Co-located organisations

What are co-located organisations?

These are groups of individual clubs who all provide opportunities to participate and share the same facilities.

This may include one organisation who owns, operates, and uses their own sports facilities but also allows other clubs to use them.

User clubs (that don’t own the facilities) may have a hire or lease agreement with the organisation that own them.

The individual clubs may work together, share equipment, create economies of scale to create buying power when engaging suppliers and purchasing equipment or stock, and/or share coaches.

Further attributes may include:

Each club being legally structured independently with their own governing documents.

Each club having their own independent decision-making body/committee.

Each club having their own financial management and reporting procedures including individual accounts and bank accounts which require multiple signatories from unrelated, non-cohabiting representatives responsible for running each club.

Membership being for each individual club, not all organisations that use the same facility.

Membership rights only applying to the club they are a member of.

Each club being likely to have their own name and logo.

Challenges of running co-located organisations

The key challenges multi-sport clubs face often link back to their governance and management, finances, and facilities.

The following section explores these challenges in more detail and provides possible solutions for organisations to address them.

Addressing these challenges can take time but will help clubs to ensure that they can take advantage of the benefits good multi-sport clubs enjoy.

Governance

Our decision-making processes are complicated and unclear.

Possible solution:
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Each individual club will have their own decision-making processes that follow good governance practices.

All decisions are made in a way that aligns with the individual governing document and Terms of Reference for each club. They are recorded via meeting minutes.

Decision-making processes and minutes should be made available to all members to help ensure transparency.
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Smaller sections of the multi-sport club do not feel heard or feel they have an influence over decision-making processes.

Possible solution:
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Ensure each individual club is set up with its own legal structure and governing document so they have their own decision-making processes.

Have clear communication channels. Ensure each individual club regularly engages with the asset-owning organisation. Hold regular meetings with all clubs that use the same facility, chaired by the asset-owning organisation.
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Conflicts arise between sections due to competing priorities, needs, and resource implications.

Possible solution:
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Each individual club will have their own priorities and development needs. These will be addressed based on their own available resources.

Asset-owning organisations are encouraged to engage with facility users and wider partners during the production of any business or development plans.
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Different sports have different NGBs and associated affiliation and accreditation schemes.

Possible solution:
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Each individual club is responsible for meeting the requirements of affiliation and accreditation of their own NGB.

The asset-owning organisation asks facility users to evidence that they’ve met NGB affiliation and accreditation requirements.
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There are conflicts between paid and voluntary staff.

Possible solution:
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Each individual club has responsibility to resolve any conflicts between paid staff and volunteers.

Each club should have clearly defined roles, tasks and responsibilities for any paid staff and volunteers.

Where possible, break volunteers’ roles into tasks to reduce the ask on volunteers.

Set time aside for reviews/appraisals with your volunteers and paid staff, and act on any feedback.
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There are no clear communication channels between those responsible for running the organisation and other sections or sports.

Possible solution:
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Clear lines of communication are in place between each club and the asset-owning organisation.

A central point of contact exists, and all organisations know who to raise any concerns or issues with.
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Finances

How to determine the levels of financial contribution required from different sections or sports.

Possible solution:
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As each club is operated on an individual basis, contributions to different sections or sports are not required.

Each clubs agree fees for the use of facilities and any associated terms and conditions of use with the facility providers.
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How any surplus generated is distributed across the different sections or sport when there are competing needs across each.

Possible solution:
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Each club uses any surplus for their own needs, which are set out within a club-specific business or development plan.
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How to create and manage contributions to a sinking fund to cover the cost of replacing/renewing key capital items and equipment.

Possible solution:
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Each club has their own sinking fund to cover the costs of replacing any equipment.

Clubs within a mother structure that hire facilities are unlikely to need to contribute towards a sinking fund.

Where leases or longer-term arrangements exist, contributions to a sinking fund are likely to be by prior agreement with the venue owner.
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How to manage differences in financial processes between different sections or sports.

Possible solution:
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Each individual club should have their own financial processes and procedures.
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There are different insurance requirements for different sports.

Each individual club will be responsible for meeting their own insurance requirements.

Facility providers may request copies of this before granting access to a facility.
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Facilities

Agreeing who’s responsible for maintaining facilities and covering the cost of these.

Possible solution:
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An agreed maintenance schedule (including ancillary and parking facilities) is in place and there are requirements in place for each sport or section to maintain the facilities used.

If this is the responsibility of the overarching umbrella organisation, each sport or section may contribute towards the upkeep of the facilities they use based on occupancy and levels of use.

The maintenance schedule ensures that all facilities are adequately maintained, particularly during peak times, and any repair works are carried out during the off-season.
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How to work out conflicts in usage requirements from different sections or sports who share a space.

Possible solution:
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A programme of use is agreed based on seasonal requirements. Users alternate usage as required.

This is agreed as early as possible so that any leagues and competitive bodies are informed, and fixtures are amended as required.
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Some sports have a higher occupancy level and generate more revenue than others. How can we work with operators to ensure all sports have equal opportunities to access their spaces?

Possible solution:
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Where possible, make block bookings and agree a rate for the use of any facilities prior to using them.

It can be beneficial to book external facilities, that are not owned by the centrally managed body, in the name of the multi-sport club rather than individual section, to help avoid variations in fees.
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There are issues with maintaining hygiene and cleanliness standards with different sections sharing facilities.

Possible solution:
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A code of conduct is agreed and covers cleanliness standards and behaviour when using shared facilities.

The terms of usage and codes of conduct are shared across all sports and sections and are readily available to access.

A disciplinary policy and process is in place and put into use if issues continue to arise and ensure that all users are aware of this.
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Co-located organisations

Chapters in this topic

What are co-located organisations?

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