Focus on local sporting facilities

Tony Travers

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The Beijing Olympics have marked China's coming of age as a modern industrialised country.

The attention of the world on China will, for good or for evil, change the way we think about it. British competitors are the bridge between the current games and those to take place in London in 2012.

Athletes, swimmers and the host of other sports involved will expect to gear up in Britain from next week onwards.

Over the past two weeks, Britain's Olympians have astounded many with their success. But many of the medal winners in Beijing started their sporting lives on council tracks, pools and recreation grounds.

They will have had to train, summer and winter, day and night, to win. As Britain comes to terms with its position as the next Olympic host, the implications for local government could become a serious issue.

The difficulty is, many councils have for years concentrated their resources on education, social services, regeneration and culture. Sport has rarely been much of a priority.

Many athletes and swimmers have had to put up with grim facilities and little chance of financial support. In fairness, public opinion has tended to favour pumping resources into services for children and the elderly, or improving town centres.

There will be a risk, from now onwards, of a developing media chorus of disapproval about the lack of good practice facilities for 2012 Olympians.

There will be stories about swimmers travelling from London to Sheffield to find a decent pool, or of young people denied opportunities because school playing fields have been sold off. Unhelpfully, there will be a fair amount of truth in the accusations.

Preparations for London 2012 could hardly have come at a worse time for local authorities. The spending settlement for the next three years is tight and it is unlikely there will be much change when the 2009 spending review occurs.

Councils will have to make the best of their existing facilities and, increasingly, team up with other institutions to improve their sporting offer.

The private sector and other parts of the state have much to offer local government. Health clubs, public schools, universities and the armed forces often have better sports facilities than anything most councils own.

There will need to be a concerted effort, and soon, to find what sports facilities can be brought into local public use.

Any perception councils might fail to provide good sports opportunities in advance of the 2012 Olympics could damage local government's reputation. As the closing ceremony flickers across British TV screens, councillors and officials need to imagine their own plans to compete effectively with the successful Chinese venture now coming to an end.

If authorities get it right, of course, they will be able to take some of the credit for the London medal haul. If they get it wrong, the public may not forgive them. Beijing should prompt action to improve local sport.