Minutes:
The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services delivered a presentation to update the Board on the work that had been undertaken by Officers to support displaced groups as part of the move to the new leisure centre (Appendix 1). During consideration of the presentation the following points were highlighted for Members’ consideration:
· A new operator had been awarded the contract for delivering the Council’s leisure services; Sport and Leisure Management Ltd (SLM) - Everyone Active.
· A number of groups that had participated in daytime and weekend sessions at the Dolphin Centre had been accommodated elsewhere.
· A lot of work had been undertaken by Council staff to ensure that as many groups as possible that used the Dolphin Centre could obtain suitable accommodation elsewhere.
· The North Bromsgrove High School site had been the subject of improvement works, with a new lift installed to ensure access for people with physical disabilities.
· The badminton group that usually met on a Monday had decided to meet in Redditch and Droitwich in future.
· The amount of circuit training would be increasing in the district following the changes.
· The Lodge Park Netball Club, which previously met on Wednesday evenings, had merged with another netball club. Their options for meeting were in the process of being considered.
· One of the two gymnastics clubs that had previously met at the Dolphin Centre had been accommodated at North Bromsgrove High School.
· Football club bookings had primarily transferred to North Bromsgrove High School.
Following the presentation a number of points were discussed in detail and the Chairman invited a local resident to sit at the table to participate in these discussions:
· The times when local groups currently met and the extent to which this was accurately reflected in the presentation.
· The contribution made by volunteers involved in local sporting groups and the potential for the Council to thank these volunteers for their efforts.
· The action that would be taken by the Council and Everyone Active to communicate any changes in the timetable and venue for local sport sessions.
· The date for the introduction of the new arrangements. The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services explained that the aim was to open the new leisure centre on 1st November 2017 though there was still slight potential for delay.
· The business case for the new leisure centre and the fact that this had been highlighted by the Council’s external auditors as a robust document.
· The potential for Information in respect of displaced organisations to be provided for Members’ consideration, as detailed in the presentation. (Councillor Bloore made reference to a number of groups and it was agreed that he would provide details of these to the Head of Leisure and Cultural Services outside of the meeting.)
· The contact that some residents involved in local groups had made with a number of Members.
· The support required by the one gymnastics group that had not been accommodated by the Council. Members were advised that because this group met after 4.00pm it had not been possible to accommodate them at the school as this conflicted with school hours.
At the end of these discussions the Board
RESOLVED that the update report be noted.