LONDON has been getting the Government’s green flag’ for using sport to divert teenagers away from street crime. Local authorities are now said to be “the best in the country” at using culture and sport to improve urban life

By Mike Brooke

LONDON has been getting the Government’s green flag’ for using sport to divert teenagers away from street crime.

Local authorities are now said to be “the best in the country” at using culture and sport to improve urban life, according to a new report.

Town Halls in London have scooped nine of the 13 green flag’ awards to councils up and down the country for outstanding improvement’ in leisure and sporting activities, says results of a Comprehensive Area Assessment’ survey for London Councils.

London boroughs were also awarded another five green flags’ for results indirectly related to sport and culture, such as using sport to divert youngsters from youth crime, the survey found.

But the City of London really took the biscuit when it scooped the only green flag’ award in the country specifically for culture and sport.