Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1     Background Information

     

1.1    At Committee on 11th October 2012 Members approved the draft budget and work plan for the Amateur Boxing Strategy 2012-2022.  The implementation of the Strategy is overseen by a Steering Group, comprising of representatives from IABA, Ulster Council, Antrim Boxing, Sport NI and Council officers.

 

1.2    Members will be aware that within the Strategy two Casual Boxing Coaches posts and a Sports Development Officer post were to be implemented to deliver the strategic plan in partnership with key stakeholders IABA, UBC and SNI.

 

2.      Key Issues and Update

 

2.1   Work is ongoing on the four key areas of the Strategy namely Pathways, Coach Education, Club support and  development and Governance which aim to increase participation; develop and train coaches, volunteers and officials; support club development and improving governance.

 

2.2   Two casual coaches and a Sports Development Officer have been appointed and are currently delivering the work plan. To date community and schools programmes have introduced boxing sessions and related activities to 1500 participants over 40 locations citywide since April 2014. The programme includes cross-community workshops and special needs sessions citywide.

 

2.3    Events have also been funded as part of the Strategy with Co Antrim Boxing organising four events to date in Belfast with the latest the Box Belfast Cup at Shankill LC on 30-31^st May 2014. A Day of Boxing was held for the first time involving 8 clubs and over 500 youths in March 2014.

 

2.4    To date 35 coaches and officials have been upskilled via the Strategy and partnership work has secured £25,000 from Active Belfast for Midnight Boxing to involve all clubs during July and August 2014.

 

3       Programme Plan and Resource Implications

 

3.1   Members should note that spending was limited in Year 1 (2013/4) due to Sports Development Officer only taking post in December 2013 and Coaches (x2) employed from March 2014.

 

         Action plans

 

         The Steering Group has adopted a three year work-plan annually as follows for the development of Belfast Boxing:

 

      Pathways

-       Events budget £50,000 minimum of 7 local and international Belfast events.

-       Try it Participation events and Day of Boxing in Belfast £20,000.

 

      Coach Education

-       Coach Education programme £15,000 including level 2 / 1 Star and Disability courses and workshops.

 

      Club Support and Development

-       Staffing £75,000 (SDO and x2 Coaches)

-       Good relations workshops £10,000

-       Volunteer and club resources and support £10,000

-       New start-ups and club support £10,000

 

      Governance

-       No action in 2014/5 as we await IABA programme of activities.

 

3.2Financial

      The table below indicates the spending to date from the 2013/2014 and based on the programme of work outlined in 3.1 a budget for 2014/2015 under the four strategic areas.  The agreed budget of £200,000 remains unchanged

 

Area	Total available (£200,000)	Spend Yr 1 2013/4	Spend Yr 2 2014/5 to date	2014/5 Proposed budget
Pathways (includes events)	£37,000	£23,462.35	£15,026.36	£72,000 (+£35,000) Events -£50k
Coach Education	£20,000	£0	£4,026	£15,000 (-£5,000)
Club Support (includes salaries)	£115,000	£6443.06	£10,000 est	£105,000 (-10,000)
Governance	£20,000	£0	£0	£0 (-£20,000)
Total	£192k	£29,905.41	£ 29,052.36	£200k

 

3.3    The Steering Group is recommending the budgetary changes as indicated above for the 2014/5 budget owing to an increase in the budget required to support the schedule of 2014/5 Belfast based Boxing events.  The Steering group have indicated that the changes to be made will not impact negatively on any other provision within the strategy.

 

         Members should note that spending was limited in Year 1 (2013/4) due to Sports Development Officer only taking post in December 2013 and Coaches (x2) employed from March 2014.

 

         Action plans

 

         The Steering Group has adopted a three year work-plan annually as follows for the development of Belfast Boxing:

 

         Pathways

-       Events budget £50,000 minimum of 7 local and international Belfast events.

-       Try it Participation events and Day of Boxing in Belfast £20,000.

 

         Coach Education

-       Coach Education programme £15,000 including level 2 / 1 Star and Disability courses and workshops.

 

         Club Support and Development

-       Staffing £75,000 (SDO and x2 Coaches)

-       Good relations workshops £10,000

-       Volunteer and club resources and support £10,000

-       New start-ups and club support £10,000

 

Governance

-       No action in 2014/5 as we await IABA programme of activities.

 

3.4    Club Support

         New clubs are to be encouraged under the Strategy (Club Support and Development) as such funding has been ratified by the Steering Group of £10,000 per annum to support this aim. A process on guidelines is under development to provide access to this fund.  A further report will be brought to Committee in August to agree the mechanism and support guidelines.

 

4       Equality and Good Relations Considerations

 

4.1    The Amateur Boxing Strategy was equality screened in line with the Council’s equality process. The screening showed that there were potential adverse impacts on a number of groups including females and people with a disability and mitigating actions were added to the strategy to address these.

 

5       Recommendations

 

5.1    To agree to the revisions in the budget areas within the Strategy as recommended by the Strategy Steering Group.”

 

The Committee adopted the recommendation.