Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

31 March 2021

 

Cobtree Estate Update

 

Final Decision-Maker

Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

Lead Head of Service

John Foster, Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

Lead Officer and Report Author

Mike Evans, Leisure Manager

Classification

Public

 

Wards affected

Boxley

 

Executive Summary

An update report on the Cobtree Estate and its constituent venues and facilities.

 

Purpose of Report

 

Noting

 

 

This report makes the following recommendation to this Committee:

1.   That the contents of the report are noted.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

31 March 2021



Cobtree Estate Update

 

1.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The work of the charity links directly to its charitable objectives and the corporate priorities for the council.

 

Leisure Manager

Cross Cutting Objectives

The work of the charity links directly to its charitable objectives and the cross-cutting objectives of the council.

 

Leisure Manager

Risk Management

There are no risk management implications in this report.

Leisure Manager

 

Financial

Financial implications from this update are managed day-to-day in line with council procedures and policies.

 

Senior Finance Manager (Client)

Staffing

Staffing implications are managed day-to-day in line with council procedures and policies.

 

Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

 

Legal

There are no specific legal implications at present as this report is presented for noting only.

 

Team Leader

Corporate Governance

Privacy and Data Protection

There are no new implications as a result of this update report and recommendation.

Policy and Information Team

Equalities

No impact identified as a result of this update report and recommendation.

Policy & Information Manager

Public Health

 

 

The Cobtree Estate works towards improving the health of our community and residents through its day-to-day operations.

 

Public Health Officer

Crime and Disorder

Crime and disorder implications are managed day-to-day in line with council procedures and policies

Leisure Manager

Procurement

Procurement implications are managed day-to-day in line with council procedures and policies.

Head of Regeneration and Economic Development  & Section 151 Officer

 

 

2.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1     The Cobtree Estate continues to suffer as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns and tiered restrictions that have been in force since March 2020.  At the time of writing Tier 4 has been replaced with another lockdown.

 

Cobtree Manor Park

 

2.2     The park continues to be really busy.  Car park income at the end of February 2021 was £115,015 which is a positive variance against the budget of £53,119.  The Cobtree team has continued to manage the park and welcome the many visitors over this time.

   

Staffing

 

2.3     The new staffing structure for the park will be implemented from 1 April onwards.  The staff have been conducting handover meetings and the transition is very smooth. 

 

Golf Course

 

2.4     During the closure of the golf course, it has been maintained by Mytime Active, who operated a hibernation team of staff who were not furloughed during the latest lockdown.  In addition some of the members have been volunteering on site to tend to the flower beds, varnish the benches, weed some of the bunkers and monitor the site for litter.  Their contributions and efforts are noted. 

 

2.5     Through discussion with the golf club members an issue has been raised regarding the measuring of the golf course from the blue tees and the yellow tees.  As a requirement of the World Handicap System, which has been introduced across the UK, course need to be assessed for difficulty and measured from their teeing positions.  Cobtree Golf Course has been measured from the red tees and the white tees, which are used for competition play, but not from the yellow tees and the blue tees which are used predominantly for social play. 

 

2.6     Under World Handicap System rules any round of golf from any tee position can be used for handicapping purposes, which will not be a possibility at Cobtree Golf Course until the yellows and blues are measured.

 

2.7     The Leisure Manager has raised this issue with Mytime Active who are reassessing the decision to measure the course from all the tee positions.

 

 

Kent Life

 

2.8     Kent Life is planning to re-open on 12 April in line with the UK government’s roadmap.  The team will soon be returning to site to prepare it for re-opening.  Some activities are being adapted and altered to make them Covid-compliant.  Other activities, the tea room for example, will not be permitted until later in the year.

 

Cobtree Café

 

2.9     Cobtree Café has remained open and trading as a takeaway only during the latest lockdown and continues to be busy, in response to the increased visitor numbers in the park.

 

Cobtree Shed Group

 

2.10  The Cobtree Shed Group is not able to meet.  The structural works at the elephant house have not progressed since the last meeting.

 

Residential Properties

 

2.11  A separate report on the estate’s residential properties is also part of this agenda.

 

Contracts

 

2.12  Contractual discussions following the Covid-19 pandemic are still ongoing with operators.  A separate report on this is also part of this agenda.

 

 

 

3.   AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1     Committee can note the information in this report.

 

3.2     Committee can choose not to note the information in this report, however the Committee has requested regular updates on the operations of the Estate.

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     It is recommended that the information in this report is noted.

 

 

 

5.       RISK

5.1    This report is presented for information only and has no risk management implications.

 

 

 

6.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

6.1     No consultation has taken place since the last update report.

 

 

 

7.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

7.1     Any comments from the Committee will be passed on to the relevant party.

 

 

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

·         None

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

·         None