Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel - Monday, 5th June, 2017 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

            To appoint a Chairman of the Panel for the Municipal Year   2017/18.

RESOLVED: That Cr. Mrs D.B. Bedford be appointed as Chairman of the Panel for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

            To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the Municipal Year 2017/18.

RESOLVED: That Cr. Liz Corps be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

            To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 3rd April, 2017 (copy attached)

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 3rd April, 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

(1)    To appoint group representatives to attend Mid-Cycle Meetings. The membership is normally as follows:

·         The Chairman and Vice-Chairman and a representative from the other political groups.

(2)    To appoint group representatives to the Aldershot Lido Working Group. The membership in 2016/17 (4Con:2Lab) was as follows:

·         Crs. Liz Corps, A.H. Crawford, A.R. Newell, M.J. Roberts, M.L. Sheehan and B.A. Thomas.

(1)          Mid-Cycle Group –

It was AGREED that the membership of the mid-cycle meeting group for the Municipal Year 2017/18 would be, the Chairman (Cr. Mrs D.B. Bedford), the Vice-Chairman (Cr. Liz Corps) and Cr. T.D. Bridgeman.

(2)          Lido Working Group  -

It was AGREED that the membership of the Lido Working Group for the Municipal Year 2017/18 would be as follows, the Vice-Chairman (Cr. Liz Corps) and Crs. Sue Carter, A.H. Crawford, A.R. Newell, M.J. Roberts and B.A. Thomas. The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Youth (Cr. M.L. Sheehan) would be invited to meetings as required.

To receive a presentation form Mr Martin Sterio on a Borough wide healthy weights audit that will looking at infrastructure and the work that schools are doing to tackle the issue of overweight children.

Mr. Martin Sterio, Health and Physical Activity Officer, attended the meeting to give a presentation on the forthcoming Healthy Weights Audit. It was reported that obesity in children had been increasing both nationally and on a local level. The questionnaire aimed to gather information from schools on how they addressed issues relating to healthy weights. This data would be complemented by an environment and infrastructure audit of green and open space, leisure facilities, infrastructure for safe play and food outlets in each catchment area.

The Panel reviewed statistics that showed the percentage of overweight/obese children in Year Reception and Year 6. Rushmoor had been highlighted as having one of the highest increases across the county, with growth rising from 22.1% (YR) to 34.0% (Y6). Comparisons were drawn between districts with similar demographic make-up within Hampshire, such as Test Valley, Fareham and East Hants, which all had much lower increases.

The questionnaire would cover a range of areas relating to the issues, these included:

·         The National Child Measurement Programme

·         School outdoor space

·         Healthy eating

·         Physical Activity

·         Active Travel

·         Use of the Pupil PE Sports Premium

·        Best practice examples

The outcomes of the audit would help to determine an obesogenic rating for each school based on its catchment area. Once the data has been analysed, partnership working would be considered to establish how partners could work together to implement a series of intervention initiatives, an example of which could be incorporated within the new leisure contract. The Council would also consider a partner based strategy to tackle the issue.

The Panel discussed the issues and raised a number of queries relating to school dinners, guidance and monitoring of healthy lunch boxes and tuck shop offers. It was noted that all these issues would be addressed via the questionnaire. Cr. Sue Carter suggested writing to Jamie Oliver inviting him to visit our schools as part of his healthy eating campaigning, It was agreed that a letter to Mr. Oliver could be sent once the data for the audit had been examined.

A discussion was held on the methods used to get to schools and schemes available to promote alternatives to driving. The Panel stressed the importance of encouraging parents and children to walk to school.

In response to a query it was noted that follow up work could include monitoring the secondary schools and looking at what children actively involved in sports clubs were eating, as a comparison.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Sterio for his presentation and AGREED that a report would be presented to the Panel on the survey results.

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

The Panel NOTED the current work programme and it was agreed that a schedule would be set at the next meeting of the Mid-Cycle Group. Members were asked to contact the Panel Administrator if they had any issues they wished to be considered.