Bad sports policy

Published: 3 December, 2010

• SLASHING funding for school sports will hit children hard.

Westminster school children have been enjoying a surge in sports participation thanks to the resources and partnership working brought about by the School Sports Programme, now being axed by the government.

Participation rates, which were extremely low a few years ago (not helped by the limits on opportunities available in inner-cities), have leaped from 55 per cent to almost 100 per cent of local children doing at least two hours of physical education or sport a week. 

Half of that number do more than three hours.

Westminster sports partnership stands to lose around £400,000 a year if the cuts go ahead. 

These cuts are a tragedy for local children, for our communities and our future sporting potential. Athletes don’t usually arrive fully formed as potential world-beaters. They need to be found and nurtured through school and after-school clubs. 

The kids who aren’t necessarily tomorrow’s champions still benefit because these activities improve health and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Westminster has an excellent sports unit, and in recent years we have seen considerable improvements in sporting provision, as these figures show. 

Now there is a risk that this will all be thrown away.

KAREN BUCK
MP for Westminster North