Issue - meetings

Mr Mike Evans, the Leisure Manager, presented a report on the Future of Sport and Leisure Provision which set out proposals to conduct stakeholder engagement that would jointly address options for future leisure provision and the Maidstone Leisure Centre.

Mr Evans highlighted that:-

·  The Borough had a growing and ageing population which was why  future leisure provision should be tailored to the needs of all the population. 

·  Although there was a strong indication in the borough that residents were fairly active or active (77.2%), there was an element of the population that are not physically active (22.8%).

·  The Leisure Centre was the borough’s flagship sports centre and had five years left to run on its current 15 year management contract.  The condition of the leisure centre building was unknown and there was uncertainty as to whether a similar 15 year contract would be possible.

·  An engagement process would be undertaken to consult with key stakeholders.  A project officer would be recruited to support the entire consultation period. 

The Chairman emphasised that there was no intention of the Council to dispose of the Leisure Centre but it recognised that it required a lot of refurbishment and building works to be carried out to sustain its future provision.

The Committee made the following comments:-

·  The Committee should be fully involved in the stakeholder engagement at all stages.

·  Sport England should be invited at the outset of the engagement process and also Birmingham City Council who had undertaken an Active Wellbeing programme aimed at those residents who were inactive so would be able to provide knowledge and experience.

·  That schools should be surveyed to identify what facilities they had for sport activities and whether they made provision for others to use the facilities.

RESOLVED:  That

1.  That a stakeholder engagement exercise be run to understand the feasibility of recommendations in the Sports Facilities Strategy and Playing Pitch Strategy and to shape the future of sport and leisure provision in the borough.

2.  That all Members of the Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee be invited to participate in all stages of the consultation.

3.  That the stakeholder engagement frames future leisure plans for the borough alongside its existing commitments, including the future of Maidstone Leisure Centre.

4.  That Sports England be invited at the outset of the stakeholder engagement exercise.

5.  That the leisure centre surplus share be used to fund a fixed term project officer post at a cost of £18,865 per annum to support the stakeholder engagement exercise.

Voting:  Unanimous