Agenda item

Following a successful funding bid by the Council to contribute towards the delivery of four new Football Foundation Playzones in the District, this report requests Cabinet permission to accept the grant, agree the Council’s financial contribution and continue the project through to completion.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a) formally agrees to accept Football Foundation funding of £839,355 towards the development of four new Playzones at Clacton Leisure Centre, Dovercourt (Cliff Park), Jaywick Sands (Crossways) and Walton-on-the-Naze (Bathhouse Meadow), with a total project cost of £1,119,257; and furthermore, authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with the Corporate Director (Law and Governance) to enter into a funding agreement on behalf of the Council;

(b) agrees to contribute £204,643.88 from Section 106 monies and £75,168.12 from the Corporate Investment Fund, making a total of £279,812as match funding towards this project;

(c) authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with Legal Services, to enter into a Joining Agreement with the Football Foundation, to become part of the Football Foundation's Framework Alliance Contract for the duration of the project;

(d) authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with Legal Services, to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement with McArdle Sport, Edge Public Solutions and Sportslab UK, to undertake the detailed design proposals and to submit planning applications for the new Playzones, under the pre-procured Football Foundation Framework;

(e) agrees for £40,000 of the Council’s agreed match funding contribution set out in resolution (b) above to be committed towards the Playzones design phase and costs of submitting the planning applications;

(f) authorises the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm, to submit planning applications where applicable, for the four facilities listed in the executive summary of the Portfolio Holder’s report (A.5);

(g) agrees that, following consultation with local organisations, decision making for the future management options for the Playzone facilities be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Public Realm, in consultation with the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health), the Corporate Director (Law & Governance) and the Corporate Director (Finance & IT);

(h) agrees that the approval of the final business plans and associated actions, including the decision to enter into a JCT agreement with McArdle Sport for the construction phase of the Playzone Project, be delegated to the Leader of the Council & Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance and the Leisure and Public Realm Portfolio Holder, in consultation with the Corporate Director (Finance & IT), the Assistant Director (Sport, Culture and Health) and Legal Services; and

(i) agrees the inclusion of four new Playzone facilities within the Capital Programme in 2025/26, with a total budget of £1,119,257.

Cabinet considered a report of the Leisure and Public Realm Portfolio Holder (A.5) which, following a successful funding bid by the Council to contribute towards the delivery of four new Football Foundation (FF) Playzones in the District, requested Cabinet’s permission to accept the grant, agree the Council’s financial contribution and subject to the outcome of final business plans, continue the project through to completion.

It was reported that the four Playzone locations listed below were proposed as the development sites, following deliberation by a consortium of partners and subsequently through community consultation: -

Clacton Leisure Centre;
Bathhouse Meadow, Walton-on-the-Naze;
Cliff Park, Harwich; and
Crossways, Jaywick Sands.

It was considered that Playzones supported the provision of a balanced activity programme and would include a well thought out mix of formal and informal sessions, which met the needs of local people and impacted on rates of participation in physical activity. The Council would need to work with a variety of local organisations in advance of project completion, to develop the Playzones programme. This process would be led by the Council’s Community Sport and Activity Manager, who would be taking forward delivery of the new strategy.

The total breakdown for the cost of delivering the project was as set out below, together with the grant funding offered and match funding required by the Council: -

Playzone Location	FF Funding Offered (£)	Match Funding Required (£)	Total Cost (£)
Clacton on Sea	200,653	66,884	267,537
Jaywick Sands	192,167	64,054	256,221,
Harwich	249,824	83,274	333,098
Walton on the Naze	196,801	65,600	262,401,
Total Project Cost	839,445	279,812	1,119,257

Cabinet was informed that the proposed facilities had been costed through the FF framework process and included design fees, project management, construction, project contingencies and risk mitigation costs. The FF had confirmed that all Playzone projects around the country to date had completed within the budget allocated. It was noted however that any additional cost would be at this Council’s risk, so strong project management would be required throughout the process. The Council would need to formally accept the FF funding offered and enter into a funding agreement. Furthermore, the 25% match funding would need to be agreed and it was proposed to finance that from a mix of section 106 funding with the balance funded from the Corporate Investment Fund. Consideration would also need to be given to the ongoing maintenance costs for the pitches and the risk of any income derived from the facility, not being sufficient to fund that amount. To progress the project through its detailed designs and planning permission, £40,000 of the Council’s match funding contribution would need to be formally committed.

To progress the project, the Council was required to enter into a ‘Joining Agreement’ with the FF, which was a formal document that allowed an organisation to become part of the FF's Framework Alliance Contract for the duration of a project. The framework promoted collaboration among all parties involved, ensuring best value and quality for grant-funded projects. It was also designed to provide services including contract administration, cost management, Health & Safety compliance, and independent testing to international quality standards. This would reduce the risk of increased capital costs and manage quality control of the project. Importantly, this would also provide the Council with sufficient resources to progress the project and utilise specialist and professional expertise. Without engaging the professional teams, it was unlikely that the Council could progress such a project within the scope of its other workstreams and existing ‘in year’ projects. It was estimated that construction would be commenced in February 2026 and with a 12 week build period, they would be open in the spring of 2026.

Members were made aware that, following approval of this stage of the project, the Council would be engaging with local organisations to discuss future management and operation of Playzones. It was noted that although the Council was leading on this project to provide evidence-based activity opportunities for local communities, other organisations could operate/manage Playzones following their construction through a licence agreement. This would be key in advance of Local Government Reorganisation, to understand how the facilities would be managed into the future. This would need to be established prior to submission of the funding bid. This process would also include detailed programming of the facilities to ensure there was a balance struck between free to use sessions for local people and hired sessions for organisations (although some of those were likely to be free at the point of use). The programme balance would ensure there was enough income derived from the facilities to cover the cost of annual maintenance. A high-level business plan had been appended to the Portfolio Holder’s report (A.5), but following Cabinet agreement, Officers would work with local organisations to finalise that process and develop a final business plan for approval prior to progressing to the construction phase.

To progress the delivery of four new Playzone facilities in the District, which was a project set out in the action plan of the Council’s approved Sport and Activity Strategy, through to completion: -

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