Games achievements leave legacy for the future

The Olympic and Paralympic Games may be long over but the legacy lingers on in the Royal Borough, thanks to the council's work with business, community and public sector partners to capitalise on 2012 opportunities.

A report, to be presented to cabinet on Wednesday 24 October, charts the many achievements on behalf of borough residents to make sure the rowing and canoe events at Eton Dorney took place with the least possible disruption to the surrounding community.

Importantly, the report demonstrates the many ways the council and its partners expect to continue to benefit from the Games now and in the future:
0 as a worldwide 'must visit' destination with ongoing benefits in business, leisure and tourism spend
0 through continued enthusiasm for the Olympic values in local schools and for sport among younger residents
0 from the pivotal role played by more than 250 Eton Dorney Ambassadors, helping to further embed volunteering as an integral part of the community and the Big Society
0 through investment in the walking and cycle routes leading to Eton Dorney that people will enjoy for many years to come.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for the 2012 Games, said: "We had a record-breaking Games at Eton Dorney and the council earned many plaudits for the way we helped manage the local effects of what was a global phenomenon so that daily lives continued as normal. The Director of Transport for the ODA, Hugh Sumner, said that Eton Dorney was the best venue outside London and that the Royal Borough had 'played a blinder' with its organisation.

"The legacy was always going to be difficult to secure and calculate but we have a clutch of benefits that will undoubtedly remain in place, not least in the boost to volunteering through the Ambassadors and their commitment to continuing to give their time in the community. The Games showed us that the Big Society is indeed alive and well and flourishing in the Royal Borough."

The 45-page report covers the work that was carried out and the legacy benefits for:
0 transport and the environment - including the £7m upgrade to Royal Windsor Way (formerly the Windsor and Eton relief road) and more than £200,000 invested in walking and cycling routes to the venue
0 volunteering - through the Ambassadors programme, which recruited 580 volunteers and resulted in more than 250 trained people at key crowd hubs across the borough
0 the visitor economy - some 300,000 extra visitors came to the borough over the three weeks of the Games and there were boosts for training and sector business
0 business and skills - although not all businesses experienced an increase in trade there were a number of benefits, including increased training and contract opportunities - more than 130 employers attended two events to raise awareness of these opportunities and 20 local businesses won Games-related contracts
0 culture - projects around arts centres and the borough's own libraries and museum included the new Games Walk, devised by the Firestation Centre for Arts and Culture, and a museum programme of Olympic-themed events
0 sport and young people - through Games-inspired competitions and projects that saw hundreds of local children given an open door into sports and embracing the Olympic values
0 Communications and partnerships - renewed joint working established stronger partnerships with public sector organisations, including neighbouring local authorities and Thames Valley Police.

The Achievements and Legacy report will be considered by cabinet on Wednesday 24 October 2012 and is available with the cabinet papers on the council's website.

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