Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing

The Leader of the Council referred to an error contained in the original report that had been submitted to the Executive in that paragraph 4.9 should have referred to the current leisure contract expiry date as December 2018 and not December 2022.  The correct contract date had been reflected in the Minutes of the Executive meeting.

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing referred to the recommendations set out in both Parts 1 and 2 of the report and proposed some amendments.

Part 1

In respect of recommendation (E), he proposed an amendment so that it read “public consultation and further investigation of the options for Fanshawe Pool and Gym are carried out and a report is presented in October 2017”.  Councillor D Oldridge seconded this amendment and asked for details of what the consultation would involve.

The Head of Operations advised that Officers would continue to engage with the public and look at all the options available.  This would include all the correspondence received to date as well the comments made in the petitions.  Discussions with the schools would continue and all market options would be examined.

In respect of recommendation (F), the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing proposed an amendment so that it read “public consultation and further investigation of the options for Leventhorpe Pool and Gym are carried out and a report is presented in October 2017”.  This was seconded by Councillor A Alder.

In respect of recommendation (J), the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing proposed an amendment so that it read “subject to funding approval, delegated authority to make decisions relating to the leisure development projects is provided to the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing with the support of a leisure project board.  The board will consist of the Executive Members of Health and Wellbeing and Finance and Support Services, the Head of Operations, the Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer and a Director.”  Councillor D Oldridge seconded this amendment.

Council approved the recommendations as now amended.

RESOLVED – that (A) the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the recommendations of the Executive, be noted;

(B)      investment and development for Grange Paddocks as reflected in paragraph 4.8 of the report submitted, including costs for the submission of outline planning permission, be approved;

(C)      investment and development for Hartham Leisure Centre as reflected in paragraph 4.8 of the report submitted, including costs of the submission of outline planning permission, be approved;

(D)      investment and development for Ward Freman as reflected in paragraph 4.8 of the report submitted, be approved;

(E)      public consultation and further investigation of the options for Fanshawe Pool and Gym are carried out and a report is presented in October 2017;

(F)       public consultation and further investigation of the options for Leventhorpe Pool and Gym are carried out and a report is presented in October 2017;

(G)      the Design, Build, Operate and Maintain model for Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre, be approved;

(H)      the Design, Build, Operate and Maintain model for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 114

Note – Revised Essential Reference Paper ‘A’ (attached) replaces pages 101 – 103 in the original agenda.

That it be noted that (A) the Head of Operations in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services negotiates the terms and conditions of a contract extension with the current leisure provider;

(B)     the principles of the physical activity strategy being including within the vision for leisure facilities outlined in paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of the report submitted before a further detailed revision is produced after public consultation, be endorsed; and

(C)    the extension of the Leisure Task and Finish Group to support the development of the leisure service specification in relation to key service policy considerations such as concessionary pricing policy, health and well-being and community development, be endorsed.

Part 1

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report which provided an overview of the proposed mix of leisure facilities to be provided by East Herts Council over the next 20 years.  He outlined the options considered by the Task and Finish Group and the criteria against which these options had been assessed.  Key areas of risk for the Council were also detailed.

The Executive Member thanked the Task and Finish Group, the consultants and Officers for their detailed work on all the issues now highlighted in his report.  He also referred to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which were also outlined in the report submitted.

The Executive considered the recommendations made and supported by scrutiny within the context of a number of significant issues:

·        the future population growth projections;

·        evolving leisure trends;

·        the doubts over continued Education Funding Agency monies and the threat this posed for the long term sustainability of the joint pools;

·        the Council’s health and wellbeing and physical activity strategies;

·        the timing of the current contract which was due to end in 2018; and

·        if approved by Council, the need for a project board to oversee the procurement, design and build of future leisure developments.

Councillor M Pope expressed his disappointment with the proposals relating to Fanshawe and the impact this would have on residents in Ware.

The Executive Member commented that dialogue with schools would continue, but the Council needed assurances that any long-term arrangements were sustainable for the council taxpayer.

Councillor M Freeman, as Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, gave an assurance that all options had been considered very carefully.

The Executive Member for Finance and Support Services referred to the large capital investment involved and advised that the costs of this had been built into the figures detailed.  If approved, the current deficit on leisure would be replaced in the long term by a small operating profit.

The Executive supported recommendations (A) – (I) and approved recommendations (J) – (L)

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the views of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting of 13 June 2017, as set out in section 10 of the report submitted, be noted;

(B)      the principles of investment and development for Grange Paddocks including costs for the submission of outline planning permission, be approved;

(C)      the principles of investment and development for Hartham leisure centre including costs of the submission of outline planning permission, be approved;

(D)      the principles of investment and development for Ward Freman, be approved;

(E)      Option B (no long term capital investment) in respect of Fanshawe Pool, be approved;

(F)       the future direction of travel for Leventhorpe as described in paragraphs 3.75 and 3.76 of the report submitted, be approved;

(G)      the Design, Build, Operate and Maintain model for Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre, be approved;

(H)      the Design, Build, Operate and Maintain model for Hartham Leisure Centre, be approved;

(I)        the leisure operating contract (with minor works included) model in respect of Ward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67

Part 1

The Leisure Task and Finish Group submitted a report setting out the proposed future direction of travel for Council managed leisure facilities. 

Councillor M Freeman provided a summary of the Leisure Strategy Facilities report regarding a proposed mix of leisure facilities to be provided by the Council over the next 20 years and the options available.  He referred to the remit of the Task and Finish Group, reminding Members that the Council had no statutory obligation to provide leisure facilities, but that there was a statutory responsibility in terms of the health and wellbeing of its community. 

A presentation was provided by Councillor M Freeman on the work of the Task and Finish Group which highlighted key challenges, the profile of the communities and the business case evidence for the five facilities.  Ms Lisa Forsyth, (Consultant from Max Associates), provided detailed responses to questions previously notified.

Councillor M Stevenson referred to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) Government funding and queried where this would leave the school and the children if this was clawed back by the Government.  The Leisure Services Development Manager explained how Government funding supported education related leisure and the need for the proposal to be commercially viable.

In supporting the proposals, Councillor K Warnell thanked the Task and Finish Group for the report and referred to the Old River Lane proposals and the refurbishment of Bishop’s Stortford Town Centre.  He hoped that what was being proposed complied with Sport for England specifications.

Councillor J Wyllie fully supported the proposals and the investment in leisure facilities in Bishop’s Stortford.  He stated that Rye Street was a “hot spot” in terms of traffic and that this would only deteriorate when thousands of homes planned on the Bishop’s Stortford North site were developed.  He suggested that there was a need to review the infrastructure and use Section 106 monies and New Homes Bonus monies.

Councillor B Deering supported investment in health and fitness.  He queried the £31Million proposed investment in terms of the impact this would have on revenue streams and whether this was commercially viable.  He sought assurances that a development with the private sector had been fully explored.  A query was also raised by Councillor P Phillips on the funding through borrowing and the rate of return on investment.  The consultant provided a detailed response on the breakdown of the investment figure and why working with private leisure developers was not feasible in this instance. 

The Head of Strategic Finance assured Members that financial modelling had been carried out and was satisfied that the margins necessary to achieve a profit, could be reached.

Councillor C Snowdon was concerned that many current facilities were not properly managed and that there were times through the day when people were turned away.  The Leisure Services Development Manager explained how joint use pools were managed and the contributions made by schools.

Councillor H Drake commented on the cost of membership of private sector leisure facilities and of the difficulties of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54