Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel - Monday, 7th November, 2016 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

            To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5th September, 2016 (copy attached).

            The Minutes of the Meeting held on 5th September, 2016 were agreed as a correct record.

            To receive a presentation from Ms. Jane Armstrong, Chair of the Children and Young People’s Partnership, on the activities and working arrangements of the partnership.

            The Panel welcomed Ms. Jane Armstrong, Chairman of the Rushmoor Local Children’s Partnership and Head Teacher at Farnborough Grange Nursery and Infant Community School. Ms. Armstrong had been invited to give a presentation on activities and working arrangements of the Rushmoor Local Children’s Partnership (LCP). The Partnership was the local strategic arm of the Hampshire Children’s Trust Board and had cross partner members from both statutory and voluntary organisations.

            The Panel was advised of the delivery plan and activities between 2010 and 2012. The two main areas of concern had been to reduce the rate of teenage conception, pregnancy and parenting and to improve attendance rates at schools across the Borough. The Panel discussed the pregnancy rate in the Borough and noted that this had reduced between 2010 and 2012. A request was made for more up to date information relating to teenage pregnancies by ward. The school attendance figures were also discussed.  It was reported that these had reduced from well above the national average to 6% over the same period.

            Ms. Armstrong then advised on the activities of the LCP between 2012-2016. Due to funding cuts and gaps created from the restructuring of the Hampshire Youth Service, new funding streams and priorities had to be identified. Transitional funding had been used to keep key services available until new funds were secured. A consultation had been carried out in Hart and Rushmoor to identify the key services required locally, these included services for drugs/smoking/alcohol, sexual health, teenage pregnancy, social activities and homelessness. The Panel discussed the closure of the local children’s centre and the successes they had had, with teenage parents in particular, in the past. It was noted that funding had been passed to the Source and Step by Step and measures would be put in place to ensure that the funds were being used effectively to tackle the local issues.

            A discussion was held over the proposals from Hampshire County Council (HCC) to have one Youth Support Service (YSS) provider for the whole of the County. The importance of more locally based services was recognised as the young people in Rushmoor had as many issues as those in the larger cities and towns in the County and were as worthy of receiving the services available.

            The Panel noted the LCP’s Action Plan 2012 to present.  The Plan had reflected the five priorities set out by HCC, which focused on poverty, health, learning, safety and recreation. The Plan had a two-tiered approach, work that could be managed directly by the LCP, such as Early Years attainment and YSS commissioning, and the work managed outside the LCP which was reported to it by the responsible organisation.

            Mrs. Armstrong reported on an emerging issue within the Hart/Rushmoor area relating to school places for children with special educational needs. It was advised that, currently, 40 children were not in school due to a shortage of places available to accommodate the complex learning needs of the individuals. It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

            To receive an update on the current work of the Lido Working Group and to update Members on the recent soft market testing work carried out over the summer. A copy of the minutes from the last Lido Working Group are attached for reference.

            Principal Contracts Manager, Mr. Ashley Sharpe, attended the meeting to give an update on the work of the Lido Review Working Group. It was reported that, during the 2016 summer season, a soft market testing event had been held which nine companies had attended and had received a presentation on both the Indoor Pools and Lido complex and the strategic priorities of the Council. Attendees had also had the opportunity to visit the site during opening hours. The nine companies had subsequently been individually offered the opportunity to attend a further meeting with Council Officers.  Four companies had taken this up.

            The individual meetings had been used to establish thoughts and opinions of the four companies. It was noted that the option to “invest to save” had generated the most interest, where the company representatives had suggested giving consideration to integration of the whole site.

            It was noted that the information gathered from the individual meetings would be put into a report, to be prepared by the Head of Community and Environmental Services, for consideration by the Directors’ Management Board and the Panel, then on to the Cabinet for further consideration. It was advised that there would be a number of options for Members to consider and it was hoped that a decision would be reached by the end of the 2016/17 financial year.

            Mr. Sharpe then gave an update on the Lido’s performance for the season. It was reported that the Lido had received 45,000 visits, the same as the previous two seasons combined and as a result the Council had received the full £20,000 profit share agreement amount. This amount had offset the £13,000 cost to the Council from the previous year, giving the Council a £7,000 profit over two years. 

            A number of initiatives had been put in place to enhance the service provided at the Lido; these had included a fast track queuing system, early morning lane swimming, season tickets and military discounts. Social media activity had also increased to help with promotion of the facility and the offers available.

            The Panel discussed the current situation and noted that in its current condition the facility was unsustainable, the size of the pool needed to be considered and the plant room equipment was of an age where failure and breakdown were of higher risk, which could result in considerable expense to the Council.

            The Chairman thanked Mr. Sharpe for the update and requested that the Panel be kept informed of progress with the report as necessary.

            To receive an update from Corporate Director, Mr. Ian Harrison on the current position with Aldershot Town Football Club and Farnborough Football Club.

            Corporate Director, Mr. Ian Harrison updated the Panel on the current position with both Aldershot Town and Farnborough football clubs.

            It was reported that both Clubs operated out of stadiums on Council owned land making the Council the landlord for both Clubs. Three years previously, during the summer of 2013, both Clubs had gone into a form of administration. Each Club had entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) over a three year period. This allowed each Club to reach a voluntary arrangement with its business creditors regarding repayments of all or part of its debts over an agreed period of time. It was advised that both Clubs had managed to exit their CVAs within the three year period. Aldershot had cleared their CVA in its entirety whilst Farnborough had renegotiated the terms of its CVA and had subsequently cleared it.

            The Panel was reminded that the Council’s Cabinet had agreed at its meeting on 15th October, 2013 to put in place a support package for each Club to provide stability during the period of the CVAs.

            The support packages had provided rent relief for three years for both Clubs, with an additional obligation for Farnborough to clear accrued rent arrears. Both Clubs had also been provided with some partial rate relief. The Panel heard that both Clubs had been meeting their financial obligations to the Council under the terms of the support packages. However, the three year period was now ending.

            It was further reported that both Clubs had met with the Cabinet to discuss future support and, in order to consider the requests, Cabinet had asked for full financial disclosures from each Club. Once all the financial information had been received a report would be prepared for consideration by Cabinet sometime in December 2016 or January 2017.

            The Panel NOTED the update and would be kept informed of any further updates as required.

            To review the Panel’s current work programme (copy attached), and to agree priorities where necessary.

            The Panel NOTED the current work programme.