Decision details

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that asked members to note the findings and recommendations set out within the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy; to agree to their publication on the council’s website (the documents were attached at Appendix 1 to the report); and to delegate the approval of future updates of the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy documents to the Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities and Culture, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Decent Homes and Don’t Trash Oldham.

In 2023, Cabinet was advised that Oldham Council had commissioned Knight Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to carry out a Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy (PPOSS). The PPOSS updates the previous (2015) PPOSS and will build on the assessment of outdoor sports facilities undertaken within the Council’s Open Space Study (2022).

The PPOSS provides a more in-depth assessment of the borough’s pitches and outdoor sports sites, identifies the current and future needs for particular sports and sets out an Action Plan for future investment and improvement. The PPOSS provides evidence to support the implementation of existing local planning policies, will inform planning policy within the new Local Plan and will be a material consideration for planning decisions.

The PPOSS will also inform how and where S106 developer contributions are secured and spent. In terms of investment, it is often a requirement that an area/ local authority has an up-to[1]date PPOSS to access funding from Sport England, National Governing Bodies (e.g. the Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, England Netball, Rugby Football Union etc), and other organisations.

As such the PPOSS can be used to help sports clubs and the council gain access to funding and investment. In particular, the PPOSS provides:

•      Evidence of supply and demand of playing pitch and outdoor sports provision.

•      A vision for the future improvement and prioritisation of playing pitches and outdoor sports facilities.

•      A number of aims to help deliver the recommendations and actions.

•      A series of strategic recommendations which provide a framework for the improvement, maintenance, development and, as appropriate, rationalisation of the playing pitch and outdoor sport facility stock.

•      A series of sport-by-sport recommendations which provide a strategic framework for sport led improvements to provision.

•      A prioritised area-by-area Action Plan to address key issues on a site-by-site basis.

The PPOSS was completed in February 2025.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 was to approve and publish the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy (PPOSS) (2025) on the council’s website and to delegate approval for future updates of the documents to the Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities and Culture, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Decent Homes and Don’t Trash Oldham. The advantages to this were that publishing the PPOSS will inform the planning process and the council’s maintenance and management of pitches and outdoor sport provision, support local sports development, guide investment and support funding opportunities.

Option 2 – Not to approve and publish the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy (PPOSS) (2025) on the council’s website and not to delegate approval for future updates to the Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities and Culture, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Decent Homes and Don’t Trash Oldham. There are no advantages in following this course of action.

Option 1 was the preferred Option,

Resolved:

1.    That the Cabinet notes the findings and recommendations set out within the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy.

2.    Cabinet agrees to the publication of the strategy on the council’s website (the documents were attached at Appendix 1 to the report).

3.    Cabinet agrees to delegate the approval of future updates of the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy documents to the Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities and Culture, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Decent Homes and Don’t Trash Oldham.