Have just returned from Institute Sport Parks and Leisure (ISPAL) 2010 National Conference entitled “Leading into a New Era”. An enjoyable day yet one that left me with a number of serious concerns.

The day set out to address three key concerns. In the first instance the focus was on securing better services for less and in so doing promoting the concept of partnership working to new levels of effectiveness and dynamism. A third identified theme for consideration was rising to the challenge of delivering an effective Olympic legacy.

Each of these issues was of course prefaced by discussion of the severe financial constraints faced and the lack of evident clear thinking as yet from the Coalition Government on its thinking regarding sport and leisure policy. This was demonstrated in the weakest session of the gathering, when DCMS representative Paul Bolt spoke in woolly terms about the future funding of leisure, the new freedoms granted to local authorities through the reduction of Big Government and the over reliance on the lottery for funding purposes..

I was struck throughout the day by the evident openness of Local Authority representatives to new thinking and the willingness to engage with their local communities regarding new demands, however, with the new funding climate the situation does call for more radical and imaginative ideas in order to sustain public backing, support increasing participation levels as well as the battle against the growing sedantry life-style of many UK citizens.

My other abiding reflection on the proceedings concerns the issue of Olympic Legacy which appears to be ever more London based. Though it would be foolish to see a modern Olympics as little more than a City Olympics, too much of the focus on long-term legacy is based on the South East and most notably projects in the Lea Valley. Those in the North and West are understandably aggrieved with this.