Agenda item

The Executive Member for Wellbeing introduced the report, which gave an annual review of East Herts Council’s fifteen-year leisure contract with Everyone Active (EA). She drew Members attention to the recently opened soft paly facility at Hartham Leisure Centre, which was attracting on average two thousand, five hundred visits per month and the weekly regular club and group bookings which were bring made in first full operational year of the 3G pitch at Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing said that work to attempt to reinstate the closed Ward Freeman swimming pool continued. She introduced the EA Contracts Manager who then delivered a slide presentation to the Committee, which gave a twelve-month review of the East Herts Leisure Contract.

The Chair thanked the Executive Member and the EA Contracts Manager for the report and presentation.

Councillor Williamson asked for clarity as to what the extra funding of seventeen thousand pounds (which was mentioned in the slide presentation) represented.  

The EA Contracts Manager said that external funding was received from the Herts Sports Partnership which enabled the Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre to run Health Activity and Food Programmes – which were traditional school holiday camps for children from disadvantaged households.

Councillor Nicholls said that the loss of the Ward Freeman pool was a massive loss to the community, and she extended her thanks to those who had given help to the Pool Group. She asked if there were any penalties incurred for the early closure of the pool.

The EA Contracts Manager said that the Ward Freeman swimming pool closure was very sad, and a step which nobody wanted to take. He said that no penalties had been issued, as this did not benefit the community. He said that the closure of the pool had resulted in small redundancies and that there were minimal site costs for the closed building.

Councillor Nicholls asked if there was any data to show if those who were using the Ward Freeman swimming pool were now using the pool facilities in Ware and Hertford, and if the centres offered concessions.

The EA Contracts Manager said that this information could be obtained by proxy by looking at the Ware and Hertford pool data. He said that leisure centre users could choose to ‘pay as you go’ and that concessions were available.

Councillor Deering thanked the EA Contracts Manager for his excellent presentation and extended his appreciation to staff for the success of the facilities. He said that the investment driven success of the facilities could be attributed to the previous administration.

Councillor Hart said that health and safety was paramount, and asked why there were significantly more reported accidents at Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre.  

The EA Contracts Manager said that there was a higher foot fall at Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre, and that the facilities available, such as the 3G pitch, gave an increase in the number of potential incidents from tackles and head clashes.

Mr Sharman asked if a significant increase in visitors influenced financial performance.

The EA Contracts Manager said that financially they were exceeding expectations. He was unable to give further details due to commercial sensitivity and the public forum of the meeting. He said that the key driver/measure was the impact that the facilities had on the community. 

Mr Poppy asked how the figure of five and a half million pounds of social value for the East Herts sites was arrived at, and how the East Herts contract compared to those contracts held by EA outside of the district.  

The EA Contracts Manager said that social value was used to demonstrate the impact which the industry made. He said that Sheffield Hallam University and Active Communities developed the social value calculator, which utilised data provided by contractors. He said that comparing the East Herts contract to others was difficult as the demographic profiles were so different.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said that the social value policy was agreed last year.

It was moved by Councillor Deering and seconded by Councillor Nicholls, that the recommendations, as detailed, be approved. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the views of the Audit and Governance Committee be received and noted.