A new group has been established with the intention of improving sports facilities around the UK.

Combining government representatives and grassroots campaigners, the group will be chaired by sports minister, Richard Caborn.

The new group merges the Playing Fields Monitoring Group and the existing Sports Facilities Strategy Group and aims to put playing fields at the centre of the government’s sports policy.

With the first meeting scheduled to take place in July, the group will also include representatives from The Big Lottery Fund – the lottery distributor created from the New Opportunities Fund and the Community Fund – and the Central Council of Physical Recreation.

Caborn said: “There is a great opportunity here to inform and influence sports strategy across a range of government departments, in a way that has not happened before.” Details: www.culture.gov.uk