Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel - Monday, 1st February, 2016 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9th November, 2015 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 9th November, 2015 were agreed as a correct record.

Ms. Sara Teers, Head of Libraries and Registration Services, Hampshire County Council, will provide an update on the Hampshire County Council Library Strategy Consultation.

The Panel welcomed Ms. Sara Teers, Head of Libraries and Registration Services at Hampshire County Council (HCC), who attended the meeting to update the Panel on the HCC Library Strategy Consultation, which had ended on the 16th January, 2016. The Hampshire Library and Information Services consisted of a range of library facilities in the County; these included, discovery centres, mobile libraries, community libraries, school libraries and an online/virtual library service. In 2015, the Service had a turnover of £14 million, received 6 million visits and issued 6.9 million books/items. It employed 525 staff (plus 150 additional members of staff at the registration service) and had over 1,000 volunteers.

Expenditure within the Service was noted and the Panel was advised that, to date, the Service had saved £5 million since 2009. However, a further, estimated, £1.7 million needed to be saved by 2020.

The Panel was made aware of the strategic aims to 2020 under the umbrella “delivering modern, comprehensive and efficient library services”. The aims were:

·         Aim 1 – Support and encourage reading and literacy

·         Aim 2 – Improve digital services and inclusion

·         Aim 3 – Contribute to health and wellbeing of local communities

·         Aim 4 – Provide access to trusted sources of information

·         Aim 5 – Facilitate and provide learning

To assist in achieving these aims the Service had carried out a comprehensive needs assessment, which had looked at usage costs, location, catchment size, demographics, levels of deprivation and educational attainment. The outcome from the assessment helped determine community need and the importance of each library.

The Panel reviewed costings for the four main types of service provided: static, community, mobile and home. It was noted that the mobile library service cost in the region of £161 per active member (based on book issues) compared to £58 and £25 for static and community services, respectively. The home service, where books were delivered to individuals homes, cost £120 per active user.

It was noted that a new operating model was being proposed to enable service modernisation and efficiencies. The model would categorise the existing range of libraries by size, services offered, opening hours and current performance. Through the creation of this new operating model not only would the core library offer of book lending, baby bounce and rhyme, public IT, inter library loans etc. be preserved, but the opportunity to continue to enhance the Service would be enabled.

The new operating model would mean that existing libraries would be categorised by tier. The proposed four tiers were:

·         Tier 1 – the largest libraries, including discovery centres, it was noted that the offer in the bigger libraries would be improved to bring them more in line with discovery centres. Farnborough had been categorised as a tier one library

·         Tier 2 – mid-sized libraries, Aldershot had been categorised in this tier but had potential to move up to tier one if an increase in footfall could be achieved

·         Tier 3 – small/neighbourhood libraries, some with potential to move up a tier  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To provide an update on the ongoing work of the Lido Task and Finish Group.

The Head of Community and Environmental Services, Mr. Peter Amies, provided an update on the ongoing work of the Lido Task and Finish Group in relation to the Lido Review. It was noted that a meeting of the Task and Finish Group had been held in mid-January, 2016 at which there had been representatives from the Aldershot Civic Society and Friends of Aldershot Lido (FOAL) in attendance.

It was advised that at the meeting Members had considered a vision for the Lido, and the Panel noted the importance of future proofing the facility by working together. It was also recognised that the size and depth of the pool may need to be rationalised to enable heating a body of water and the heritage of the facility should be preserved in any proposed changes.

It was noted that all the Council owned leisure facilities were due for retendering in 2019, these included the Farnborough Leisure Centre, Aldershot Pools, Aldershot Lido, Alpine Snowsports and Southwood Golf Course. It was imperative that the best deal was secured for the Council, which could include either bringing all the facilities together under one contract or there may be interest in some facilities, such as the Ski Centre and Golf Course, from more specialist contractors. The retendering would provide an opportunity to work with a wide range of leisure providers on    options to make the facilities more attractive and financially viable.

Consideration was also being given to soft market testing for the Aldershot Indoor Pools and Lido site, to identify what the wider market place believed would provide the most attractive and financially sustainable option. The findings from this could be used to help shape the retendering process.

The Panel noted that due to the poor summer in 2015, the annual cost of the Lido had increased by £15,000 in accordance with the profit share deal with Places for People (PfP). In addition, the season ticket scheme had not worked as well as hoped, and it was felt that poor weather throughout the season may also have had in impact on sales. However, the reduced entry price from 3.30 p.m had seen a significant increase in take up.

It was advised that representatives from FOAL, PfP and the Council would meet prior to the next Task and Finish Group meeting to discuss promotional ideas for the 2016 season, which would include use of social media.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Amies for his presentation.

To review the Panel’s portfolio of budgets (papers attached) to assist in identifying future items for the work programme.

The Head of Financial Services and Chief Finance Officer (Ms Amanda Fahey) attended the meeting to review the revenue budget portfolio relating to the Panel. The Panel went through the revenue budget by item and identified some potential areas for scrutiny, areas included:

·         Community Leisure – play schemes and support to Rushmoor Healthy Living and the Healthy Adult programme

·         Tourism – Grants to the Military Museum and Basingstoke Canal

·         Public Hall and Community Centres – provision of facilities for educational , recreational, arts and social opportunities

·         Special Events – support to and promotion of community event

·         Community Schools – provision of community schools (Connaught)

·         Town Twinning – encourage and facilitate educational, cultural and leisure links between Rushmoor and the twin towns

·         Allotments – provision of allotment gardens

The Panel noted that the Capital Budget could be considered as a standalone item at a future meeting and would be discussed further alongside the areas identified at the next mid-cycle meeting.

The Chairman thanked Ms. Fahey for her attendance at the meeting.

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

            The Panel NOTED the current work programme.