Details

Position
Managing Director
Discipline
Sport and Leisure
Languages
English
Qualifications
•MSc Recreation Management: Loughborough University of Technology (1987)
•MA General Honours: Edinburgh University (1985)
•Chartered Institute of Marketing
Key Skills
•Public Sector Leisure Management
•Sport Development
•Strategic Planning - Cultural, Sport and Leisure Provision and Services
•Feasibility
•Education Sector eg BSF
•Funding Bids
•Open Spaces
•Business Planning
•Procurement and Partnerships
•Management and Operation
•Operational Reviews
•Major Events and Facilities
•Development
•Evaluation and Review /

Synopsis

Following her first degree in English, Rachel studied sport and leisure management at post graduate level at Loughborough University. She moved into consultancy in 1997 after a ten year career in leisure management with six different local authorities. She has over twenty six years’ experience in sports and leisure management in both the public and private sectors.
Rachel is responsible for Strategic Leisure (SL) Sport, Leisure and Tourism consultancy services in the UK. In addition to this management responsibility, Rachel retains an active role in delivery of consultancy services to a range of clients across the UK and is now one of the UK’s most experienced leisure consultants.
Rachel has completed over 600 consultancy projects in the UK and internationally. Her experience covers the whole range of Strategic Leisure services and sectors but she has particular experience in strategic planning for indoor and outdoor facilities and open space and cultural provision, feasibility studies, planning policy, evaluation, funding and major events. She has worked with many clients to address the challenges of strategic planning for facility provision, involving rationalisation, partnership and planning across boundaries.
Much of Rachel's current work involves identifying and assessing options for the future delivery of cultural and leisure services, including libraries, heritage, the arts, theatres, sports and leisure facilities, and sport and arts development. Her appreciation of the current public sector funding context, together with a detailed understanding of local authorities makes her ideally placed to advise on options for future delivery, their impact and implications, and what alternatives might be appropriate to ensure long term service sustainability.
Rachel is also currently working with a number of clients on major facility developments, involving partnerships with NGBs, plus BSF, and other strategic planning projects.Passionate about client care and delivery of quality outputs, Rachel has contributed significantly to the development of Strategic Leisure’s consultancy approach and team ethos.A small selection of some of the projects Rachel has managed or contributed to is set out below.

Selected Professional History

Strategic Planning

Shropshire Council
Options Appraisal - A whole service review and options appraisal to identify a range of potential and future delivery mechanisms; a detailed assessment (financial, legal, HR, service sustainability, revenue and capital funding) of identified options and recommendations for the way forward.
Cambridge City Council
Development of a Cultural Framework for the City to inform future cultural provision, and promote the value of culture and leisure provision to internal and external partners.
Department of Health
research to assess and evaluate the extent of existing physical activity provision in the East region, identify gaps and needs, and make recommendations on priorities for investment to inform the regional physical activity strategy update.
Erewash Borough Council
Review of existing cultural and leisure provision to identify the case for new and replacement provision, options for future management and undertake the development of a Cultural and Leisure Strategy.

Curriculum Vitae

Rachel Fowler /

Selected Professional History continued

Leeds Metropolitan University
Development of a long term strategy for the future provision of sports facilities and services, to meet the needs of university and community sport.
Plymouth City Council
Development of the aquatics strategy for the new Life Centre; developing the strategy involved consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, close liaison with the ASA as a funding and delivery partner, and development of an organisational structure for delivery of the aquatics academy.
Sandwell MBC
Development of an updated Cultural Strategy to set the direction for future provision, and critically align investment priorities with the Corporate Vision and regeneration of the Borough.
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Development of indoor and outdoor facility strategies, plus a sub-regional CSP facility strategy, to inform future planning for, and investment in facilities following establishment of a new unitary authority.
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
Review of Sports and Leisure Provision - Development of a Strategic Framework for future facility provision, based on strategic planning and assessment of need, linked to the overall regeneration and development of the Borough’s town centres.
Wirral Borough Council
Development of a 5 year Forward Plan for leisure and cultural provision in the Borough, based on a comprehensive and strategic review of existing services for sport, arts, heritage, community centres, and libraries.
Cambridge Leisure and Ice Centre
Feasibility Study into the potential for the development of a new ice rink and visitor centre in Cambridge. The study looks at the facility mix and location for a new centre, and critically how these factors relate to both capital costs on ongoing revenue sustainability.
Oxford City Council
Feasibility Study into the need for, and development of, a new ice rink; the study identified the case for continued provision of an ice rink in the City, and assessed a number of alternative site options for a new facility.
Reading Borough Council
Feasibility Study for the development of a new 50m pool. The study identified the case for a 50m pool, on the basis of both community and club need, and assessed the options for its provision, concluding that a refurbishment of an existing facility would be the optimum to proceed, given that the location of the existing ageing facility is in the town centre, on public transport routes.

Options Appraisals

Shropshire Council
Options appraisal for the whole of leisure and cultural services, with the initial focus being on the Council’s leisure facilities and leisure development, and the options for their future delivery
Braintree DC
Review of the existing leisure facilities and sports development services; options appraisal for future delivery of facilities and services
Northumberland Council
Review of future delivery options for the future delivery of the leisure management and sport development services
Mansfield DC
Options appraisal and management of the externalisation of leisure management and sport development services

Feasibility Studies and Business Planning

Bradford MDC
Feasibility Study to inform the proposals for a major facility development involving the Council, Bradford Bulls, Bradford University and College and a number of NGBs. The study involved an assessment of need, development of a facility mix, and detailed business planning for both professional and public sector elements of the development.
East Cambridgeshire District Council
Feasibility study into the development of a major wet and dry leisure complex, including development of outdoor pitch and sports facilities. The new centre will replace two existing facilities, and is likely to be delivered through a public/commercial partnership, involving both land values and planning gain.Procurement of the new facility is now ongoing.
Gosport Borough Council
Development of a new Leisure Centre. Feasibility study into the potential development of a new Leisure Centre, on the basis of local need and a partnership with education and regeneration initiatives. Strategic recommendations for the mix, location and scale of new facilities were made; site, funding and management options appraisals were also undertaken in order to inform the recommendations for the new facility development.
Lisburn City Council
Feasibility study into the re-development of an existing regional leisure centre (wet and dry), and the potential for the development of additional health ad fitness, and outdoor pitch provision and indoor play provision.
Olympic Delivery Authority
Feasibility Study and Business Plan for the Canoe Slalom Course for London 2012 to inform the overall masterplan for the Le Valley area.
University of York
Feasibility Studies into the development of new sports facilities as part of the overall Campus East extension. The work involved assessment of need, extensive consultation, business planning and site evaluation.
Waystone Developments
Feasibility study into the options for development of a multi-sport stadium, providing for competitive and professional rugby league.

Major Events and Facilities

Derbyshire Sport
Development of a cultural and sports events strategy.
Isle of Wight
Preparation of Business Plan and Project Plan for the World Island Games.
Northern Ireland Events Company
Review of the business strategy and development of a new and re-focused events strategy.
SEEDA
Development of a Major Sports events strategy for the region.
University of Guildford
Development of a sports events strategy for the University to reflect the significant investment in major sports facilities on the campus.

Evaluation and Review

A significant number of Review projects, relating predominantly to Service Evaluation, Benchmarking and Performance Indicators, and Continuous Improvement. She has undertaken a number of Best Value review studies for clients which have involved:
•Sport England - Evaluation of the new NGB Funding Programme- the study involved a comprehensive review of the new funding cycle and programme, and involved consultation with all 46 NGBs and other national stakeholders. The study identifies the successful elements of the current process, and makes a number of clear recommendations to improve the process for the next cycle
•Sport England, Premier League and DCMS - review and evaluation of the Premier League 4 Sport Programme to identify the outcomes achieved, and the contribution made to national targets to increase participation
•Evaluation of the service (mission, aims and objectives, and delivery)
•Identification of issues/areas for improvement
•Comparison of the service with other similar services/service providers e.g. ‘family’ authorities, case studies examples
•Development of improvement plans to improve performance against identified performance indicators
•Benchmarking analysis of local authorities in specific service areas e.g. Outdoor Pitch Provision, as part of Playing Pitch Assessments and Strategies, or Open Space Strategies
Projects involving this range of work have been undertaken for local authorities including South Ribble Borough Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, Birmingham City Council, Oxford City Council, Selby District Council and Copeland Borough Council.

Open Space

Northumberland County Council
Development of Green Infrastructure Strategy for the new County Council, reflecting growth points, the overall strategic Vision for green space, and the amalgamation of previous local authority areas.
Nottingham City Council
PPG 17 Audit and Evidence to update the City’s Greenspace Strategy and provide new standards of provision. This involved extensive consultation with local residents, parks users and non users, interpretation of Greenspace evidence and site audits to 600+ sites to measure the quality of sites against Green Flag Award site assessment criteria.
Sheffield City Council PPG17 Assessment
A major audit of 1200 sites across the City, extensive public consultation and the need to address core strategic policy to work alongside the Parks Services emerging Greenspace Strategy. The result a sound and robust evidence base that supports the planning policy for the City’s regeneration agenda and sets clear quantity, quality and accessibility standards.
South Tyneside Council
Open Space Strategy and Playing Pitch Strategy. A PPG17 compliant strategy including an assessment of quality, quantity and access.

Development

Business Planning
Development of business plans for a wide range of sports and leisure projects, for both funding bids and feasibility studies. Recent examples include NOF3 bids, business plans for extended school, town hall, local community sports facilities and local sports clubs.
Funding
Development and submission of a wide range of funding applications including ERDF, NR, New Deal, Lottery, Active England, CIF and NOF3. Responsibility for several successful facility developments through this work. Successful funding bids resulted in development of school/community sports facilities to increase participation, address social inclusion and community safety.

Procurement and Partnerships

Stratford –upon-Avon Council
Assisting the Council with the procurement process, development of management specification and legal documents, and provision of advice on the process, timescales and approach to externalisation.
Worcester City Council
Strategic Leisure developed a leading edge partnership document for the management and investment in the Council’s leisure centres and swimming pool. This included advice on contract type, length, style and numerous procurement issues to facilitate a modern partnership arrangement that meets best value.

Management and Operation

University of Surrey
Review of existing staffing structure, roles and responsibilities; development of new organisational structure, job descriptions and implementation costs for the new 50m pool and facilities being developed as the Surrey Sports Park.
Reading University
Value for money review and assessment of the current sports and leisure operation, plus a review of proposals for facility development.
East Lindsay District Council
Review of the current operation of leisure services to identify areas for operational improvement, capital investment, potential reductions in revenue costs, and the appropriate form of management for the future.