, there was concern that that standards agreed for Council pitches apply to those which were no longer maintained by the Council itself, especially those in Smart School's Initiative develop men ts . The Strategy Group was concerned about the varying maintenance specifications applying to Council owned pitches and about problems with the quality of maintenance delivery. It was agreed that a new specification should be established in discussion with the Environmental and Consumer Services Department, which should focus on quality outputs and not on simple operational measures as at present. The Group agreed that there should be two levels to the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches for maintenance, reflecting the differing needs of the higher quality and most heavily used pitches and of those with less use. The outline of this Standard is included as Appendix 3.

The Environmental and Consumer Services Department has costed the implementation of the improved specification and the costs are indicated in the Resources section of the report below. I t should be noted that Environmental and Consumer Services has indicated that it has the staff to carry out the extra work. There would be a requirement to provide some new equipment for the

12

service and, again, the implications of this are included below.

Clearly, any improvement in standards will have cost implications which will have to be considered within the budgets of the individual departments involved and the quality standards will only be achieved if resources can be made available. The implications in the main of the improved standards will impact on the Cultural and Leisure Department, although the Children and Families Department will apply this standard through its Smart School's Initiative programme.

Action EQS 1

Establish an Edinburgh Quality Standard for both pitches and changing facilities and apply this to all the pitches in the City

Note: The proposed Edinburgh Standard for Pitches is attached as Appendix 3 and the provisions have been applied within the Master List of Pitches, Appendix 4

Action EQS 2

Create a Pitch Quality Group with representatives from all relevant departments to oversee the implementation of the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches

Note: This Group would comprise representatives from the Cultural and Leisure, Children and Families and Environmental and Consumer Services Departments of the City Council and from Edinburgh Leisure.

Action EQS 3

Develop and agree a detailed pitch maintenance specification based on the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches in Appendix 3

Action EQS 4

Agree mechanisms with Environmental and Consumer Services for the delivery of the new specifications

Note: Consideration will need to be given to the capacity of Environmental and Consumer Services to deliver the new standards both from a personnel and an equipment perspective. As part of this, consideration will need to be given to the reintroduction of dedicated grounds staff at major pitch venues.

INVESTING I N EDINBURGH'S PITCHES The Group identified that, in addition to the problems of ineffective maintenance, there had been a lack of any significant investment in pitch sport facilities in the City for some considerable time.

Programme One - Informal Facilities

To address this challenge, the Group identified three areas of activity which were a priority. The first was to create a programme to develop a network of multisport courts within the City. This programme is linked closely to the Play and Parks and Gardens Strategies for Edinburgh. It is hoped that by the development of this programme that informal use of specific pitches may be reduced. It is planned that this initiative should lead to the provision of four facilities per year over the next three years. These facilities may be developed through Community Partnerships.

Programme Two - Raising the Standard of Local Provision

The second programme comprises a major commitment to upgrade the public pitches in Council ownership throughout the City. It is proposed that the following commitments be made:

0

0

To ensure that all pitches are of a t least Category C by the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches

To ensure that all changing which is available for public use is either Category I or I1 by the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches

The consequence of these two commitments is a major investment programme in improving pitches,

13

in the main by improving drainage. I n terms of changing facilities, it is proposed that there should be no Category 3 facilities in the City, This will be achieved by a major programme of renovation of existing facilities, investing where relevant in portacabin provision and by closing and removing facilities where these are no longer needed or viable.

The detailed proposals are included in Appendix 2 and the financial requirements in the resources section of the report below.

Programme Three - Major Pitch Sports Venues The final programme is designed to provide the City with a network of high quality venues where the best possible facilities are available to promote both the growth of pitch sports and the improvement in standards of performance.

It is proposed that a network of six quality venues, distributed throughout the city, be established covering the needs of the whole City and with a minimum requirement of the following facilities:

One semi-final/final pitch

Grade I Changing facilities

Social Facilities

At least three other A or B quality supporting pitches

At least two 7-a-side pitches

At least one floodlit synthetic grass full size pitch with an extra area for 5 or 7-a-side play

"Field Turf" synthetic surfaces where appropriate

Facilities fully open to public use

The six venues proposed for investment are:

Jack Kane Centre (East)

The Gyle (West)

Saughton (West)

Meggetland Playing Fields

Inverleith Park (Central)

Craigroyston High School

Also worth noting, is the partnership work currently in hand with one of the city's senior football teams to create a centre of football excellence in the north of the City.

Further, work is also underway with a private developer to create a quality outdoor recreation provision at the former Cramond Campus

The detailed proposals for each site are included in Appendix 5 together with estimates of the relevant costs.

Action IEP 1

Create a 3 year programme to construct 12 informal multisport courts throughout the City linked to the implementation of the Parks and Gardens Strategy

Action IEP 2

Develop a 3 year investment programme to ensure that the majority of Edinburgh's publicly bookable pitches are at least category C and that there is no category I11 changing accommodation left in the City

Action IEP 3

Establish a network of 6 major pitch venues to meet the needs of the growth and

14

development of pitch sports

Action IEP 4

Monitor levels of provision and demand and develop longer-term investment programme to maintain the quality of provision to include in particular the replacement of synthetic carpets. (We estimate based on current costs that the ongoing costs of this to be in the order of f 150-f 200k per annum)

PLANNING POLICY Sports pitches provide an important component of the City’s open space provision and vital informal space when not being used formally for matches. The pressure in Edinburgh for development land is intense and one part of the rationale of this strategy has been to better inform the context of decisions about the maintenance of pitches.

The research to underpin Phase One of this initiative demonstrated that supply and demand were in reasonable equilibrium but only because players were prepared to accept very poor provision indeed. Equally, there was no strategic reserve available in terms of the advice from sportscotland and no major capacity for the growth and development of pitch sports in line with the City’s Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy.

The distribution of pitches across the city was not analysed as the nature of team sports is that fixtures are played on a home and away basis so travelling to pitches is inevitable, and players join a team because it offers an opportunity to play at a certain standard not because it happens to play loca I ly . Planning policy for pitches has been particularly influenced by National Planning Policy Guideline 11 (NPPG11) and more recently by Planning Advice Note 65 (PAN65)* produced by the Scottish Executive.

I n a specific Edinburgh context, the City’s soon to be published Open Space Framework provides the overarching structure which this strategy and the shortly to be published Parks and Gardens Strategy feed into. This means that the objectives of the Open Space Framework apply when considering the amenity value of pitches when they are not being used formally.

Mapping

The Group discussed the importance of mapping the pitches of the City to assist planning and other policy development and agreed that pitches should be considered as an important component of the plans to develop a GIS Database for a range of Council purposes.

I t was recognised that the implementation of a GIS mapping system would require staff to input the data and then the allocation of clear responsibility for updating to one Council department. The Data Management Section of City Development is prepared to contribute staff time towards the development in-house, and then Culture and Leisure will take responsibility for updating. Should the development phase take longer than 6 months to complete, the requirement for temporary staff to complete the exercise will be considered.

Open Space Framework

I n relation to the Open Space framework for Edinburgh, the Group agreed that it was vital to ensure that the specific needs for pitches were taken into consideration. The Group identified the following as key issues linking pitch provision with the wider interests of the Open Space Framework:

Access and accessibility

0 Long-term management and funding

* Planning Advice Note 65 (PAN) Planning and Open Space (2003), Scottish Executive

15

0 Developer contributions

Community access and management

Investment in quality open space

The balance between formal and informal provision

Development Plan Policy

The Steering Group discussed the mechanisms which would be necessary to create new planning guidance linked to the Strategy, within the context of the Open Space framework. It was agreed that the City Development Department would put in place the processes necessary to provide the guidance once this strategy is agreed by the Council. This advice would then be integrated into the City of Edinburgh Council's Local Plans.

The following points were identified as being important within the context of the guidance produced:

Applying NPPG 11 in an Edinburgh setting

A general presumption against development in line with the OSF

Provision of formal and informal space

Compensation for lost pitches (public and private) within a strategic framework for investment

Levels and approaches to pitch provision in new development

Linking provision to the commitment to increase physical activity and not just to the population

Building in the "Edinburgh Standard for Pitches'' in relation to replacement or compensatory provision

Identifying "cut inrr points in housing development which would require informal and then formal provision

Linking advice to this Strategy and the Strategies for Sport and Physical Recreation and Parks and Gardens

Action PP 1

Prepare supplementary planning guidance and integrate this when appropriate into relevant local plans

Action PP 2

Ensure that the Open Space Framework takes full account of the needs of pitches as part of the open space of the City

Action PP 3

Produce an agreed database on GIs

Action PP 4

Build the requirement for mapping the Council's pitch stock into the developing plans for the City-wide GIs database development

EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS The Steering Group recognised that the best use of the pitches in Edinburgh could only be achieved by the creation of effective partnerships both among the Departments and organisations providing, maintaining and managing the facilities and between the providers and the users.

This section of the Strategy makes recommendations about how these internal and external

16

relationships should develop.

Leadership

As proposed above (EQSZ), it is intended to establish a Pitch Quality Group to oversee the investment and redevelopment programmes, and to ensure that the quality pitches created receive the quality of maintenance required. This sub-group will then report to a Management Group which will oversee implementation of the whole strategy. This Management Group will comprise senior officers from all relevant Council Departments, Edinburgh Leisure and other relevant organisations.

I t is vital that the management and booking arrangements are appropriate to the quality of the overall initiative and the Steering Group proposes that the following steps be taken to simplify the booking procedures faced by the public:

Establishing the Management Group to maintain common practices across Council owned pitches

Creating a linked database to deliver a one-stop-shop booking process for pitch users

Creating a common pricing policy related to pitch and changing quality

Establishing a protocol to encourage the highest standards of customer service

Linking use and bookings to the levels of maintenance

Public Private Partnership Schools

The Steering Group welcomed the tremendous improvement in facilities which was being brought about by the Smart School's Initiative investment in the City. However, there were concerns that firstly, the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches should be incorporated into future Smart School's Initiative contracts to ensure that the Smart School's Initiative pitches were developed and maintained to the standards of the other pitches in the City. New pitches should be delivered to Category A I standard with existing pitches maintained to A/B category and changing to I standard. Secondly, it was considered important that the Smart School's Initiative were part of the integrated booking system to be developed. Schools which will be included in Smart School's Initiative have now been identified.

External Partnerships

Presently there are a variety of letting and lease agreements applying across the City's pitches which give clubs slightly more exclusive use but rarely give the Council any real benefits in terms of either income or costs. Equally, clubs rarely have the incentive or security to develop these facilities into valuable club venues. The arrangements which have led to these circumstances are generally very ad hoc and historic in nature.

It is proposed that lease and long-term let arrangements be reviewed along with the potential of building new partnerships with clubs, which will give them and the Council the opportunity to develop more club focused facilities. The priority for the partnerships should be to enhance sports development.

It is proposed that there should be three standard approaches available to clubs and these are shown in the boxes below. I t is recognised that encouraging clubs to take greater responsibility for facilities, and especially for the development of them, will require financial investment and the potential costs of this are included in the Investment section above. Appendix 4 identifies sites with the potential to be developed on a partnership basis. There should be a presumption within the contracts that all these facilities will be open to community access outside of school hours, consistent with curricular and extracurricular programmes and maintenance of quality of the facility.

For clubs which do not wish to enter into a strengthened partnership with the Council in one of the proposed new arrangements, it is suggested that they be given access through the standard booking procedure to:

A non-exclusive 1-5 year building let

A seasonal pitch booking

17

"Home Ground" identity for the venue used

~ ~ ~~

CLUB PARTNERSHIP - OPTION ONE

Description

e

e

e

e

0

e

Rationale

e

e

Long lease of pitch and building (at least 25 years)

All costs taken on by club including a full repairing lease

Club allowed to develop the site (taking account of public access)

Exclusive use

Access to council advisory service

Peppercorn rent

Allows clubs to take responsibility for their own destiny

Encourages access to external funding

Implications

Better club development

Reduced costs to clubs

Reduced costs to the Council

Reduced administration for the Council

CLUB PARTNERSHIP - OPTION TWO

Description

0

e

e

e

0

e

Rationale

e

e

Implications

e

e

e

5 - 10 year lease

Council provides basic services

Club allowed to invest in facilities beyond the level provided by the Council

Full repairing lease

Annual review by the Council

Costs related to service provided

Allows clubs to invest in facilities

Council staffing costs reduced for buildings

Clubs given more responsibility

Reduced costs to the Council

Reduced administration for the Council

Action EP 1

18

Create a Management Group to:

0

Establish and maintain common practices

Develop a linked database and integrated booking procedure

Agree a common pricing policy

Develop a protocol for improved customer care including the strengthening of consultative mechanisms

Action EP 2

Ensure future Smart School’s Initiative contracts deliver and maintain new pitches to the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches, Grade A and existing pitches to the Edinburgh Standard for Pitches, Grade B and all changing at category I

Action EP 3

Link Smart School’s Initiative provision into the integrated booking system

Action EP 4

Review all leasing arrangements and develop a standard approach

Action EP 5

Develop and promote new partnership arrangements with clubs

Action EP 6

Provide partnership funding to encourage club-led development of facilities in line with the suggestions in the INVESTMENT SECTION above.

19

SECTION 3 RESOURCES I n this section, the revenue and capital implications of the strategy are summarised. Discussions have taken place with sportscotland about the possibility of capital funding being provided from the national lottery. Lottery funding is declining and sportscotland is presently reviewing its investment processes. Nonetheless, it is hoped that the radical nature of this Strategy might well be one with which it would want to be associated.

Reference has been made above to a renewed approach to developing partnerships with clubs and one reason for doing this is to encourage clubs to access external funding. However, the reality is that these sources are limited and the Council may well find that it has to be the main funder of these partnership arrangements if they are to happen. The Council will, however, gain revenue savings from these new partnership arrangements.

The Strategy proposes a three-year action plan for local pitch improvements and a five-year plan for the development of major venues. The table below summarises the main capital and revenue spends proposed. A more detailed breakdown is given in the relevant appendices.

At first sight, the total cost of the improvements and developments seems daunting. However, the Council’s recent decision to double the annual revenue funding for parks development from €look to f200k in 2006/07, and the inclusion of €1.9m in the three year capital programme for parks and pitch upgrading, represents very significant first steps. Also, many other potential sources of funding are available including sportscotland grants, Planning Agreement, the use of the Prudential framework, partnership funding from clubs, etc. I t is a critical part of the implementation process for the strategy partners to work together on an on-going basis to bring together the funding packages, both large and small, to implement the overall plan.

I n that context, both the capital and revenue projections are designed in such a way that they can be spread over the number of years which the availability of resources dictates. The three-year revenue projection and the five-year capital projection are, in the view of the strategy group, the optimum to achieve the best impact for the City but, nonetheless, they are only indicative targets.

I t is clear that the individual Council Departments involved will have to make their own decisions about the priority of the pitches strategy in the context of their overall budget positions but it is hoped that they will commit in principle to the process and to the overall vision and goals, and to seeking to find the resources involved.

The figures in the informal facilities and local pitch improvement programme may be reduced by Partnership funding. The target for partnership funding would be 30% of the total capital funding.

There is also a need to take into account the staffing support required for the implementation of the strategy. It is recommended that that a full time temporary post be created within Cultural and Leisure Services to oversee the GIS database development and the implementation of the strategy.

20

CAPITAL REVENUE

YEAR5 1 l;:, Annum

ACTION DESCRIPTION CAPITAL

YEAR 1

CAPITAL

YEAR 2

CAPITAL

YEAR 3

CAPITAL

YEAR 4

EQS 4 New Pitch Maintenance regime

IEP 1 Informal Facilities

f l O O k f l O O k f l O O k

1

f1.154m 1 IEP 2 Local Pitch Improvement Program m e

f 2.051m f 2.154m

IEP 3 Major Pitch Venues

f 1.27m f 1.613m

f 2OOk -L IEP 4 Enhancement of Synthetic Pitch Carpets

EP1 f 25k Booking Database

f 3.867m f 1.254m f 4m Totals f 3.446m f2OOk 1 f 5 0 k

Note: The above figures anticipate expenditure from a variety of sources - sportscotland, Planning Agreement, the use of the Prudential framework, partnership funding from clubs, as well as core funding from the City Council.

21

APPENDIX 1

PHASE ONE - RESEARCH AND CONSULTATIVE DATA

22

Approach and Process Identifying the Present Levels of Provision

This element of the initiative was carried out by a team within the City Development Department supported by officials of other City Departments. A comprehensive database has been produced including information on the following factors:

Location (including a local map)

Ownership, maintaining organisation and manager

Composition

Present quality

Changing and other ancillary facilities

Regular users if known

Level of use if known

The database is held by City Development and demand data (referred to later in this report) was also added as described below. I t provides the City with a comprehensive and current database of all the pitches available in a format which should be easy to keep updated in the future. The following tables give an example of the types of analyses the database can provide.

23

Ownership of Pitches and Sites (Table 1)

CEC

C & L

CEC Vol . Private

Ed Sector Univ.

Zi CI a o!

Other

11 17

Tota I

154 2 5 26

14 7 9 172

109 2

58 7 2 95

29 22

31 1 49

30 8 1

17 3 2 1

136 11 50 1 19

Note: ‘OTHER” includes mineral and grass multi-purpose pitches and a small number of pitches not clearly defined by the survey. Synthetic pitches are not analysed by size and include both full and seven a side pitches

The figures in Table 1 represent the data held on the database and there are some minor gaps caused by refusals to provide adequate information, especially in the private sector.

24

A -Adequate B - Adequate C - Inadequate

35 71 24 u u

z x 33 6 6 70 u

* * 8 $ 5 8

0, Y

._ 73 * 1 r;:

I

167 (41%) 139 (34%) 95 (23%)

E * * ._ > 2 15 c .* 3

Note: Information in this section is based on the sample of pitches for which information was available and is incomplete mainly in the private sector.

*

Categorisation

The categorisation above is based on a model used by South Lanarkshire Council defined as follows:

Class A Pitches

ii! 5 0

' 2 2 0 3

't;

'8

Well maintained high specification pitches with good drainage - able to withstand heavy use over full season

* 3 2

68 (23%) 137 (45%) 94 (31%)

Be under strict control as to the use in order to preserve a high quality playing surface

Undergo renovation works during the summer in preparation for the ensuing season

Having changing accommodation for teams suitable for the size of the facility including showers, toilets etc

25

Class B Pitches

Well maintained pitches with good drainage able to withstand heavy use over the full season.

Be under control as to the use in order to preserve the playing surface

Have adequate changing, shower and toilet accommodation

Class C Pitches

Pitches located in areas of low demand, poor drainage or receiving only minimum maintenance.

Having no changing, showering or toilet accommodation

Pitches of poor quality - placed on a waiting list for improvements

Council officials have tried to apply this assessment model to the pitches in Edinburgh and we recognise the difficulties implicit in that exercise. However, consultation amongst clubs in the various sports and discussions with Council staff responsible for the maintenance and management of the public pitches would suggest that, in particular, there has been an over-generous allocation of Categories A and B and many of the category B pitches and locations might more reasonably be included in category C because of the lack of significant long term maintenance and the quality of changing facilities.

While the South Lanarkshire model has the benefit of being one which has been trialled, we suggest from this exercise that there is insufficient difference in the definitions between categories A and B and that sportscotland might consider endorsing a simpler and clearer definition and hopefully more meaningful categorisation, which separates the pitch quality from the quality of changing to draw attention to the importance of both. A new categorisation system might be as follows:

Category A- Good

0 Pitches which have been specially constructed or renovated t o provide the highest standard of playing surface and drainage

Pitches which have the highest standards of both cyclical and remedial maintenance

Pitches where informal use and access is strictly controlled

Category B- Adequate

0 Pitches which have not been specially constructed but have a good quality surface and drainage

Pitches which have good cyclical maintenance and some remedial work on an annual basis

Pitches with limited informal use

0

Category C - Poor

All other pitches

Changing could then be scored separately as:

I - Good - well-maintained, hot water, secure

I1 - Adequate/Poor - At least running water

26

Theoretical Carrying Capacity

Given the number and quality of pitches, it is possible to estimate the likely peak weekly carrying capacity. For the purpose of this part of the exercise, and recognising the comments made above on the limitations of the present categorisation system, we have assumed that:

Class A Pitches should be able to sustain at least the equivalent of 2 matches per week

Class B Pitches 2 matches per week

Class C Pitches 1 matches per week

We have focused this analysis on the provision of full size pitches for football because that is where, in the view of the Steering Group and by common acknowledgement, the main pressures apply on capacity. We have estimated the number of pitches in each category based on the proportions of the whole pitch stock analysed above.

I t is important to recognise that this is a theoretical exercise which, in reality, is complicated by use for non-match purposes like curriculum school use and informal play when the pitches are in accessible open space. Nonetheless, we believe that using the allocation above provides as useful a baseline assessment as can be obtained from other sources. The results of this allocation are included in the following table.

Table 3

Pitch Carrying Capacity

For 11 a side foot ba I I (Matches per week)

Council Pitches

I Other

A - Adequate

64

58

B - Adequate

126

4

C - Inadequate

44

1

Totals

234

63

Conclusions

This exercise suggests that the Council should have a theoretical peak capacity for 234 matches per week on full size football pitches and the City as a whole a capacity for 297 matches. As full-sized football pitches represent 34% of the City’s overall stock of pitches and 42% of the Council’s stock, this implies that the peak carrying capacity for all sports would be of the order of 557 in the Council sector and 873 overall. Given the seasonality of the various sports involved, these final figures are not particularly useful and our focus on the issue of demand later in the report will be on the crucial area of full-size football.

Accepting the assessment used suggests that around one quarter of the City’s pitches for which information is available are defined as being inadequate, and the majority of these inadequate pitches are managed or owned by the Council. One third of the pitches owned by the Council were defined as being inadequate, Our belief is that a more rigorous assessment based on customer views would show that a t least 50% of the Council’s pitch holdings should be considered to be inadequate for the modern requirements of pitch sports. This view is sustained by the qualitative aspects of this investigation reported below. The most significant aspect of the findings on pitch quality are their impact on carrying capacity, Put simply, one of the reasons that Edinburgh needs so many pitches is because of its lack of quality venues. This is an aspect to which we return later in this report.

It is important to note that almost 100% of the pitches held in the private sector are in Category A.

27

Quantifying the Present and Future Demand for Pitches

Club and League Information

This aspect of the exercise was conducted in two ways. The first was to survey the four key sports involved (football, rugby, hockey and cricket) to obtain details of their fixtures and club locations. A great deal of effort went into this part of the process by both the consultants and the officers of various departments in the Council but the response overall was poor. The contact approaches were different in each sport. The governing bodies were approached in hockey and cricket and asked to circulate questionnaires to their clubs. I n rugby, the clubs were approached directly and, finally, in football contact was made with the league secretaries and questionnaires circulated through them to clubs.

Given the size and scale of the sport, football was the most significant and a special meeting was held for football league secretaries in the City Chambers - none of the league secretaries turned up for the meeting.

The consequence of these difficulties is that it has proved impossible, with the exception of football, where we obtained all the league information eventually, to confirm any accurate estimate of present demand by this mechanism. The detailed analysis for football is given in the tables on the following two pages.

28

Main leagues playing in the City of Edinburgh area - Home games per season (Table 4)

Number of Teams with Edinburgh Games per

Number of Home

LeaguelDivision Home Pitches season

Edinburgh Sunday Amateurs Premier Division 1 st Division 2nd Division

Edinburgh and District YFA Under 12 Under 13 Under 14 Under 15 Under 16

East of Scotland Soccer Development 7s 8s 9s 1 os 11s

Lothian and Edinburgh Amateurs Premier Division Edinburgh East Edinburgh West Lothian East Lothian West

Lothian Amateurs Under 11 Under 12 Under 13 Under 14

City of Edinburgh Sunday Amateurs Group 1 Group 2

University of Edinburgh Inter-Mural League Wednesday League Saturday League Sunday League

6 7 8

17 14 6

11 8

15 26 27 30 13

12 15 10 9

7 11

24 16 16

72 84 96

340 280 108 185 86

90* 156* 162* 180* 78*

80 100 100 180 80

144 21 0 130 126

105 99

168 112 112

TOTAL 335 3663

0 Figures for the under 11s football 7‘s have been adjusted to reflect the lighter level of wear on the pitch i.e. to reflect ‘use equivalence’ rather

29

Main Leagues playing in the Edinburgh Area - Maximum matches per week on pitches in the area ( Table 5)

Number of Teams Maximum matches/ 1 .eague/Division

fdinburgh Sunday Amateurs ’remier Division I st Division !nd Division

idinburgh and District YFA Jnder 12 Jnder 13 Jnder 14 Jnder 15 Jnder 16

East of Scotland Soccer Development League 7s 8s 9s 1 os 11s

Lothian and Edinburgh Amateurs Premier Division Edinburgh East Edinburgh West Lothian East Lothian West

Lot hi an Amateurs Under 11 Under 12 Under 13 Under 14

City of Edinburgh Sunday Amateurs Group 1 Group 2

University of Edinburgh Inter-Mural League Wednesday League Saturday League Sunday League

with Edinburgh week in pitches in 1 Home Pitches Edinburgh area

6 7 8

17 14 6

11 8

15 26 27 30 13

4 5 5 9 4

12 15 10 9

7 11

24 16 16

4 4 4

14 13 6 6 4

6* 9*

1 o*

8 12 10 I

6 1

8

TOTAL 335 194 1 * Figures for the under 1 Is football 7’s have been adjusted to reflect the lighter level of wear on the pitch i.e. to reflect ‘use equivalence’ rather than actual number of matches.

30

in sources of this s and Culture and

summary concfusions from this are given in the table below.

I n this analysis, the ter is is because an pt has been made to se when the pitch is

ite. ~ ~ u a ~ ~ y , training by teams on the occasions when it a

31

be assessed is the impa

and it will cont~nue to ex 2016.

able 10

Population trends, City of E in~urgh (thousands)

Age structure

er of 16-24 year olds (a key group in sports part~cipation) has fallen eve year since 1991 (from 67,000 to 58,000). Over the same period, the number of 25-44 year olds has increased each year (from 136,000 to 153,000). This age group represented 34% of the populat~on in the year 2000 and is a group expected to increase its activity if levels of physical a ~ ~ v i t y increase in accord with the commit men^ given in the Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy. It must be a target group if the city is to be more physically active.

Conclusions

The Expansion in the City’s population is currently balanced by the decrease in the number of 16-24 year olds. This is because it is this group that is currently viewed as a key group in the use of sports facilities. However, the growth may no longer be offset as the increasing numbers of 25-44 year olds become more physically active.

Supply and Demand Comparisons

is assessment of peak demand was made by a pitc n terms of demand key being met by t

respe~ively. Looking simply at football, using the data s u m m a r ~ ~ d above, provides t analysis:

pitch review for all pitches in the Council’s e sport of football on ouncil pitches, with ivate sector and syn etic pitch provision

-l -~

i SEMXOR FOOYEALL PPTCH SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN THE

MATCHES PER WEEN I

=-----4 PACITV I 234 I

I 19 I I I 224 I

11.

33

owever, sportscotland advises that Councils should hold a strategic reserve of pitches to allow roper maintenance and resting of pitches, and to cope with the limited availability in the winter of

poor quality pitches. A reserve of 10% is suggested but given the quality issues referred to a we suggest that a minimum of 15% be considered. This would imply that Edin

peak match capacity by 35 and this would require at least 10 good quality and as is suggested elsewhere in the report, investment in ~pgrading th existing pitch sites could achieve the same result.

Dog Dirt

Pitch not cut

Identifying the main concerns of the As has been indicated above, the responses from sports and especially from clubs were relatively poor. Nonetheless, from each of the sports involved the response rate was significant enough to draw conclusions about the main issues concerning the pitch sports in Edinburgh.

The responses are summarised in the tables and charts below, and the key conclusions.

Concerns of Football Clubs

Table 12

40

43

Holes / ruts

Pitch not rolled

I Pitch not lined I 35 I 15

8

General poor quality/poor

(Sample 40 pitch users)

Table 13

Comments re. aspects of ' tenance of football

53%

e 4 sers

eed own dressing rooms I 3 I I Showers none/~na~equate/co~d/too 13 I Cost of ru~ning the pavilion 3

I Changing too small 3

ple 40 pitch users

ents re. accommodation associate football pitch use

(Sample 40 pitch users)

Table 16

010

I 20

j ~ i ~ l i n g at end of Season I 3

I 3

nee I I

35

-

(Sample 40 pitch users)

Table 18

Miscellaneous comments re. football pitch use 5% 5% 5%

(Sample 40 football pitch users)

Conclusions

The key concerns of football clubs given in the following tables:

Table 19

Showers nonef~na~equatefcol~ftoo hot

itch inspection too early 20

18

36

oot 53%

Lack of ~ o o ~ ~ ~ g h ~ i ~ g

ple size 40 users)

It is no surprise to see that the most s i g n i ~ ~ n t concerns amongst the football clubs are all related to quality and maintenance as these issues were identified early on the strategy process by the Council officers responsible for the management and maintenance of the pitches and their associated facilities.

The issue of cost we believe is also related to quality. Clubs believe they are getting very poor value for money from the Council pitches.

2

Concerns of Rugby Clubs

The majority of rugby is played on private pitches in Edinburgh either in the ownership of clubs or of the private schools. Clubs using these private facilities were broadly satisfied with the quality of provision available and despite extensive efforts, the questionnaire returns were very therefore only s ~ m m a ~ s e d the concerns of the clubs using Council facilities in the tab1

Table 21

I Lines need more ~ a r k ~ n ~ I 1

37

e 22

3.5 1 I

Comments re. rugby

3 3

2.5

2

1.5

1

0.5

0

(Sample size 7 clubs using City of Edinburgh facilities)

Conclusions

The main concern here was again quality, although in this case the quality of changing facilities.

Concerns of Hockey Clubs

The sample size for hockey was only 8 clubs, which mainly were playing at private facilities. Nonetheless, the clubs did comment on the Council's facilities and again these represented their main areas of concern.

Table 23

1

POW quality of Shortage of Vandalism I General p ~ ~ r ~ astrotlm~ pitches pitches harrassment at maintenance

pitches 3

Conclusions

The most significant finding from the survey of the hockey clubs was the concern about the maintenance of the Council's synthetic pitch stock. This points both to issues of maintenance but also to the need for a carpet replacement programme. Many Councils that invested in synthetic pitches within the last 10 years now have a major challenge in finding the resources to replace the worn out carpets. Ultimately, this can be a significant health and safety issue and it is one which requires a planned investment programme.

Concerns of Cricket Clubs

The response from cricket clubs was small with only three clubs returning questionnaires. Their comments included the following concerns:

Poor preparation and maintenance of wicket (1 club)

The effort to improve wicket and outfield surfaces this year has been largely successful (1 club)

Inadequate changing / showers / no female changing (2 clubs)

Sharing changing with rugby at start of season (1 club)

Storage of equipment at venues is a problem (1 club)

Charges for practice facilities too high (1 club)

Lack of area to serve teas (integral to cricket) (1 club)

One club indicated possible increase in provision if their development work is successful.

Conclusions

It is difficult to come to major conclusions based on this limited sample. The likely reason for the poor response is because much of the cricket in the City is played on private rather than public facilities and there are fewer concerns when the facilities are in private ownership. The Strategy Group reported that cricket clubs playing on public wickets had similar concerns about maintenance and were concerned about seasons which overlapped with the winter seasons of other sports impacting on their access.

39