Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PRESS RELEASE 21 November 2000 For Use: Immediately

Sports Councils Off to Flying Start

Sports Councils in the Western Isles got off to a flying start in their first year of operation as revealed in their first ever Annual Reports.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's Arts and Leisure and Committee today congratulated the Sports Councils on their successful first year of operation. Chairman of Arts and Leisure, Cllr. Alasdair Macrae said:

"It is an exciting time for the development of sport in the islands and the Sports Councils have had a great deal of success in their initial work throughout the Western Isles for which they are to be congratulated. Because of their co-ordinating role in the development of sport in the islands, the Sports Councils are the ideal means of gathering together the views of the many sporting and recreation organisations on the key issues in sports development."

Sports Councils were set up in Lewis and Harris and Uist and Barra in May 1999 to assist the development and co-ordination of sport and recreation at a local level. Both have secured the membership of the majority of sports clubs and organisations in the Western Isles. Information on the work they have done over the past year is included in the annual reports.

As well as assisting and advising member clubs and organisations on the development of their sport, the Sport Councils also adminster grant aid on behalf of the Comhairle and Western Isles Enterprise for specific projects.

The Arts and Leisure Committee approved a draft consultation document on areas of sports development such as facilities, access, sport and education, club and volunteer development, pricing policy and healthy lifestyles. The results of the consultation will form the basis of a Sports Strategy for the Western Isles.

The development of a Sports Strategy for the Western Isles is a key task of the Arts and Leisure Committee and is in line with the sportscotland's national strategy for sport that every local authority in Scotland should publish a strategic plan for sport and recreation.

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