Newry, Mourne and Down District Council: Sports Facility - Multi Sports Hub
Overview
The Multi Sports Hub review has outlined a number of strategic recommendations that identified proposals on how Council will support the development of Multi Sports Hubs and sports facilities in the district moving forward including:
1. Council investing in Council-owned facilities.
2. Council investing in partnership with other statutory-owned facilities.
3. Council investing in partnership with the community/voluntary sector.
This financial assistance call for Multi Sports Hubs relates to point three above and Council investing in partnership with the community/voluntary sector to help address the needs identified in the Sports Facilities Strategy Review - Multi Sports Hubs document.
Council are now progressing an initial ‘Expression of Interest’ with the view to supporting potential community/voluntary projects that are approved and can be completed within the period of 2023/24 or 2024/25, with a key focus on the provision on sports pitches to address the under provision of training facilities for association football, gaelic games, and rugby in the Slieve Gullion, Slieve Croob, Crotlieve, and Rowallane District Electoral Areas (DEA’s).
Sports Facilities - Multi-Sports Hub projects must complement the programme aims and objectives as outlined below.
Expression of interest applications are open from noon Wednesday 26 April 2023 and close at noon Tuesday 30 May 2023
Aim:
Council will provide 50% match funding up to £500,000 for individual projects per District Electoral Area (DEA) that can demonstrate how they address the needs outlined in Council’s Sports Facilities Strategy – Multi Sports Hub review and meet the criteria outlined below as part of a three-stage process. Stage 1 Expression of Interes
Criteria
The Sports Club and associated project must be located in one of the four designated DEA locales as identified in the Council’s Sports Facilities Strategy – Multi Sports Hub review:
- Crotlieve,
- Rowallane,
- Slieve Croob
- Slieve Gullion
Stage 1 Expression of Interest
- Section 1 – Organisational detail basic requirements Applicants must submit the application form and all the details required by the closing date/time (the EGMS will not allow the submission of late applications).
Applications must:
- Meet the criteria of the programme applied under (see Section 2).
- Be approved by two office bearers,
- Have all relevant documents uploaded:
- Proof of group legal status / constitution.
- Evidence of land ownership / long-term lease title for a minimum of 25-year period.
- Health and Safety policies relevant to a managing a Sports Facility.
- Accounts / Income and Expenditure / Independently examined accounts.
- Section 2 – Programme detail basic requirements
Projects must satisfy the below criterion scored as a Pass/Fail:
1. The Sports Club and associated project must be located in one of the four designated DEA locales as identified in the Council’s Sports Facilities Strategy – Multi Sports Hub review, these are:
- Crotlieve
- Rowallane
- Slieve Croob
- Slieve Gullion
Please note: The pitch and deliverables must be located in the relevant DEA.
2. The Project meets the necessity for training sports provision outlined in the Council’s Sports Facilities Strategy – Multi Sports Hub Review for sports clubs and organisations within the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
3. The Project is in receipt and can provide ‘Letters of Support’ to Council from a minimum of two differing Sporting governing bodies for local clubs within the same DEA that will utilise the facility. The letter(s) must refer to the sports clubs intended use of the facility and acknowledge the partnership arrangements as outlined in Point 5 below.
4. The Project is in receipt of a fully approved current planning permission letter and must upload evidence of same.
5. Evidence of partnership agreement on the project regarding shared pitch provision with a minimum of two additional sporting bodies, including a minimum of two board member signatures from each local club within your DEA on the agreement. NB: Partnership agreement letters can only be from organisations with their base in the DEA where the project will be delivered.
6. A robust Business case, approved at Club committee level, outlining financial and non-financial considerations for the project.
Organisations that are uncertain whether they are eligible for funding are advised to discuss this with the relevant Council Officers before submitting Expression of Interest forms to minimise unnecessary effort.