NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL
LEISURE SERVICES COMMITTEE
16 March 2000
PRESENT:- Councillor Smith in the chair.
Councillor Whiteley (vice-chair), Barkley, Billam, Mrs Bromby, Carlile, Chapman, England, Gosling, M Kirk, P Kirk, Long, Mrs Metcalfe, Phillips, Sherwood, Vickers and Wood.
The committee met at Pittwood House, Scunthorpe.
739 DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY OR NON-PECUNIARY INTERESTS - Declarations of non-pecuniary interests were made by the following members -
(i) The following councillors declared their interests in respect of minute 748 and the specific applications indicated, Councillor Billam (Burton-upon-Stather Parish Council), Councillor Mrs Bromby (Bottesford Town Council), Councillor Chapman (Bottesford Town Council), Councillor Gosling (Gunness Parish Council) and Councillor Whiteley (Bottesford Town Council).
(ii) Councillor Mrs Metcalfe in respect of minute 751 (Crowle Arts Development Group).
740 CHAIR'S REMARKS -
(i) The chair referred to minute 726, Library Service - Audit Commission Best Value Inspection Field Trial, and to a letter received from the Commission thanking this council for volunteering to participate in the trial and commented upon the high standards of public services provided throughout libraries in North Lincolnshire. He requested that the Director forward congratulations and thanks from this committee to all officers involved.
(ii) The chair also informed the committee of the success of raising further interest in the Victorian Walled Garden at Normanby Hall since it appeared on the Royal Horticultural Society's Website in February, and similarly an article on the role of the Head Gardener would be included in the June edition of the magazine 'Prima'. He also referred to a significant increase in visitors/users of Normanby Hall in the year 1999 to date compared to 1998/99 and thanked all officers for their efforts to achieve this.
(iii) Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe - The chair also stated that there was no truth in a rumour circulating that the Plowright Theatre in Scunthorpe was to close.
741 MINUTES - Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of this committee of 20 January, 2000 having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.
742 (63) ITEMS REFERRED FROM OTHER COMMITTEES/SUB-COMMITTEES - Minute 3041 of the Environment and Local Agenda 21 Sub-Committee held on 9 December, 1999 - 'Environmental Stewardship Action Plan 1998/99 - Progress Report - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which addressed the above minute which had been referred to all service committees asking them to agree their contribution to the Environmental Stewardship Action Plan for 2000/2001. The report identified those areas of the Action Plan which related to this committee and associated action to be undertaken through management processes.
Resolved - That the report be noted.
743 (64) CAPITAL AND REVENUE ESTIMATES 2000/2001 - Further to minute 709 and minute 433 of the council, the Director of Education and Personal Development and the Director of Corporate Affairs submitted a report seeking approval of the capital and revenue estimates for this service committee for the financial year 2000/2001 within the totals set out by the council.
The report explained that the capital budget set for this committee was £2.089m with details of schemes outlined in appendix 1 to the report, and a revenue budget of £6.005m, detailed by service division in appendix 2 to the report. Development funds of £177,500 allocated within the revenue budget were also outlined in the report together with budget variations.
Moved by the chair and seconded by the vice-chair -
(a) That the revenue and capital budgets and development proposals as set by Council for this committee be noted; (b) that the detailed capital budgets for 2000/2001 as set out in appendix 1 of the report be approved, and (c) that the detailed revenue budgets for 2000/2001 as set out in appendix 2 of the report be approved.
At the request of members and in accordance with Standing Order 18(b) the
names of members voting for and against the motion are as follows:-
FOR: Barkley, Carlile, Gosling, M Kirk, P Kirk, Mrs Metcalfe, Phillips,
Smith and Whiteley.
AGAINST: Billam, Mrs Bromby, Chapman, England, Long, Sherwood, Vickers
and Wood.
744 (65) AUDIT COMMISSION REPORT 'THE PRICE IS RIGHT' - CHARGES FOR COUNCIL SERVICES - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which summarised the main conclusions of the Audit Commission report 'The Price is Right' and identified its likely implications for services maintained by the Leisure Services Committee.
The report explained that the above Audit Commission report had resulted from an eighteen month period of research into user charges for council services, was set firmly in the content of Best Value and showed how charging could be a powerful catalyst within the context of Best Value Reviews.
The Director in his report specifically referred to the Audit Commission urging councils to consider three dimensions to determining charging policies which were -
The charging decision - how was a decision made and what factors were
taken into account?
An informed approach - what market intelligence and other management data
were used to inform the decision?
Designing the charge - were charges well designed, taking property account
of market intelligence and management information?
and indicated how key success factors could be achieved during the charging
cycle, together with an emphasis placed upon the crucial involvement of elected
members in charging decisions and suggested questions which could be asked
during a review of charges.
Resolved - (a) That the conclusions of the Audit Commission's report 'The Price is Right' as summarised in the director's report be noted, and (b) that the principles of the report be incorporated into the annual review of charges for which this committee is responsible.
745 (66) ANNUAL REVIEW OF FEES AND CHARGES - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report concerning the annual review of fees and charges for services which were the responsibility of this committee. Details of the proposed charges for the financial year 2000/2001 were set out in a schedule appended to the report.
The Director in his report explained that during consideration of budget proposals for 2000/2001 the majority of charges had been increased no more than the rate of inflation (2%) and also addressed various issues determining specific charges.
Resolved - (a) That the schedule of fees and charges for 2000/2001 be approved, and (b) that approval be given for the Director of Education and Personal Development to determine promotional pricing packages in respect of all charges which are the responsibility of this committee.
746 (67) SERVICE PLANS 2000/2001 - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report inviting members to approve the service plans for 2000/2001 in respect of each of the service areas for which the committee was responsible. The service plans were attached as appendices to the report.
Associated resource implications and performance indicators were also identified in each of the service plans.
Resolved - That the 2000/2001 service plans in respect of each of the service areas for which this committee is responsible be approved.
747 (68) NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE MUSEUMS SERVICE COLLECTING POLICY - Further to minute 555, the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report informing the committee of a requirement to include a new clause into the North Lincolnshire Museums Service Collecting Policy as specified by the Museums and Galleries Commission.
The clause, as stated below, would be inserted into the policy as clause 5.5 in the Legal and Ethical section -
"Acquisitions outside the current stated policy should only be made in very exceptional circumstances, and then only after proper consideration by the governing body of the museum itself, having regard to the interests of other museums".
Resolved - (a) That the above clause be added to the North Lincolnshire Museums Service Collecting Policy as clause 5.5, and (b) that a copy of the revised policy and relevant committee minute be forwarded to the Museums and Galleries Commission.
(Further to minute 739 above in relation to non-pecuniary interests, Councillors Billam, Mrs Bromby, Chapman, Gosling and Whiteley took no part in the discussion or voting upon the applications as identified and considered in the following item, minute 748 refers)
748 (69) AID TO PARISHES APPLICATIONS - Further to minute 695, the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which considered applications for grant aid to parishes received by 31 January, 2000 deadline, together with associated resource implications.
The report also reminded the committee that the council at its meeting on 2 March, 2000 it was announced that in future this grant scheme would be known as the 'Aid to the Community and Parishes' with a budget allocation in 2000/2001 of £49,530.
Moved by the vice-chair and seconded by Councillor M Kirk -
(a) That the applications received be dealt with as follows:-
New Holland Parish Council - Community Landscaping Project - That the application be rejected, but officers investigate the possibilities of using an alternative source of council grant funding to support the project.
Worlaby Parish Council - Safe Play Area Flooring and Fencing - £1,159
Barrow Upon Humber Parish Council - Play Equipment for Playing Field - £1,523
Burringham Parish Council - (i) Bus Shelter (ii) River Bank Steps and Handrails - That the applications be rejected, but officers investigate the possibilities of using an alternative source of council grant funding to support the projects.
Kirmington and Croxton Parish Council - Flag Pole - £182
Ulceby Parish Council - Village Hall Roof - That the application be Repairs rejected, but officers investigate the possibilities of using an alternative source of council grant funding to support the project.
Bottesford Town Council - Play Equipment Valley Park - £5,000
Burton-on-Stather Parish Council - Village Green Street Lighting - £1,763
Gunness Parish Council - Lodge Moors Estate Playground - That the application be deferred until the next meeting, and a revised application be submitted in line with the new project profile.
and (b) that revised criteria for the Aid to Community and Parishes Scheme be brought to the next meeting of this committee for consideration.
Moved by Councillor England and seconded by Councillor Sherwood as an amendment -
The motion with the substitution of the following in (a) and (b) above -
(a) Burringham Parish Council - (i) Bus shelter (ii) River Bank Steps and Handrails - That the applications be granted
Ulceby Parish Council - Village Hall Roof - That the application Repairs be granted
and (b) that the financial reserves of Parish and Town Councils should not be included in the schemes criteria and therefore taken into consideration prior to determination of applications.
Amendment Lost
Motion Carried
749 (70) SPORTS GRANT AID - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which considered applications for sports grant aid/or sponsorship.
Resolved - That the applications received be dealt with as follows:-
Stephen Bennett - Athletics - Fifty per cent of the cost of attending the
International Indoor Tri Nations competition in France up to a maximum of £75.
Messingham Junior Football Club - Fifty per cent towards the cost of the purchasing a steel store up to a maximum of £250.
Lincolnshire Junior Badminton Association - Towards the cost of attending the Inter-Counties Badminton Tournament - £250 (for the cost of North Lincolnshire residents).
Winterton Rangers Football Club - Towards the cost of providing new showers - £1000
Sports Aid (Yorkshire and Humberside) - Towards the cost of supporting performance athletes - £575
Matthew Baker - Gymnastics - £250
750 (71) SCHOOL/COMMUNITY SPORT - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report seeking approval for the establishment of a new post of Sports Development Officer - Active Schools.
The report explained that the National Junior Sports Programme which included the TOP Programmes, Sportsmark, Schools Community Sports Initiatives, Coaching for Teachers, Champion Coaching and Challenge Funding was now incorporated within a new development programme - Active Schools. Sport England's Active Schools Programme was a new development aimed at providing every young person with the opportunity to learn foundation skills and participate in sport. Active Schools would be supporting Secondary PE teachers and Primary PE Curriculum Co-ordinators to enable every school to improve the quality of PE and sporting experiences whatever their starting level.
The project had been directly responsible for raising standards in schools and linking schools to wider community sports initiatives by securing additional resources and notable achievements achieved in North Lincolnshire were identified in the report, together with proposed new initiatives subject to staffing resources being available to drive them forward.
The director in his report stated that despite the good work that had been undertaken to date there was much more that needed to be done. Recent research from Sport England had found that nationally the amount of time spent on physical education in schools had declined, particularly amongst primary school children. Whilst much progress had been made locally the strengthening of links between school sport and the local sporting community was crucial and there was a need to continue to build upon the work to date by creating the post of Sports Development Officer - Active Schools. The post would continue to build upon the foundation which had been put in place, contribute towards the wider cross cutting policy objectives e.g. social inclusion and link with other sports development initiatives.
Associated resource implications were also outlined in the report.
Resolved - (a) That the establishment of a post of Sports Development Officer - Active Schools be approved, and (b) that the report be referred to the Personnel Sub-Committee for its consideration.
(Further to minute 739 in relation to non-pecuniary interests above, Councillor Mrs Metcalfe took no part in the discussion or voting upon the application as identified and considered in the following item (minute 751 refers).
751 (72) MILLENNIUM AWARDS - APPLICATIONS - Further to minute 696, the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which considered applications for funding under the North Lincolnshire Council 'Millennium Awards' scheme.
Resolved - That the applications received be dealt with as follows -
Crowle Arts Development Group - Publication of Book - £500
St Martin's C E Primary School - Environmental Play Area - £500
16th Scunthorpe (Centenary) Scouts Group - Full GroupMillennium Camp - £438
Alkborough Children's Play Area Committee - Safe Play Area - £500
Worlaby Parish Council - Carved Millennium Notice Board - £307
Scunthorpe Rattetts - Majorettes - £500
Scunthorpe Music Festival, Speech and Drama Section - Residential Summer School - £500
Appleby Millennium Group - Commemorative Sun Dial etc - £487
Baysgarth School - 'Celebrating Diversity' - £500
Scunthorpe and District Embroiderers' Guild - 'Stitchin Thru' Time - £218
Winterton Art Group - First Art Exhibition - £106
Waterside Artists Co-operative Limited - Limited Edition Prints - £500
752 (73) HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND PROJECTS - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report advising the committee of the completion of the Image Archive Project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and sought approval for the submission of four further schemes.
The report explained that the HLF funded Image Archive Project to digitise the photographic collections held by the Museums Service and Library and Information Service was completed late last year and launched on January 24th 2000. The archive contained digitised images of 2000 of the 20,000 photographs held in the collections of the Museums and Library and Information Services and was available to the public at Scunthorpe Central Library, North Lincolnshire Museum, Normanby Farming Museum and in Barton. Work was in progress to add further photographs to the Image Archive. The figures for February showed that just under 900 people had used the image archive.
The director in his report also outlined a further four projects which met HLF criteria, and their associated resource implications. These projects were -
(i) Museums Service Outreach Worker
(ii) Normanby Hall Disabled Access
(iii) North Lincolnshire Museum (Universal access)
(iv) Normanby Park Schools Facility
Resolved - (a) That the report be referred to Finance, Land and Property Sub-Committee for consideration; (b) that Property Services be asked to establish any capital costs of the above projects, and (c) that a bid be made for the Audience Development Worker as outlined in the report in the next financial year, and the other projects when matching funding becomes available.
753 (74) BARTON SRB PROJECTS UPDATE - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report informing the committee of the progress to date of the two Barton Single Regeneration Budget projects, Community Heritage Arts and Media Project (CHAMP) and the Ropeworks Arts and Crafts Centre project, which were the responsibility of Cultural Services.
Resolved - That the progress on both projects be noted.
754 (75) EPWORTH LIBRARY AND LOCAL LINK - Further to minute 2794, the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report informing the committee of the progress of the refurbishment of Epworth Library and the accommodation of a Local Link Facility.
The report explained that -
In accommodating the proposed Local Link, an opportunity has arisen to refurbish and improve the current library building. This has resulted in the need to temporarily close the library and provide a service each Saturday and Sunday from one of the new mobile libraries parked in the car park of Epworth Leisure Centre. It was expected that the building should be handed back by the contractors and the new facility opened by the end of March 2000.
The improvements to the premises would allow for the provision of a number of new and enhanced services:
- Local Link reception counter
- Improved library counter with access to the ALSi system
- Extended meeting room which may be used for community bookings
- Local Link interview rooms which would also accommodate guest advisors and surgeries
- Public access to the Internet and other computer based information resources funded by the Rural Development Programme
- Public access to the catalogues of North Lincolnshire and neighbouring library services
The proposed new library opening hours of the new service were outlined in the report which would increase the opening hours of the library service in Epworth by two hours.
Resolved - (a) That the proposed opening hours as detailed in this report be approved, and (b) that this development be welcomed as an increase in access to council services for local people.
755 (76) THE FORMER QUEEN STREET SCHOOL, BARTON-UPON-HUMBER - Further to minutes 653 and 663, the Director of Education and Personal Development and the Director of Corporate Affairs submitted a joint report informing the committee of progress made to date with the Queen Street School project and of the council's obligations for the Grade II Listed building, and identified potential solutions to the challenges facing the council regarding its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 for Services currently provided from Providence House in Barton. Associated opportunities these separate issues presented were also discussed.
The report explained that Providence House, Barton-on-Humber accommodated the public library service, the museum loans service and elements of the adult education service. This building in its current condition would be unable to accommodate future service delivery and development without substantial physical alteration and capital investment. The limitations of the building had already been flagged with the Finance, Land and Property Services Sub-Committee in consideration of the council's obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and in its current state the building would not meet the required standards for April 2004.
Similarly, the Audit Commission's test inspection of the pilot Best Value review of the library service referred to the need for investment in library provision if North Lincolnshire was to meet the challenges of New Library: the Peoples Network. The ability of the library service to reinvent itself and fulfil the role as a gatekeeper to knowledge would be severely limited by the constraints of Providence House. Separately there were concerns about the quality of adult education provision that could be delivered in particular, as there was no disabled access to the first floor of the building.
To provide an effective library and community resource and information centre in Barton the whole of existing provision needed to be re-evaluated. In this respect the Queen Street School project may offer unique opportunities. Preliminary discussions had been held between officers in Property Services, the Environment Team, the Library Service and Adult Education to establish whether or not Queen Street School has the potential to meet future needs bearing in mind the council's obligation to maintain the Grade II Listed Building, which was in the Barton Conservation area, to a level acceptable to English Heritage and its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of services currently provided from Providence House.
The directors in their report also stated that the Queen Street School Preservation Trust had agreed to take the lead on funding applications. Architectural consultants had been employed to assist with a feasibility study to enable a bid to be made in the first instance to the Heritage Lottery Fund on the basis of establishing a viable end use for the premises.
The final consultant's report was due at the end of March 2000 but an intermediate feedback to the Wilderspin Group suggested that in principle consideration should be given to end uses which:
- Had a heritage focus
- Which recognised the historical significance of the building
- Developed the former school as a community resource
- Supported community learning
The consultants had consulted widely with service providers in Barton particularly on the potential to develop a community focus around the town centre. The possibility of a new market being located in the Cottage Lane area, close to Queen Street, the position of the Police Station and the adjacent Local Link begins to create a critical mass of public service provision, which would enhance services provided from a refurbished Queen Street School.
Resolved - (a) That progress on safeguarding the council's position with regard to the former Queen Street School be noted; (b) that approval be given to continue to support applications for external funding to potential partners, and (c) that this report be referred to the Finance, Land and Property Sub-Committee to enable consideration of the property issues and the potential to rationalise service provision in the area.
756 (77) CROSARTS PROJECT - Further to minute 631, the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report on the progress of the CrosArts project and sought to establish principles of impact tracking for the project.
The report explained that CrosArts had only been operational for approximately seven months and progress on achieving the outputs had been extremely encouraging and in one instance the target had been surpassed. Appendix 1 to the report detailed the outputs and targets achieved to date.
Progress on CrosArts projects were addressed in the report under the following headings:-
(i) Carnival
(ii) Samba Band
(iii) Circus Skills
(iv) Festival of Nations 2000
(v) Soundsense
(vi) CrosArts on Tour
(vi) Public Art
Resolved - (a) That the initial impact of CrosArts in the Crosby area be noted, and (b) that the CrosArts project contribute to research being undertaken by Yorkshire Arts in assessing community impact of arts activities and projects.
757 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC - Resolved - That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (minute 758 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972.
758 (78) CLIENT CONTRACTOR SPLIT, ELIMINATION PROJECT, SPORT AND LEISURE MANAGEMENT - Further to minute 739 the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report which brought the committee up to date on latest progress with the integration of client and contractor roles for Sport and Leisure Management within the Directorate of Education and Personal Development, and sought approval for revisions to the previously approved management structure.
Associated resource implications were outlined in the report.
Resolved - (a) That the further progress being made to integrate client and contractor roles for sport and leisure management as outlined in the report be noted, and (b) that the revised draft staffing structure detailed in the report be approved and referred to the Personnel Sub-Committee for consideration.