Longford Local Authorities

Longford Local Authorities COMMUNITY, SPORTS AND ARTS FACILITIES AUDIT 2009 1

Contents Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Introduction and Overview Baseline Population Data Methodology Spatial Analysis Sectoral Analysis Conclusion and Recommendation Appendices A Community Questionnaire B Submission to the Department Frank Sheridan Longford County Council Great Water Street Longford 2

Section 1 Introduction and Overview 3

1.1 Introduction and Overview The purpose of this report is to provide an audit of the existing community, sports and arts facilities serving the County of Longford. It examines in detail the extent of facilities available geographically in the County and for the first time in Longford inspects the overall management, usage and facility conditions. Demographics is a key element of this report and through GIS mapping and GAMMA analysis this report will outline key population dynamics and apply them to the geographical spread of facilities. The purpose of this report is in response to the Task force on Active Citizenship that included a recommendation that an audit should be undertaken by end 2008 by local authorities, through the County / City Development Boards, of existing community facilities available for voluntary, sporting, civic or recreational activities. Thus the objective for Longford County Council was: (i) (ii) establish the current level of provision, management and usage of facilities. Inform future investment in community facilities based on the outcome of the audit and having regard to identify local needs. The framework of this report includes six sections: Section 2 Baseline Population Data Section 3 - Methodology Section 4 Spatial Analysis (Geographical spread of facilities) Section 5 Sectoral Analysis Section 6 Conclusion and Recommendation Where relevant, this document makes reference to issues raised during this questionnaire and consultation exercise, particularly in relation to shortfalls in community and social infrastructure that were identified by respondents. 4

Section 2 Baseline Population Data 5

2.1 Baseline Population Data There are 55 EDs comprising Co. Longford. Two National Primary routes traverse the county: the N4 linking Dublin to Sligo, and the N5 linking Dublin to Mayo, as well as the north/south artery of the N55 linking Athlone and Cavan. Co. Longford is highly rural, with some 60% of the population living in rural areas in 2006. This is reflected in the small urban base, with Longford being the largest town, having a population of 7,620 people in 2006. Longford County Development Plan 2003 2009 considers the urban hierarchy for the county and the functional roles of the various towns and villages in the context of a settlement strategy. The County Council reflects that the low urban base has had a detrimental impact on the development of the County in terms of the lack of the required critical mass necessary for the provision of a higher order of services, facilities and employment. The information below illustrates the population changes that have occurred in the intercensal period 1996-2006. 6

The hierarchy of settlements in the County is expressed by the County Council as follows: - Longford County town of regional importance. Major growth centre with a high level of access and existing services where majority of industrial, commercial, business and retail development will be channeled. Granard, Ballymahon and Edgeworthstown County growth centres with a regional element. These towns serve a wide hinterland in terms of service provision and accommodation where major transport nodes are present. Newtownforbes, Drumlish, Lanesboro Local growth centres. These settlements will continue to provide settlement centres for the population and local-level goods and services provision. 7

Population Distribution The majority of Co. Longford is relatively lightly populated compared to that of the State. The urban areas of Longford Town and Edgeworthstown provide the highest concentrations of population. The greatest concentration of population growth occurred around the centre of the county, between the poles of Longford Town and Edgeworthstown. The average population density in Co. Longford in 2006 was 31 persons per km2. The north and south of the county were largely areas of population decline, with population density rates in just over half of the 56 ED s in the county returning less than 20 persons per km2, a strong indicator of the county s predominantly rural nature. The county is relatively sparsely populated when viewed in comparison with the 2006 national average density of 60 people per km2. Population distribution and density is an important element in considering the provision of community facilities in Longford. Services should follow population growth and change. 8

Section 3 Methodology 9

3.1 Methodology Community and Enterprise Section of Longford County Council were assigned the lead role in conducting the Audit of Community, Sports and Arts Facilities. A small internal team was assigned responsibility consisting of representatives from Community and Enterprise and the IT department. A research plan was drafted and approved by senior management, including: 1. Consultation a. During the research design process, personnel from community and sports facilities were consulted and a number of test questionnaires were filled out. 2. Adopted methodology a. Qualitative and Quantitative methods of research were adopted in order to gather the most comprehensive and relevant data. 3. Research methods a. The most fundamental method adopted was a Survey Questionnaire. The questionnaire dealt with size, location, facilities available, condition and management of facilities. A copy of the questionnaire drafted by Longford County Council is attached in Appendix a b. One-on-one and telephone interviews of key community facility managers (voluntary and paid) 4. Recording of data a. The IT Department constructed a web application that allowed data to be inputted and analysed. It was constructed using MySQL database as the back end to store the data and PHP front end to access the database. b. In order to analyse the data spatially MapInfo was used as a GIS tool. 5. Data analysis a. Data was inputted onto both the MySQL and MapInfo database for analysis. Outputs included charts, tables, maps and statistics. 6. Report writing a. The report was drafted and published by Community and Enterprise Section, Longford County Council. From the outset the overriding consideration was the need for data received to be analysed both spatially and sectorally. Spatially - it was necessary to determine where community and voluntary infrastructure is located around the county and to determine how spatially accessible it is to concentrations of the populations in different towns and areas 10

Sectorally - it was essential to examine how accessible this infrastructure is for a number of key sectors of the population and how well are their needs being met Approach In consultation with the Community and Voluntary Sector Longford County Council drafted a research methodology aimed at maximising questionnaire returns. This was facilitated through: 1. Liaising with over 144 members of the Community and Voluntary Forum 2. Circulating add and press release in local newspapers. 3. Placing add and copy of questionnaire on the Longford County Council website and www.longford.ie 4. Individual contact with key community and sporting facilities. 5. One-on-one interviews with key community stakeholders. 6. Over 100 questionnaires were issued to the Community and Voluntary sector. 11

Section 4 Spatial Analysis 12

4.0 Analysis of data (SPATIALY) In this section the information collected from the audit is visualized spatially using GIS. This allows trends to be observed geographically. Properly displaying data is nearly as important as having good data itself. Analyzing access to and distribution of facilities is key to ensuring that all communities have adequate facilities. As such this audit analyses the data gathered on the facilties spatially using mapinfo programme. MapInfo is a GIS programme used for the mapping of data. For the purpose of analysing data spatially two maps have been generated. 1. Geographical location of facilities 2. Demographic movement 13

The value of analysing this information visually allows us to determine if services are following demographic changes. As evidenced from the map above, the distribution of facilities follows population patterns with the more heavily populated areas having the largest concentration of facilities. While any areas without facilities are generally under-populated. Despite the relatively even distribution of facilities the south west of the county is under represented with only one community centre serving this area. Sporting facilities are generally well represented but again there are areas that are lacking in services - south east / west of the county and north west. However when the data is cross-referenced with demographic changes during an inter-census period emerging population trends highlight particular areas where service provision is particularly lacking. The map above shows a nearly doubling of population for the area of Edgeworthstown during the period of 2002-2006. This growth in population is not being supported by community and sporting infrastructure. 14

Section 5 Sectoral Analysis 15

5.1 Sectoral Analysis The purpose of this report is to provide an audit of the existing community, sports and arts facilities serving the County of Longford. It examines in detail the extent of facilities available geographically but most significantly inspects the overall management, usage and facility conditions. The previous section analysed the spatial spread of community and sporting infrastructure in County Longford. The aim of this section is to outline physical community resources available across the County for activities, sports, and recreational events, social interaction and meeting spaces. Section 5 will examine in great detail: 1. Overall management and ownership 2. Condition of facilities 3. Use of facility 4. Insurance and accessibility 5. Additional services available i.e. IT The information presented in this section is based on data received from 60 returned questionnaires. The information will be supported by graphs, charts and summarising comments. Particular issues and recommendations will be outlined in Section Six. 16

1. Overall management and ownership One of the key elements of this study was examining the management and ownership of our community facilities. The two charts below present the information graphically. The management structure, which emerges with regards to those facilities audited, was a club or association (56%), followed by a company limited by guarantee (23%). Over a half of the facilities are managed by paid staff however from comments made in the questionnaire these employees were sourced from FÁS or Rural Social Scheme. Key points Majority of staffed facilities are provided by FÁS or Rural Social Scheme workers. The high level of facilities managed by club or association would indicate a large percentage of voluntary contribution. The low percentage of facilities vested in the parish would suggest a move away from the more traditional management structure. Nearly all facilities have at least chairperson, treasurer and secretary. Most facilities stated that they had available land on site or in adjacent site that were available for development or expansion. 17

2 Condition of facilities The high level of community and voluntary capacity is reflected in the high standard of facilities across the County. The community and voluntary sector has been very successful in leveraging both funding and support from relevant Departments, State Agencies, Local Development Bodies and Longford Local Authorities i.e. Dormant Accounts, Sports Capital Grants, LEADER, Local Authority Amenity Grants etc. 73% of respondents stated that the facilities were in good condition. Many of these respondents qualified their responses by indicating that the facilities were heavily utilised by the community. 15% of respondents stated that their facilities need significant repair. The remaining 12% claimed that facilities were in need of some repair. Heating One of the main concerns in regard to Facility Condition by respondents was that of Heating Type and Costs. With growing consciousness towards the environment and more stringent legislation on insulation along with rising fuel costs, heating has become an escalating concern for communities. 18

Heating comes mostly from non renewable fossil fuels with most buildings using oil or gas. Key points In overall terms the general standard of facilities is good. However there are a number of facilities in need of significant repair. The high cost of energy was noted by a significant number of respondents. Initiatives could be undertaken to promote alternative energy use and energy conservation among facility ownership / management. 3. Use of facilities In order to determine usage pattern for community facilities, respondents to the facility questionnaire were asked to specify details on: Size and dimensions of facility Activities on site Type of groups who use facility Size and dimension of facilities In order to determine space available respondents were asked for information regarding hall size, meeting room space, storage areas and reception areas. Interestingly all respondents had community hall facilities. However nearly 40% of these were under 100 Sq metres indicating the need for larger public areas. 70% of the facilities audited stated that they had available meeting space and 57% also stated they had suitable storage areas. The space available for meetings seems adequate based on population sizes with only 20% (with meeting rooms) small enough for less than 20 people. The audit also looked at the availability of changing 19

space for males, females and referees. It also interestingly examined the availability of disabled changing rooms. Only 22% of community facilities had disability access to changing rooms. The disparity between male and female changing rooms can be explained by a number of shared spaces. Activities on Site To determine sporting facilities available respondents were asked to provide information on indoor and outdoor facilities, including: Hall markings Pitch types Availability of all weather and hard court surfaces Given the adverse weather conditions that often occur in Ireland the availability of all weather pitches and indoor facilities are important for sporting and community organisations. In the larger community and sporting facilities traditional indoor sports are provided for i.e. badminton, basketball, indoor soccer etc. However it is worth noting that these facilities are available only in the larger centres. The study also highlighted the limited space available for spectators. 32% of respondents had no spectator facility and the remaining had 20

limited space. This could lead to less community and family participation. Across the County there are 17 GAA pitches, 1 rugby and 9 soccer pitches. A large percentage of GAA pitches are all weather pitches. Only two facilities outside of GAA have all weather pitches Longford Rugby Club and Longford Town F.C. It was recorded from interviewing that soccer pitches in particular across the County were of poor quality. Types of groups who use the facilities The Equal Status Act 2000 takes the concept of equality into the public arena and prohibits discrimination on nine grounds gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age, disability, race, and membership of the Traveller Community. In relation to community / sports facility management this would impact by refusing membership, terminating membership or providing alternative terms of membership. The questionnaire then sought to determine what provisions the facility had to the above. The graphs below illustrate some interesting findings and generates a recommendation for greater information and support around the Equal Status Act. The interesting statistics from these graphs include: Only 35% of these facilities have low income discounts Only 35% of the facilities manage participation diversity. Only 30% have an equal usage policy on display. Low income discounts and active promotion of equal usage encourage participation for students, unemployed, ethnic minorities etc. 21

However most facilities audited do cater for a wide spectrum across the community. 75% of facilities are used by various groups. Only 25% stated that only one group use it. The majority of facilities who answered single usage were soccer clubs and some GAA clubs. Most respondents indicated the facilities were available to the wider community and that the facility was mostly available to young and older people. Key points Internal disability access to meeting rooms, changing rooms, storage rooms, hall etc is an issue for a number of facilities. Facilities across the County are limited in their provision of spectator space. This could lead to less community and family participation. Most facilities audited cater for a wide spectrum of the community particularly older and younger people. However greater emphasis must be placed on the adoption of equal usage policies. 22

4. Insurance and Accessibility In the questionnaire respondents were asked to specify the type of insurance that they had on their premises. Insurance is one of the primary costs for a facility and an expenditure which has increased in recent years. The chart below sets out the type of insurance held by facilities across the County: All respondents stated that they had some form of insurance policy. The most significant of that being Public liability insurance. Over 80% of facilities in the County have public liability insurance. However this leaves 20% of these facilities without public liability, relying perhaps solely on Property damage and Burglary. The rising cost of insurance and the refusal of some insurance companies to provide cover could be a reason for this. With over 53% (predominantly GAA) of facilities affiliated to a national governing body greater promotion of Insurance Group Schemes should be adopted. Accessibility To determine how accessible the facilities audited were, the questionnaire requested information on whether these facilities had made reasonable provision for people with disabilities. Over 76% of facilities responded positively stating that there was wheelchair access. As stated above 23

only 22% of facilities had changing rooms suitable for people with a disability. Although these facilities had done a significant amount to make the facility entry accessible perhaps a gap exists in both internal services and internal accessibility i.e. storage rooms, upstairs, meeting rooms etc. Accessibility: Transport and car parking Car parking is provided by nearly all facilities but in a lot of cases the availability of space is in-adequate when compared with the maximum spectator capacity of the facilities. Only one facility in the county is serviced by public transport. The lack of public transport could potentially prohibit groups such as the elderly and the young form accessing facilities. Key points All facilities are covered by at least one insurance policy however a number of facilities do not have public liability insurance. Group Insurance Schemes need to be promoted in the County. Over 76% of facilities had wheelchair access. The lack of rural public transport prohibits groups and individuals from accessing facilities. 24

5. Additional Services Available Meeting space is an important resource to the long term sustainability of community facilities. They often generate much needed extra income. As mentioned up to 70% of facilities have meeting space. The study was keen to determine what other services were available, particularly in relation to IT and IT services. The graphs below illustrate the adoption of computers and broadband across the County. 83% of facilities do not have access to Broadband 81% do not have access to computers. Computers and broadband are an important aspect of running a modern facility. The provision of computers with internet facilities could also encourage usage and membership of facilities. Key points Equipping community centres with up to date information technology hardware and software is essential in reducing digital divide. Pilot initiatives in community centres could be undertaken. Provision of Broadband is an issue across the County. Community facility access to Broadband could be discussed as a strategic issue. 25

Section 6 Recommendations 26

6.1 Recommendations This report aimed to provide an audit of existing, community, sports and arts facilities serving the County of Longford. The support and involvement of those sectors has been greatly appreciated in writing this report. As acknowledged in the Introduction, this report makes reference to issues raised during this questionnaire and consultation exercise, particularly in relation to shortfalls in community and social infrastructure that were identified by respondents. This was mainly covered throughout Section 5 in the Key Points. However from analyzing the data and information holistically this report has set out the following recommendations to support social infrastructure in the County. Accessing community and sporting infrastructure is extremely difficult particularly for elderly and young people. Stronger links need to be generated between the Rural Transport Initiative and facilities. The issue of safe parking facilities is a major concern for clubs and associations. The GAA needs to be commended for the provision of high quality sporting facilities. However outside of GAA facilities are found to be extremely poor particularly for rugby and soccer. The majority of facilities are underutilised. Access and use of facilities across the County is limited to a small sector of each community. Advertisement of availability and activities needs to be coordinated and supported. There is an increasing reliance on a small number of volunteers managing these centres. Targeted support needs to be delivered to these committees / individuals to develop their facilities. Training needs to be delivered to committees in relation to health and safety, employment law, sport with young people etc. GAA facilities are rarely used by other organizations. Promoting integrated sports units in communities through Planning could provide for higher quality multi-purpose centres as opposed to single isolated units competing for funding. A requirement for Community, Sports and Arts facilities to register with the County Development Board would ensure an accurate County wide record of such facilities is available to assist in future funding and planning. 27