Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dr Barton.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission held on 31 March 2016 are attached and Members are asked to confirm them as a correct record.

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission held on 31 March 2016 be confirmed as an accurate record.

Members are asked to note the Terms of Reference for the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission, (attached).

AGREED:

That the Terms of Reference for the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Members are asked to note the membership of the Commission for 2016/17:-

Councillor Bajaj (Chair)

Councillor Unsworth (Vice-Chair)

Councillor Dr Barton

Councillor Dawood

Councillor Govind

Councillor Shelton

Councillor Singh-Johal

AGREED:

That the membership of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission for 2016/17 be noted.

Members are asked to note that the meeting dates of the Commission for the 2016/17 municipal year currently are scheduled as:-

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Tuesday 9 August 2016

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Tuesday 15 November 2016

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Tuesday 7 March 2017

Members received the meeting dates for the Commission for the 2016/17 municipal year.

Some disappointment was expressed that the meetings were scheduled for Tuesdays, instead of Thursdays as had been the case in the previous municipal year, as some of the scheduled dates conflicted with some Ward surgeries.

AGREED:

1)    That the concern expressed about the scheduled dates for meetings for the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission for the 2016/17 municipal year be noted; and

2)    That the Democratic Support Officer be asked to identify alternative dates for meetings of this Commission for the 2016/17 municipal year, preferably on a Thursday, but avoiding the second Tuesday of the month if Thursdays are not available.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been received.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations or statements of case had been received.

The Chair congratulated Leicester City Football Club on its success in winning the Premier league.  This was a great achievement, which appropriately had received world-wide recognition.  He also thanked all those involved making the parade and celebrations to mark this achievement so successful.

The Chair then congratulated Mark Selby, who was from Leicester, on winning the World Snooker Championship for the second time.  This was an inspiration to those in the sporting world.

Congratulations also were given to the Leicester Riders, who won the British Basketball League Championship earlier in 2016, which was another great sporting achievement for the city.

The Chair noted that Leicester provided sporting inspiration throughout the world.  This enhanced the city’s reputation as a place to visit for leisure or business and it was hoped that this would help attract inward investment to the city.  In addition, the achievements of all those involved in Leicester’s recent sporting successes had made a great contribution to the unique and diverse culture of the city.

The Democratic Support Officer will present a short overview of some of the procedural aspects of how the Commission works.  The Commission is recommended to note the information and comment as appropriate.

The Democratic Support Officer presented an overview of some of the procedural aspects of how the Commission worked.  A copy of the presentation is attached at the end of these minutes for information.

AGREED:

That the Democratic Support officer be asked to circulate the slides used in the presentation to members of the Commission, along with more detailed information on the matters that can be considered at meetings without the press and public present.

Councillor Govind left the meeting at this point

The Director of Tourism, Culture and Investment and the Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services will provide an overview of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport portfolio.  The Commission is recommended to note the overview and use the information to inform the Commission’s work for the coming municipal year.

The Director of Tourism, Culture and Investment, the Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services and the Head of Sports gave a presentation providing an overview of the Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport portfolio.  A copy of this is attached at the end of these minutes for information.

Particular attention was drawn to the following points:

·           It was hoped that the planning application for the new walk way at the Jewry Wall Museum would be submitted soon;

·           De Montfort Hall was considered to be key in plans to increase income;

·           Increasing income would be preferable to reducing costs across the portfolio;

·           The Council would work with the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership to support investment in new and existing cultural and creative organisations and businesses, (for example, the Haymarket);

·           Sports services were now part of the Public Health service area, in recognition of their importance in encouraging people to adopt active lifestyles;

·           Sport development, was very important, as currently people did not engage well with organised or built provision in the city;

·           Green Flag awards for parks showed that those parks were accessible, clean and well maintained.  The challenge for the Council was to continue its good record in this;

·           Work was being done to extend Saffron Hill Cemetery and this was something that the Commission could consider scrutinising during the coming year; and

·           Some defibrillators already had been placed in parks, in locations identified by the East Midlands Ambulance Service as being the areas of potential highest demand.  It was hoped that this scheme could be extended so that 30 defibrillators had been provided at various sites by 2020.

Members noted that they previously had been advised that Evington Leisure Centre was to be extended and asked when this was scheduled to be done.  In reply, the Head of Sports noted that opportunities for investment would be discussed under minute number 12 below, (“Sports Centres and Sports Participation Update”). 

Some concern was expressed that a significant amount of work remained to be done for the 2013 Sports Engagement Strategy.  For example, older people with dementia could benefit greatly from remaining active, which also would help those caring for them, and there were limited opportunities for older people on older outer city estates to participate in sport or other activities.

Members suggested that some of the external defibrillators that it was proposed to provide could be put at local football development sites, as these sites could be used by 2,000 players each week.  Councillor Clair, Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for Culture, Leisure and Sport, explained that an undertaking to do this could not be given at this stage, but that it would be discussed with officers.

Members stressed the need to strongly encourage young people to participate in sport.  For example, the Council’s role in football provision was limited, sometimes to just cutting pitches, so the local Football Association needed to be challenged to ensure that local provision matched local need and that the demographics of the city were represented  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The meeting adjourned at 6.42 pm and reconvened at 6.46 pm

The Head of Sports will make a presentation on sports facilities and sports participation in the city.  The Commission is invited to receive the presentation and consider whether a Task Group should be established to review barriers to sports participation.  The findings of this review can then be used to inform the development of a revised Sports Strategy for the Council.

The Head of Sports made a presentation on sports facilities and sports participation in the city.  A copy of this is attached at the end of these minutes for information.

During the presentation, attention was drawn to the following points:

·           Participation in sport had peaked during the London 2012 Olympic Games, but by early 2016 Leicester had lower levels than before that and lower levels than the national average.  For example, the city had a 3% higher level of inactivity than the national average and the number of people doing three thirty-minute sessions of activity per week was 3% lower than the national average;

·           As part of the Sports Services Review, consideration had been given to participation levels and who was using the Council’s sports services;

·           The current five-year Health and Wellbeing Strategy was nearing its end, so work was being done on how this would be developed for the next five years.  This included consulting partners, such as national sport governing bodies and schools;

·           Consultants had been engaged to develop a physical activity and sports strategy and undertake an options appraisal;

·           Managers would be up-skilled to enable them to improve the way that sports services were sold; and

·           Each leisure centre now had its own service plan for the first time and Sports services staff were located together at Braunstone Leisure Centre.

Members welcomed the presentation, but expressed concern at the current inequality of services across the city.  Councillor Clair, Assistant City Mayor with responsibility for Culture, Leisure and Sport, concurred with this, but explained that the work being done would help the Council understand the current position more clearly.  As a result, the Council would be in a better position to make decisions on future delivery of the service as a whole, rather than adopt a piecemeal approach.  As explained in the presentation, this would take a few months to achieve.

It was anticipated that opportunities for investment would be part of the options to be assessed by Members, but what form this could take was not yet known and could vary between centres, depending on need.  This also needed to be considered in the light of the financial challenges faced by the Council over the next few years.

Some Members expressed the view that the sports infrastructure in the city was better than could be found in many towns and cities, but it needed to be recognised that gyms had become more popular, while there appeared to have been a decline in more “traditional” sports, such as badminton or squash.  In addition, some sports had failed to meet the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic people, so participation from those people was low.  Councillor Clair confirmed that these were the types of issues that would be examined in the forthcoming work, as well as issues such the impact of low employment and gender.

The Head of Sports explained that the proposed work also would provide linkages between mental and physical health.  This would enable the Council to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Martin Traynor, Chairman of the King Richard III Visitor Centre, and Iain Gordon, Director of the Centre, will provide an update on the success of the Centre’s first year of operation and on future development of the Centre.  The Commission is recommended to note the updates and comment as appropriate.

Martin Traynor, Chairman of the King Richard III Visitor Centre, and Iain Gordon, Director of the Centre, were welcomed to the meeting.

Mr Traynor advised the Commission that the King Richard III Visitor Centre had been open nearly two years.  Reports on the Centre were made on the basis of a calendar year, as a fiscal year could contain two Easters, which were a key time for the Centre.

Mr Gordon explained that:-

·           Seasonal rates of visitors were experienced at the Centre, but as this was a unique Centre, it was difficult to compare these rates to other venues;

·           Visitor numbers did not include people attending corporate tours and events.  Approximately 90,000 people had attended these;

·           Initially, it had been difficult to generate interest in group events, but this was improving;

·           Although the number of children visiting the Centre had decreased, this could improve over the forthcoming summer holiday period;

·           2017 would be the first year when there would be no events that could skew figures.  For example, there previously had been King Richard’s reinterment and the success of Leicester City Football Club;

·           Approximately 10% of visitors to the Centre last year had been international, but the number of international visitors had been removed from the overall totals, as there had been a significant spike in these for the reinterment events.  It now was hoped that international visitors could be encouraged to include Leicester on tours of the country;

·           Data on gift aid donations had been collected from January 2016.  This had been used to help identify the geographical locations from which visitors came;

·           There had been an increase in paid-for marketing activity in 2016.  In addition, links to the reinterment through the success of Leicester City Football Club had been very beneficial;

·           In September 2014 no educational resources were available and a lot of work had been done to rectify this situation.  As a result, educational visits had progressed well.  Over two-thirds of workshops were attended by those interested in science aspects, such as archaeology;

·           Advice on educational partnerships was taken from the local Teachers Advisory Panel;

·           The Visitor Centre was a high quality facility and did not yet need major refurbishment.  However, some changes were being made, such as some replanting outside;

·           It was necessary to generate some surplus income over the summer period, as a loss could be made during the quieter months of November to February.  Capital reserves for the building also were accumulated;

·           The reinterment had generated approximately £60 million and the success of Leicester City Football Club had generated a further £16-17 million.  Another direct benefit had been the increase in the number of visitors to the city.  Indirect benefits were harder to gauge, but the profile of the city had increased and the television and other media coverage received would have cost millions of pounds to buy.  The challenge now was to build on this; and

·           As part of future plans for the Centre, it was hoped that the travelling royal art exhibition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The current work programme for the Commission is attached.  Members are asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as considered necessary.

The Commission received and considered its current work programme.

AGREED:

1)    That the following be included in the work programme:

a)     a review of investment in skate parks, as agreed under minute 11, “Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Portfolio Overview”, above; and

b)     updates on the review of Sports services, as agreed under minute 12, “Sports Centres and Sports Participation Update”, above; and

2)    That all members of the Commission advise the Scrutiny Policy Officer of any other items they would like included in the work programme.

The meeting closed at 8.04 pm