Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Adult, Culture and Community Service on the review of the 2005 Sport and Physical Activity Strategy and Action Plan.

The Committee received the presentation by Andrea Keeble (Sport & Recreation Programme Manager) updating on the 2005 Sport and Physical Activity Strategy and asking for the Committee’s steer on how to take a review of the strategy forward.

The Committee asked what savings could be made by the establishment of a leisure trust.  The Assistant Director - Recreation Services explained that the Council would benefit from tax savings in relation to non-domestic rates as the leisure trust would be a non-profit organisation.

CLERKS NOTE

Councillor Bull returned to the meeting and took over as Chair.

The Committee noted the need for a swimming pool in the Wood Green area and raised concerns that 8 out of 11 key performance indicators were not being met, questioning whether the wrong targets were being used.  The Assistant Director – Recreation Services explained that the targets were based on information from the recent National Active People Survey and focused on participation within the Borough and not on the Council’s provision (which counts for only 15% of total activity.

The Committee emphasised the importance of joint working with other organisations including private sports clubs in the Borough and were informed that the Council worked with voluntary sector sports providers and others including the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Foundation which were part of the Council’s Community Sports and Physical Activity Network.  

In response to the Committee’s concerns about provision for Looked After Children (LAC) the Assistant Director – Recreation Services informed members that pilot initiatives were being developed by the Recreation and Children & Young People’s Departments.

The Committee expressed concerns that there was a lack of Olympic focus and The Committee requested a briefing note about the implications and benefits of establishing a Leisure Trust to manage the leisure facilities in the Borough.  Members would respond to the information in order to inform the strategy.                                                                               

The Committee requested a briefing note on the Council’s negotiations with the Tottenham Hotspur Football Foundation in relation to task no. 44  of the Sport & Physical Activity Strategy Action Plan 2005.

RESOLVED

That the review be noted and that the Committee be updated as the new Sports Strategy is developed.