Ahead of the Sport Governance conference - taking place at The Cardiff City Stadium on Monday 28th October 2013, Sport Wales’ Chief Executive Sarah Powell, tells us why excellence in governance is crucial in delivering the Vision for Sport in Wales.
As newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, I am excited about the future for sport and the sector. It is becoming increasingly clear that the sector has such a significant and far reaching role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s vision of creating a prosperous and active nation.
We continue to grow and improve:
· There has been an almost 50% increase in the number of Welsh children taking regular part in sport and physical activity
· NGB club membership is at an all-time high - now over 500,000
· We’ve seen a 37% increase in active coaches
· Commonwealth Games 2014 is just around the corner and expectations are riding high
Clearly sport is not standing still and neither should the structures to support it. That’s why I’m delighted that we’re hosting this conference.
Effective leadership, robust governance and strong financial management may not be the glamorous buzzwords of sport but – make no mistake – they are the backbone to any successful organisation. This is why we expect a strong attendance at next week’s conference.
Strong governance is not just for the sake of bureaucracy; it’s about complying with legal standards and leads to a smooth-running, efficient business. Organisations need to take this seriously, there can be dire consequences.
Sport Wales has a duty to protect public funds and this is a role we take very seriously. This is why we are putting in place a stronger programme of education and upskilling than ever before which is focused on financial management and good governance.
The conference, which is being delivered in partnership with UK Sport’s Legal Panel Framework and the Sport & Recreation Alliance, has the following aims:
To introduce the UK Code of Good Governance and offer support on the Code Principles; - To provide an opportunity to engage with, and consider the practical application of the Code of Good Governance;
- To address hot topics which have legal implications for NGBs.
It is our collective duty to ensure these principles are lived. They need to be built into the everyday actions of our organisations and our boards. They cannot just sit on the shelf to gather dust.
We recognise that governing bodies are now being run as small businesses and, as such need to address issues such as potential conflicts of interest, risk management and appropriate financial controls. Diversity of board membership – looking at gender, ethnicity and age - is also crucial in order that your decision makers reflect your membership. It can be a minefield but we are here to help.
Sport Wales will continue working in partnership with the other home country sports councils to develop resources, workshops and to provide support to help drive the sector forward.
By working together and ensuring good governance, we will be able to ensure that public funds are spent as effectively as possible and delivers our best returns.
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