Agenda item

To present a draft five-year Sport and Activity Strategy for Cabinet approval to invite stakeholder comments, through a public consultation process. Furthermore, to address short term maintenance requirements at the Council’s Sports Facilities and ensure continuity of service to customers.

RESOLVED that -

(a)    approves the draft Sport and Activity Strategy be approved for consultation;

(b)    authorises Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm, to initiate a minimum eight-week consultation process and seek stakeholders’ comments on the draft Sport and Activity Strategy;

(c)    a one off sum of £122,530 from the budget for the former Joint Use Facilities be allocated towards the action plan set out in the Strategy and delegates decision making for the use of this budget to the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm;

(d)    the appointment of a new Community Sport and Activity Manager, to facilitate, influence and support the community activity set out in the action plan, be supported;

(e)    a feasibility study be commissioned to explore the options and implications for developing a new Active Wellbeing Centre in the District; and

(f)     authorises the Leader of the Council together with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm to decide the scope of the feasibility study.

Further to Minute 96 above, Councillor Barry declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in relation to this item due to his position as a Trustee of the Brightlingsea Lido. Councillor Barry stated that he had been granted the necessary dispensation by the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Cabinet considered a report of the Leisure and Public Realm Portfolio Holder (A.5), which presented a draft five-year Sport and Activity Strategy and sought its approval to invite stakeholder comments, through a public consultation process.

Cabinet was informed that this was a new evidence-based draft Sport and Activity Strategy, to support delivery of the Council’s priorities as set out in the newly adopted Corporate Plan.  This draft strategy would set the direction for the Council’s focus on supporting residents to become more physically active and working with partners to improve quality of life for local people.

It was reported that research by the Department of Health demonstrated that increasing activity levels would contribute to the prevention and management of over 20 health conditions and diseases.  Adoption of this strategy and the accompanying action plan could support increased participation in physical activity levels in the District, from a historically low base to improve health outcomes and all-round quality of life for local people.

From conclusions drawn in the draft Strategy from the evidence base taken into account, the following strategic objectives were considered to be key in delivering quality outcomes for local people:

1. Support improvement to Tendring wide health outcomes

2. Improve quality of life for all local people

3. Long term sustainability & quality of Sports Facilities and wider community offer

4. Ensure every resident is included in sport and active wellbeing

Members were aware that the draft strategy was presented with a detailed action plan, to impact on all of objectives set out above.  Although it would not be possible for the Council to fund all the actions listed, adopting an action plan would allow the Council to proactively look for external funding opportunities and link projects to future developer contributions/Section 106 monies.

Cabinet was informed that a key focus of this work was to ensure that all residents felt represented by the draft strategy and were afforded increased opportunities to become ‘active where they live.’  This could be achieved by a much wider focus on community activity in all areas of the District, through supporting and facilitating local clubs, organisations and partners to continue and extend their important work.  Building on the success of the Sport England Local Delivery Pilot Scheme (LDP), the Council had a role in supporting more active lifestyles in all areas of the District.

Cabinet was advised that in order to facilitate, support and influence the Tendring sport and activity community to deliver the District wide focus of the draft strategy, it was recommended that a two-year fixed term Community Sport and Activity Manager be appointed, to lead on supporting more sport and activity around the District.  This would include support for partners, clubs, organisations and sourcing additional funding for approved projects.  This post could be part funded by vacant posts in the Sports Facility establishment and the budget allocated to support delivery of the final strategy.   

Members were informed that the draft strategy also set out clear aspirations to work with health partners in creating a new state of the art Active Wellbeing Centre in Tendring. This centre would include health and leisure facilities together in one place and act as a central hub linked to others across the District. Progress would be subject to funding agreements with partners, but this exciting proposition would align with national strategies and presented an opportunity for significant transformation and create a national standard in this approach. In addition to this, there was a commitment to review the current facilities in the light of this development, to put the whole leisure estate on sustainable financial footing.  In order to inform this aspiration to develop such a facility, it was recommended that a feasibility study be commissioned to ensure all appropriate implications were considered in any future decision making.    

Subject to Cabinet agreement, it was important to seek comments on the draft strategy from local organisations, clubs, partners, national governing bodies for sport (NGBs) and most importantly, residents.  This would ensure that stakeholders could scrutinise, comment and make suggestions for the completed strategy, prior to its adoption.  This consultation exercise would take a minimum of eight weeks, following which consideration would be given to the feedback received.  The final strategy would then return to Cabinet in early summer 2024 for adoption.

In order for the Council to move towards adopting a strategic approach towards sport and physical activity, to support local people and local communities and to increase participation around the District:-

It was moved by Councillor Barry, seconded by Councillor Placey and:-

RESOLVED that -

(a)    approves the draft Sport and Activity Strategy be approved for consultation;

(b)    authorises Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm, to initiate a minimum eight-week consultation process and seek stakeholders’ comments on the draft Sport and Activity Strategy;

(c)    a one off sum of £122,530 from the budget for the former Joint Use Facilities be allocated towards the action plan set out in the Strategy and delegates decision making for the use of this budget to the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm;

(d)    the appointment of a new Community Sport and Activity Manager, to facilitate, influence and support the community activity set out in the action plan, be supported;

(e)    a feasibility study be commissioned to explore the options and implications for developing a new Active Wellbeing Centre in the District; and

(f)     authorises the Leader of the Council together with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm to decide the scope of the feasibility study.