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 the district, to consider future Playzone projects in additional locations, if and when external funding becomes available. In addition to this, through the agreed action plan, the development of an evidence based pipeline of capital projects will be compiled for future consideration.  It should be noted however that projects will need to be demand led and importantly, align with Council priorities.  Once the pipeline is adopted, suitable projects can subsequently be considered for external funding opportunities, as and when they become available and obviously subject to our own internal resources.  I am also pleased that the delivery plan aligns with the Committee’s recommendation to consider environmental sustainability within our facilities.

Following the wide ranging consultation process which took place prior to the strategy adoption, it is clear that a platform which can be used by local people to identify the range of sport and activity services on offer around the district was a key priority.  This is likely to be a key focus for delivering the strategy and the committee’s various recommendations for wider marketing and promotional activities align closely with the adopted action plan and the points suggested, will be considered together with a range of further measures, through the development of an annually reviewed marketing plan. 

Following recruitment of the Community Sport and Activity Manager, the action plan will form the basis of their project task list and together with Officers and partners I will constantly review the effectiveness of our delivery plan and the outcomes achieved.  The recommendations from the committee are consistent with the adopted plan and will be considered for effectiveness and availability of resources, following the recruitment of the Community Sport and Activity Manager.”

At the meeting the Leisure & Public Realm Portfolio Holder made the additional oral response:-

“I welcome this report and the opportunity that I was given to discuss the Sport and Activity Strategy at the scrutiny committee on the 15^th October.

The strategy has effectively been ‘live’ for three months and I would like to give some updates on its impact, some related developments and future aspirations for our residents across the District.

The specification for the post of Community Sport and Activity Manager has been agreed and this post will be a priority for recruitment in the New Year.

I have always said that the Strategy was an organic working document that would be part of an overall approach to engaging with residents around sport, activity, health and wellbeing. It is a statement of intent to outside bodies and national organisations that has already been used to successfully influence bids for funding.

News from Active Essex management only this week:-

‘I am delighted to share exciting news that Sport England have approved our ‘deepening’ funding submission to extend our successful LDP work (retitled Place Partnerships) for another three years. The total amount of funding approved is £4,998,842.

The grant allocates approximately £1million to each place: Basildon, Colchester and Tendring, as well as £2million to fund Active Essex to support the work and undertake further system change across the County. The funding will commence in April 2025 and be completed in March 2028.’

This will fund work with Active Essex to deliver elements of the Strategy’s action plan across the District.

We have also submitted a bid for £1.3million to replace old oil boilers at Clacton Leisure Centre and take further action in line with our Climate Action Plan.

The proposal for a free to use cycle zone and a number of play zones across the District are well advanced with results expected by the end of March 2025. Officers have had discussions with English Athletics and British Cycling and Sport England have been very complimentary about the Strategy, and its influence with national organisations.

There is no doubt that the Strategy played a key role in convincing funders that we have ambition and capacity to deliver our action plan.

There will be a District Sports and Activity Conference in May 2025 which will bring together all bodies, groups and organisations in one place to share good practice and take forward the Strategy through an events programme over the summer months.

On a wider scale the feasibility work with consultants and partners regarding an Active Wellbeing Centre for the District is also progressing positively and only yesterday we conducted a fact-finding visit to a newly opened Sports Centre and HUB at Mildenhall.

Overall, we have shown that our Strategy has laid really solid foundations for improving opportunity for residents of all ages to engage in healthier lifestyles and improve their quality of life.

I welcome the endorsement of the scrutiny committee and thank them for their positive comments.”

Having duly considered the recommendations made by the Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee together with the response of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure & Public Realm thereto:-

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

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.