To enable Cabinet to consider recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee following its scrutiny of the Sport and Activity Strategy for Tendring.

RESOLVED that the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted and that the responses, both written and oral, of the Portfolio Holder responsible for Leisure & Public Realm thereto be endorsed.

Cabinet was aware that the Community Leadership Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 15 October 2024, had scrutinised the Sport and Activity Strategy for Tendring.

Invited to that meeting had been Councillor Mick Barry (Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm), Lee Heley (Corporate Director for Place and Economy), Kieran Charles (Sport & Leisure Operations Manager), Sylvia Gentleman (Delivery Oversight in Essex for the Active Wellbeing Society), Hayley Chapman (North Essex Relationship Manager for Active Essex), Jason Fergus (Board Member for Sport England, Senior Leader in public health at Essex County Council and Director for Active Essex) and Sharon Alexander (Chief Executive Officer for CVS Tendring).

The Committee had resolved to RECOMMEND to Cabinet that –

(a)   that the following actions that had been included within the Sport England submission be pursued:-

(i)    to support an expanding population in the west of Tendring (Garden Community Project) the scope should be broadened from identifying new sports facilities to identifying new opportunities for creating active environments;

(ii)   to ensure that appropriate contributions towards sport are consistently secured. Furthermore, the scope of contributions should be extended to cover capital projects that would support the delivery of physical activity priorities;

(iii)   encourage the application of Active Design principles into new developments to help ensure that opportunities for encouraging physical activity are maximised in practice; and

(iv) that new/refurbished buildings that the Council funds have fully considered environmental sustainability.

(b)   that the following actions should also be undertaken:-

(i)    showcase activities fairs being held at centres across the District in 2025 to allow clubs and organisations to offer to the public opportunities to be involved in sport/be active;

(ii)   an Activities Council/Committee to be created and meet to help encourage further dialogue between sports activities providers;

(iii)   creation of sports/activities promotion videos that the public can access to encourage involvement in those activities/access information on activities locally; and

(iv)  develop proposals for more play zones including on sites in the west of the District to then be implemented as and when funding becomes available.

Cabinet had before it the following written response of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm:-

“Thank you to the committee for your consideration of the Sport and Activity Strategy and the comprehensive list of recommendations.  The action plan included with the strategy was developed following evaluation of the evidence base and a comprehensive consultation process.  Together with Officers, I am now in the process of prioritising those actions to deliver the best outcomes for local people, within the resources we have at our disposal.  The strategy has a strong consideration of population expansion in the west of the district and how the Council can work with developers to improve activity levels across the district together with quality of life for local people.  The Council will continue to work with partners to drive forward improvements and we will reflect on the positive contribution and commentsfrom Sport England. 

The Council is already working with local leaders in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94