I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Localism Act 2011 to provide for automatic designation of sports facilities as Assets of Community Value; and for connected purposes.
Whether for fun, fitness or friendship, sport plays an important role for many of us. Indeed, a visitor to many of the villages and towns across my constituency, or across the country, who asks a local what they are most proud of in their area will often be told that it is a local sports team. It might be the football team we played for, that we coached, that a family member competed with, or that we follow on journeys from heartbreak to victory. In other parts of the country, it is the same set of extreme emotions, but for local rugby league, rugby union or cricket clubs. People will move to the other side of the world and still ferociously support their home team—it is part of our shared identity.
Our local sporting facilities, football pitches, swimming pools and leisure centres are vital for wellbeing. Whether it is the swimming baths where we teach our kids to swim or a green space that is clean and safe, people should have access to all of these things in our communities. They are not just physical infrastructure; they help ensure that we stay healthy, both physically and mentally—but more than that, they are places to come together. They provide a sense of local pride and belonging.
The journey of even the best professional sportspeople starts at home. Take Alan Shearer, who played for local boys’ team Cramlington Juniors on his path to premier league and international stardom, becoming Newcastle United’s record goal scorer along the way. Cramlington Juniors have hundreds of children playing at all standards who know that they are treading the path of a local legend. Not to be outdone, New Hartley Juniors have seen three of their alumni go on to lift the league cup. Of course, the most recent is big Dan Burn—a literal giant, who scored the first goal in Newcastle’s league cup final victory this year. The thing is, Madam Deputy Speaker, you’ll never ever beat Dan Burn: he’s from Blyth. He cut his teeth playing locally before pushing trollies at Asda, working his way through the leagues to make his England international debut this year. While today’s Bill is not to make Dan an asset of community value in his own right, I would support any amendment to do so.
The contribution of local sports clubs goes far beyond their role in producing international sports stars—although, to be clear, they do. Cramlington Town football club have stepped in during school holidays to ensure that local kids get a day of activity, as well as a hot meal, and Killingworth Juniors provide a space for Gaelic football to be played by the local Irish community. West Allotment provide value both on and off the pitch through their fan-owned model, Bates Cottages cricket club do walking cricket for those over 50, and Concordia leisure centre takes on local children with special educational needs through supported internships.