Business case to create regional sports hubs 'not immediately obvious'

Report published into the affordability of the move

A business case for substantial change and alteration of existing sports facilities on the Island is 'not immediately obvious'.

That's the conclusion of a report looking at the affordability of turning the swimming pools into regional sports hubs.

Back in January, the Long Term Strategic Plan for Regional Sports Hubs report was published and was supposed to be assessing the possibility of creating regional sports hubs on the Island.

However, in the 300 page document, only one and a half pages made reference to them.

Now, an update to that report has looked at the affordability of the move.

In its conclusions, it says there's already an 'exceptional' range of sporting facilities across the Island, and that while co-located facilities would always be encouraged, the business case to change the current arrangements isn't immediately obvious.

It adds that the Department of Education, Sport and Culture should work collaboratively with the regional pool boards to understand how joint working may deliver a greater cost benefit and potentially standardise the services offered.

It's also been recommended that the National Sports Centre remain the premier national sporting hub.

Regional swimming pools, it says, should be an important part of the sporting community offering across the Island.

A promise has been made to give the Council of Ministers an update on the progress of this work by September.