Torfaen County Borough Council in South East Wales has commissioned Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to conduct an open space, sport and recreation study. The Council is currently preparing its Local Development Plan (LDP) and this study will be integral to preparation of its evidence base for this and form the basis of the Borough's recreation and open space strategy.

KKP has managed the strategic development and operation of Sport England's Clubmark since 2006. Over this time, it has been transformed into a robust and defensible scheme with four times as many accredited clubs.

Clubmark is endorsed by all key sporting agencies in the UK; from NGBs and CSPs to the CCPR and the Youth Sport Trust.

To maintain this momentum, Clubmark needs to be higher on the agenda of the local agencies that support and provide facilities and resources to support sports clubs - this is a key focus for the Clubmark team this year.

In what is thought to be the most detailed study of its type, data on 255,370 businesses employing 3 million people has been classified into 19 business groupings (sectors and industries). These range from food and drink to digital and creative and from bio-medical businesses to those associated with construction.

(image) Sports Volunteering North West (SVNW) is the independent regional body, established to represent volunteers and the voluntary sector in sport and physical activity in the North West. KKP is currently supporting the stakeholder Board of this ‘not for profit' company.

This covers strategic development and operational delivery; incorporating event management, research, marketing & communications, funding bids, reporting and other board support.

Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP) is about to start the second phase of its evaluation of the StreetGames project in Cornwall on behalf of LEAPActive (part of Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust). LEAPactive works in partnership with the StreetGames- the national charity which helps local projects deliver doorstep sport to disadvantaged communities. It will provide and assess evidence of its impact, information and endorsements for inclusion in future business plans and/or funding applications for the next financial year.

You may recall that last year, we decided to send our festive greetings electronically. In addition to citing the environmental benefits of taking this approach, we also promised to donate the associated savings to a good cause.

As a result, we offered our services and a financial contribution to establish Bury future champions, a scheme which will assist young, talented athletes who reside in the local authority in which our head office is based.

The Oldham Partnership has commissioned a study to consider a range of options for the future development of the sports and leisure provision at the Clayton Playing Fields in Oldham.

Clayton Playing Fields is one of only two sites in Oldham to offer more than six playing pitches. It is a popular site for junior football and serves a range of senior football teams. The Council's Playing Pitch Strategy for Oldham (2004) rated the site as inadequate due to the regularly waterlogged pitches and heavily vandalised changing facilities.

Knight Kavanagh & Page (KKP) has recently been appointed by longstanding client, Somerset County Council to conduct three interlinked assignments.

In 2006, KKP conducted a management options appraisal which, in a complex local environment, assessed the most appropriate delivery method for the Council's 17 dual use facilities, recommending the establishment of a leisure trust to manage the Council's portfolio of facilities.

More than 70,000 people are expected to benefit from work to upgrade playing pitches in Harlow. Those that regularly play on more than 100 pitches across the district will directly benefit with many more opportunities for the rest of the local community to get more active and involved in sport.

Currently a review of all of the pitches in Harlow is being carried out by leading management consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP). KKP will deliver the Council's Playing Pitch Strategy and will support its implementation in regards to funding applications.

Teesdale District Council in the North East of England has appointed Knight Kavanagh & Page to conduct its PPG17 Open Space Study. Following the recommended staged approach the study will provide the Council with: