Agenda and minutes

Councillors S Carlton and M Skinner declared personal interests in Agenda Items 6 – Review of Governance Arrangements – Active4Today; Item 7 – Active4Today Draft Business Plan 2020/21 and Performance Update; and Item 14 – Proposed Expansion of the Fitness Suite and Consideration of Alternative Management Arrangements at Southwell Leisure Centre – Update, as they were both Board Members of Active4Today.

Councillor P Harris declared a personal interest in Agenda Items 5 – Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) presentation; and Item 14 - Proposed Expansion of the Fitness Suite and Consideration of Alternative Management Arrangements at Southwell Leisure Centre – Update, as he was a member of Health Education England and a Southwell Leisure Centre Trustee.

The Council recorded the meeting in accordance with usual practice.  Councillor P Harris declared that he would record Agenda Item 13 – Exclusion of the Press and Public.

AGREED           that the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2019, be                            approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

An update presentation was provided by David Ainsworth – Locality Director, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s.

The Chairman thanked David Ainsworth for attending and presenting the informative presentation and invited him back to a future meeting of the Leisure & Environment Committee.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Senior Health and Community Relations Officer which sought approval for the changes to the governance and financial arrangements between the Council and Active4Today Limited.

The report provided the details and reasons for the proposed changes regarding the Governance Agreement.  The elected Members, Officer and Directors to the Board and their roles were also detailed and information regarding non-voting directors was also included which reflected recent external legal advice regarding non-voting directors.  The Service Contract was also contained within the report and reasons for proposed changesexplained in detail.

AGREED           (with 7 votes For and 2 Abstentions) that:

                        (a)        Agree a Governance Agreement between the Council and the                                Company, that sits alongside the Articles, that underlines the                           Council’s role as shareholder in exercising a decisive                                               influence over both strategic objectives and significant                                           decisions of the Company;

                        (b)        Agree to a review of the existing officer and member director                                         appointments to the Board, given the conflict issues                                                   highlighted in section 3 of the report;

                        (c)        Give director voting rights to the Managing Director of the                                                 Company Active4Today;

                        (d)        Review the payment mechanism within the Service Contract                                  so that there is a single payment mechanism either to or from                                    the Company, with no separate clause for sharing in the                                          ‘operating surplus’ of the Company;

                        (e)        Approve any consequential minor amendments to the                                             Company’s Articles arising from the above recommendations;                                and

                                    (f)        Members note the aspiration for the company to be self-                                        sustainable and hence the allocation of the management fee                                 budget will be             brought to the January Committee.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Senior Health and Community Relations Officer and Managing Director – Active4Today, which provided the Active4Today Draft Business Plan 2020/21 and updated the Committee on the Company’s latest quarterly performance, 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019.

Following Committee consideration of this report a final Business Plan would be presented to the January 2020 Committee, as such this was an opportunity for the Committee to influence the Final Business Plan for 2020/21. 

It was reported that the best indicators for the underlying strength of the Company were the adult and children’s membership bases.  The management report detailed that the leisure centres were continuing to perform well with increases reported in adult membership up by 220 on the same period in 2018, rising from 8,635 to 8,855 (+2.55%) across all four sites with the Newark Sports and Fitness Centre continuing to perform strongly.  Children’s membership was down by 126 from 3,982 to 3,856 (-3.16%) compared with the corresponding period in 2018 which was largely attributable to the loss of water space at Dukeries Leisure Centre which would continue to influence junior memberships until the new swimming pool was operational in 2020.  The overall membership at period end was 12,711 up from 12,617 in September 2018 a net increase of 94 members.  The report also detailed

the user visits at the end of period 2 which had increased from 582,939 to 620,938 up 37,999 compared to 2018 equating to an uplift of 6.52% achieved through improvements in junior usage up from 195,856 to 201,815 (+3.04%), 60+ usage up from 58,838 to 66,011 (+12.19%) and improvements to use by customers from more deprived areas up from 9,426 to 10,379 (+10.11%).  The report also detailed GP referrals, partnership working and management fee for Southwell Leisure Centre Trust.

It was reported that the company was forecasting a £22,000 deficit at year-end based on performance to date.  That represented a substantial reduction in the deficit forecasted in January 2019 of £75,000 and it was anticipated that the position in relation to income and expenditure would continue to be closely monitored to ensure that the outturn position was more favourable and the deficit forecasted was further reduced.

The Draft Business Plan 2020/21 was attached to the report.  The company had identified a number of actions it was proposing to undertake with the aim of facilitating the delivery of the three outcomes the Committee set the company up to achieve, namely: Healthy and Active Lifestyles, Accessible Facilities and Improved Financial Viability.

A Member suggested that the Committee ask Southwell Leisure Trust to provide regular reports to the Committee providing their accounts.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)                the Committee consider the Active4Today Draft Business Plan                    2020/2021 and make any representations to the Company via                the Authorised Officer;

(b)                the Quarter 2 performance be noted;

(c)                Active4Today provides the January committee meeting with                       its latest in-year financial position and full year forecast in                                   order that the Committee can form judgements on the                                    appropriateness of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Business Manager Transport & Waste Services, which provided the Committee with an analysis of the collection service and set out proposals for future development.

The council currently collected household waste that did not fit in the household bin through two routes. The first used a box van equipped with a tail lift to collect electrical items including fridges and freezers. These were taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre where they were passed on for recovery.  Other bulky items were collected using a refuse collection vehicle and were taken with the household refuse for incineration.  The service collected over 4300 bulky items and 1410 electrical items in 2018/19.  A study was already underway to look at the possibilities of implementing a re-use scheme for many of the items collected through these services in council properties.

Questions had been raised about whether charging for Excess waste collection encouraged fly tipping. Comparisons were made with three local authorities who collected excess waste free of charge, to see if there was a significant variation in the quantity of fly tipped waste or in its composition which was detailed in Appendix A to the report.  The analysis showed that a free collection did not result in a reduction in fly tipping there were significant number of factors involved in fly tipping which was a crime that did not follow geographical boundaries. Some of Newark and Sherwood’s best features such as its rural nature combined with great transport links unfortunately made it an ideal area in which to fly tip waste. 

The report detailed the review of charges and proposals.

Members commented that more publicity regarding bulky waste should be undertaken using the Councils magazine ‘Voice’ and leaflet drops informing the community what can be recycled such as batteries and how that can be achieved.  It was also commented that small independent traders should be allowed to register to use household collection centres which may reduce fly tipping; this should be raised with Veolia.  It was suggested that a periodic bulky waste collection should be undertaken in targeted areas.  It was also commented that the days of action should be planned well in advance in order for communities to be fully engaged.  It was suggested that the Council work with the retailer to coordinate the disposal of white goods, although the Business Manager Transport & Waste commented that due to the amount of white goods being purchased this may be difficult to achieve.

Members commented on the recent prosecution and current prosecution taking place regarding fly tipping and asked if that could be disseminated into the community to act as a warning that action was taken for this crime.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)                Newark & Sherwood do not progress with a “free of charge”                      bulky waste service at this time;

(b)                the bulky waste and white goods charges are altered in line                       with the proposals in 5.3 of the report;

(c)                the provision of free bulky waste days are trialled  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

The Committee considered the report presented by the Director of Communities and Environment which sought nominations for the appointment of Member Mental Health Champions from each political party given the cross party support for the motion entitled ‘The mental Health Challenge’ which was considered at Full Council on 15 October 2019.

It was reported that given the cross party support and to enable the Council to progress its commitment to the ‘Time to Change Employer Pledge’, it was proposed that each political party nominate a Member Mental Health Champion.

AGREED           (unanimously) that the Leisure and Environment Committee approve                    the proposal that each political party nominates a Member Mental                Health Champion to support the Council deliver on its commitment to                       the ‘Time to Change Employer Pledge.’

The Committee considered the report presented by the Director of Communities and Environment which appraised Members regarding the Ollerton Town Centre Day of Action, which took place on 23 October 2019.

It was reported that the event involved the District and Town Councils, Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Newark and Sherwood Homes, the County Council and community volunteers.  Over the course of the day, more than 6.6 tonnes of rubbish was removed through community litter picks, street cleaning and action on fly-tips.  A tonne of green waste was also removed by the Council’s grounds maintenance team and evergreen shrubs planted.  The report listed the highlights from the day.

The district council partnered with iMAGESKOOL to create a piece of graffiti art on the skate park on the Sherwood Energy Village.  Up to sixty young people from four to fifteen years of age worked on the project.

The Committee thanked Officers for their hard work.

AGREED           (unanimously) that the report be noted. 

The Leisure & Environment Committee Forward Plan was provided for Member information.  Members were encouraged to submit any areas of work they wanted to address for the forthcoming year.

AGREED           that the Forward Plan be noted.

There was nothing to report.

To consider resolving that, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

AGREED           (with 8 votes For and 1 vote Against) that:

                        under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public                     be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on                  the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt                          information as defined in Paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the                         Act.

(Councillor P Harris left the meeting at this point).

The Committee considered the exempt report of the Director – Communities and Environment which updated the Committee on the proposed expansion of the fitness suite and sought Member consideration regarding the relationship of that proposal to the development of potential management changes at Southwell Leisure Centre Trust involving Newark and Sherwood District Council and its leisure company Active4Today.

(Summary provided in accordance with 100C(2) of the Local Government Act 1972.)