A successful Council and RST partnership: Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce
Overview
All around the country, Regional Sports Trusts (RSTs) and their local Councils have many shared objectives – notably to do with supporting participation, club sustainability, and best use of facilities. But despite this synergy, many RSTs and Councils remain in a basic funder/provider relationship and don’t work together as effectively as they could. Often, the organisations duplicate roles, and lack clarity in their responsibilities and goals. As well as being inefficient, this situation can be a barrier for clubs in accessing quality information and support.
An excellent example of ‘closing the gap’ comes from Sport Waitakere and Waitakere City Council. The organisations created the Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce in 2006, to support a Partnership Agreement. The Taskforce sees the two organisations sharing thinking, resources and processes, and utilising each other’s strengths for the benefit of the local community.
This case study explores the operational practicalities of the taskforce: who is involved, when meetings are held, what processes are followed, and what the benefits are. For details about the Partnership Agreement, please read: Waitakere: A case study in relationship building. For details about a specific local project, please read: Waitakere athletic clubs’ partnership increases youth participation in athletics.
Structure
The Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce is one of the key shared projects of the Sport Development Strategy. This is a framework to guide the work of people, groups and organisations in Waitakere that coordinate and develop sport. Both Sport Waitakere and Waitakere City Council have a significant role to play, especially in the success of goal 2 of the strategy: to develop dynamic, coordinated and sustainable networks of high quality clubs. This has become one of the shared projects agreed in the organisations’ 2007-2010 Partnering Agreement. The integration of RST and TA knowledge and resources reduces duplication, and results in an improved service to clubs and a greater impact on club development.
The Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce team consists of four staff from Council’s Leisure Services and Parks Assets units; and three from Sport Waitakere’s Sport Development team. “When we need to, we can pull in additional people, such as Council field maintenance staff. Through Sport Waitakere funding, the taskforce also has an annual budget to bring in specialist consultants that can add value to the project,” says Rob McGee, Waitakere City Council’s Recreation Planner and taskforce member.
The taskforce meets once a month, for a couple of hours each time. The location alternates between the two organisations’ offices. The responsibility for chairing meetings and taking minutes also alternates. “We share duties. No-one has one responsibility,” explains Rob.
Both organisations continually get requests to meet with clubs from around the city. When this happens, a set process is always followed. “We inform everyone on the taskforce. Ideally, one member from each organisation goes along to the club meeting – so you get both perspectives. The club or project issues are then reported back to the taskforce. We talk about the people and skills that will be needed. [A taskforce member] is selected to head the project and lead all communications to the club.”
Ensuring all communications with the club pass through a single person is a key to success, Rob says. “It’s important the club gets one strong message from both organisations. It makes a big difference.”
The taskforce tracks details on all the clubs being worked with – about 30 at any one time. Sometimes it’s just for a bit of advice, sometimes it’s in-depth support. Areas of focus include: recruiting volunteers, club strategic plans, governance, leases, building development, and amalgamation/joint ventures with other clubs.
Taskforce meetings essentially see members reviewing projects and discussing forward actions, so everyone is up-to-date with what’s going on. Over-arching all the projects, the taskforce has specific goals to report back on, as part of a sport development strategy, which are renewed every three years. Additional meetings are held to discuss the progress against the overall strategy and to develop annual actions plans.
“The strategy is important. You have to agree on your [Council and RST’s] shared objectives. It’s important to understand and align roles and responsibilities,” observes Rob.
Initiatives
Examples of projects the taskforce has supported include:
- Encouraging a joint venture. At Taipari Strand Reserve, there is a rowing club, a kayaking and multisport club, a water ski club and a sea scouts club. All have their own facilities, and all are struggling to maintain them. The rowing club approached Council to discuss new rowing facilities, and Council got the taskforce involved. “We went to the rowing club and talked about a joint venture project with the other clubs. They liked it. So we met with the other clubs and presented a plan of action for shared facilities. At present we have engaged a consultant to explore the options for a joint venture – the clubs are enthusiastic,” says Rob.
- Supporting participation in the LTCCP. In 2009, the taskforce supported the participation of sports clubs in developing the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) submission. Sport Waitakere hosted a workshop, inviting clubs to attend. Council presented the draft plan, and discussed key areas of the draft LTCCP that would potentially impact on clubs and why clubs might consider making a submission. Sport Waitakere then helped clubs to focus on what they most wanted/needed, developing a collective submission for around 30 clubs. This was presented to council. “It was a real success. We got a sport-wide focus rather than an individual club focus,” says Rob.
- Supporting club sustainability. The taskforce facilitated discussions between two adjacent bowls clubs – one for men, the other for women. Both clubs were struggling, with the men’s well on the way to closing down. Instead, the discussions led to the two clubs amalgamating, ensuring a sustainable club for all players.
Key benefits
- Support sport development strategy. For every project, the taskforce keeps the Sport Development Strategy in mind. As such, the taskforce supports – and is accountable for achieving - the long-term objectives of both Waitakere City Council and Sport Waitakere.
- Quality information to/from clubs. Clubs have a single channel of clear information, from both organisations. Equally, clubs’ issues are heard by the right people in both organisations, wherever the initial contact is made.
- Efficiency. “In a difficult operating environment there’s no sense in duplicating roles,” emphasises Rob. The taskforce is a streamlined way to address issues and deliver on the strategy across both organisations.
- Credibility. The taskforce carries the credibility of having both Council and RST involvement. Especially if negotiation is involved, this credibility can help to speed a result.
- A wide pool of knowledge. The taskforce members have much knowledge. The community issues and the best actions to follow are rigorously debated before a collective decision is agreed.
Looking ahead
“The challenge now is to extend beyond just Council and Sport Waitakere. We want to build better relationships with Regional Sport Organisations – that’s our next focus,” says Rob.
By doing this, the taskforce can help RSO’s to strengthen their leadership of the clubs within their codes. “We can help them to develop a strategic plan on club development which we can then support.”
Overall, the future is all about refining and building – not changing. Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce has well proved its worth, for everyone involved. It’s an excellent model for any other Council or RST to consider.
Contacts and links
To know more about Waitakere Sport Club Taskforce, please call Rob McGee on 836 8000 ext 8558, or email Robert.McGee@waitakere.govt.nz
Updated | 10 Aug 2009.
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