ESC Sport Commission budget cut ‘premature’
THE Sports Commission should not give up hope of staving off a swingeing cut to its budget of more than £1m. by 2030.
It was announced yesterday that the Education, Sport & Culture committee intended to axe most of the Commission’s budget for delivering the States’ sports strategy.
The Government Work Plan, published by the Policy & Resources Committee, claimed that the budget of approximately £250,000 a year would be cut in half next year and by two-thirds between 2025 and 2030.
But Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who is also a trustee of the commission, thinks the claim may have been published prematurely.
‘I would say that I was surprised to see those figures included when the commission is still in negotiation with ESC. I think they may be getting ahead of themselves there,’ she said.
Deputy Soulsby encouraged ESC to think again about cutting the commission’s budget.
‘Were this significant reduction in funding to become a reality, it would have a serious impact on the level of provision in secondary schools,’ she said.
‘The commission provides amazing value for money which the States would be unlikely to match.’
She asked ESC to look instead for efficiency savings in the services which it provides itself.
‘It does feel like ESC is taking an easy route by cutting the budget of others when the biggest opportunities for savings exist in their own operations,’ she said.
Graham Chester, the commission’s operations director, said it was aware of the proposed cuts in the Government Work Plan.
‘The commission needs time to consider how and where this may impact our work,’ he said.
‘We look forward to continuing to discuss the funding proposals with ESC and do not wish to say anything more publicly until these discussions have concluded.’
The Government Work Plan will be debated by the States next month.
