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New dawn for Scottish sport
09/01/2008
Sportscotland is to merge with the Scottish Institute of Sport (SIS), creating a new national organisation.
The organisation will ensure a seamless pathway from grassroots to elite performance level, Sport Minister Stewart Maxwell said today.
He said the new organisation would be leaner and more efficient, removing the layers of bureaucracy of the previous structure, while making sure the interests of sport remain paramount.
It will retain the name sportscotland - a strong recognised brand within the market place - and will be responsible for overseeing the development of sport at all levels, providing both Government and Lottery funding. It will continue to deliver expert advice and provide support services to sport.
Mr Maxwell also announced that the new organisation's HQ will move to Glasgow. The relocation process will begin as soon as possible.
The Government will create a number of de-centralised delivery hubs which will provide expertise and advice to local authorities and Scottish governing bodies of sport.
It is proposed to create four new sportscotland hubs: one in Glasgow, alongside the new HQ, as well as in Edinburgh, Stirling and Aberdeen, building even stronger links with sport across the country.
Staff from the former Scottish Institute of Sport will continue to be given the lead role in delivering high performance sport and will remain in Stirling.
A new single board will be established from the existing sportscotland and SIS boards.
Mr Maxwell said:
"Scottish sport needs a single, streamlined national body, which recognises that mass participation and elite performance are part of the same spectrum.
"I want to simplify the sporting landscape and ensure this new organisation delivers for sport in a more effective and efficient manner, which will benefit the whole of Scotland.
"Merging sportscotland and the Scottish Institute of Sport will remove the unnecessary layers of bureaucracy that currently exist.
"The feedback from the review of sportscotland indicated that the majority want to retain a national agency for sport, but all agreed that there is a pressing need to simplify the current sporting landscape.
"We had no intention of simply riding roughshod over expert opinion: we've listened and responded accordingly.
"The sportscotland name has been retained because our priority is about increasing participation and delivering sporting excellence, not wasting time or money on an unnecessary re-branding exercise.
"The relocation to Glasgow gives a strong message of how important the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be in the future and to the wider sports development agenda across Scotland. I want the move to take place as soon as possible.
"It is crucial we offer more choices and more chances for young people to take part in sport across Scotland. We face a significant challenge to increase participation rates, but it's one that must be tackled."
A review of public bodies was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth on 24 May, and it was within this context that a review of sportscotland was undertaken. The review examined whether sportscotland's current functions continued to be necessary and, if so, which organisational arrangements would be most effective in delivering them.
The principal organisations that represent sports interests in Scotland have been consulted. In addition, others such as COSLA, the Scottish Institute of Sport, the Area Institutes of Sports and the Commonwealth Games Council gave their feedback.
In line with Scottish Government policy, there will be no compulsory reduncancies as a result of the reorganisation announced today.