Local Area Statistics: Adult participation in sport and active recreation
April 2010 – April 2011 Statistical Release
16th June 2011

         

Our aim is to improve the quality of life for all      through cultural and sporting activities, support the pursuit of excellence, and champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

The Active People Survey is an Official Statistic and has been produced to the standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics

Local Area Statistics 

This statistical release presents local area estimates for adults relating to participation in sport and active recreation for all 353 local authorities. The new estimates show change over time, providing a comparison against previous surveys. Data is collected via Sport England’s Active People Survey and provided at both upper-tier and district level.

For participation in adult sport and active recreation, the data published for County Councils and those authorities that have boosted sample sizes is based on the latest 12 months (April 2010 - April 2011). For the other authorities this published statistic is based on responses from the latest 24 months (April 2009 to April 2010). In both instances this gives a target sample size of 1000 respondents.

This release provides an estimate of progress against the previous estimates by indicating any statistically significant changes. Results are presented from the 2005/06 Active People Survey onwards.

Background on local area statistics
The Active People Survey first collected sports data from October 2005 to October 2006 (Active People Survey 1) and the results were published in December 2006.  No data was collected in 2006/07.  From 2007/08 it became a continuous annual survey, with a sample size of 500 per year for each local authority area (previously the sample size was 1000). Data on sport and active recreation was used to measure National Indicator 8.
From April 2008 to October 2010, the scope of the Active People Survey was extended to collect data on participation in a range of cultural sectors. This was used to measure the three cultural National Indicators DCMS had within the National Indicator Set (NI 9, 10 and 11), which was discontinued in October 2010. The indicator set is covered in more detail in Annex A.

Next release of data
Data from the full Active People Survey 5 survey year for local areas will be published in December 2011. For county councils and local authorities that have boosted the sample size results will be based on APS5 (October 2010 to October 2011). For single tier and district councils that have not boosted their sample, results will be based on the combined responses to APS 4 and 5 to give a 1,000 sample size.

Data
The estimates are available in the accompanying workbook. 

Annex A: National Indicators
In June 2008, local authorities agreed LAAs with Government and their partners. The LAAs include targets to improve public services and the quality of life for people living and working in the area. Local authorities chose up to 35 designated targets from a possible 198 in the National Indicator Set (the set was reduced to 188 in April 2008 and then 152 in April 2010). 
DCMS had four National Indicators (NIs) within the Set, relating to DCMS’s broad Departmental Strategic Objective to encourage more widespread enjoyment of culture and sport, and support talent and excellence. Data for these indicators was collected via Sport England’s Active People Survey. The National Indicator Set was discontinued in October 2010.
•	NI 8 (adult participation in sport and active recreation) measured the percentage of the adult population in a LA who participated in sport and active recreation, at moderate intensity, for at least 30 minutes on at least 12 days out of the last four weeks (equivalent to 30 minutes on three or more days a week).
•	NI 9 (use of public libraries) measured the percentage of adults in a LA who have used a public library service in the past 12 months for leisure purposes, including informal learning and studying or research for personal interests. 
•	NI 10 (visits to museums and galleries) measured the percentage of adults in a LA who have visited a museum or gallery in the past 12 months. Visits are for leisure purposes, including informal learning and studying or research for personal interests. Online access to collections and outreach services are not counted. 
•	NI 11 (engagement in the arts) measured the percentage of adults in a LA who have either attended an arts event or participated in an arts activity at least three times in the past 12 months for leisure purposes only.

The Active People Survey first collected sports data from October 2005 to October 2006 (Active People Survey 1) and the results were published in December 2006.  No data was collected in 2006/07.  From 2007/08 it became a continuous annual survey, with a sample size of 500 per year for each local authority area, previously the sample size was 1000.
In April 2008, the scope of the Active People Survey was extended to collect data for the purposes of the cultural National Indicators (NI9, 10 and 11). For those local authorities who had included NI 9, 10 or 11 as one of their designated improvement targets in their LAA, the sample size was boosted to increase the level of statistically significant change that could be detected by the survey.

Annex B: Background note 

1.	The Active People Survey was commissioned by Sport England in 2005. It measures adult (aged 16 and over) participation in sport and active recreation in every local authority in England.  

2.	The Survey collects data via telephone interviews and in the first survey year October 2005 to October 2006 had an annual sample size of around 363,000 adults (aged 16 and over) – a minimum of 1,000 interviews in every local authority area. In subsequent years (2007/08 to 2010/11), the survey sample has been approximately 190,000 adults (a minimum of 500 interviews in every local authority area).

3.	From April 2008 to October 2010 the scope of the survey was extended to collect data for participation in cultural activities for the purposes of local area statistics on libraries, museums/galleries and the arts (providing data for National Indicators 9, 10 and 11).

4.	For the local area statistics on participation in sport and active recreation the fieldwork for this data release was conducted between April 2010 to April 2011 for counties and authorities that opted for a boosted sample for that survey; and between April 2009 and April 2011 for the rest of the authorities.

5.	Data in the participation in sport and active recreation workbook reflects local government structures post April 2009. It also includes results for local authority areas that were in existence immediately prior to the April 2009 reorganisation.

6.	Participation in sport and active recreation covers a wide range of activities, including recreational walking and cycling. The effort put into the activity needs to be of moderate intensity, i.e. raises the breathing rate (or for walking it needs to be done at a brisk or fast pace). The only exception to this is for those adults aged 65 and over, where some light intensity activities are in scope as they are considered to be of moderate intensity for this age group – indoor and outdoor bowls, yoga, Pilates, croquet and archery.

For participation in sport and active recreation the range figure represents the joint confidence interval for the APS1 and either the APS4/5 result (for counties and boosted authorities) or the combined APS3/4/5 results (for non-boosted local authorities). This means that for a change to be considered statistically significant with 95% confidence it must exceed the range. 

7.	The difference between the baseline estimate and the final estimate must be statistically significant at the 95% level. This means the probability that the difference happened by chance is low, i.e. 1 in 20.

8.	In relation to the participation in sport and active recreation statistic, a number of factors will affect the level of change required in order for the survey to register a statistically significant change from the baseline. One of these is the number of interviews conducted – the greater the size the more sensitive it is to detecting change. Another factor is the baseline percentage, with those nearer to 50 per cent requiring more change to occur. 

9.	There is no geographical restriction placed on where the activity occurs, and it could therefore occur outside the respondent’s local area. 

10.	‘Don’t know’ responses have been included in the total count, although in most cases these were less than 0.1 per cent.

11.	For more information about the Active People Survey, see: 
http://www.sportengland.org/research/active_people_survey.aspx

12.	DCMS also collects data on participation in culture and sport via its national household survey, Taking Part. In addition to collecting data on adult participation, this survey also provides measures of child participation among those aged 5-10 and 11-15 years old.  See: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/research_and_statistics/4828.aspx  

13.	The fieldwork for the survey is being conducted by TNS-BMRB. For more information, see: http://www.tns-bmrb.co.uk/

14.	We can also provide documents to meet the specific requirements of people with disabilities. Please call 020 7211 6000 or email takingpart@culture.gsi.gov.uk

15.	This report has been produced by Neil Wilson. Acknowledgement goes to colleagues within the DCMS, Sport England and TNS-BMRB for their assistance with the quality assurance.

16.	The responsible statistician for this release is Neil Wilson. For enquiries on this release, telephone: 0207 211 6968

17.	For general enquiries telephone: 0207 211 6200
Department for Culture Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH
enquiries@culture.gov.uk

2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
www.culture.gov.uk