ITEM 8
ITEM 8
Executive - Thursday 1st August 2002
PROCESS TO EVALUATE THE OPTIONS FOR THE LEISURE AND
RECREATION STRATEGY
Report of the Chief Customer Operations Officer
Statutory Powers:
Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976
Financial Implications: Revenue Funding of up to £25,000 for Independent
Advisors to be financed at the discretion of the Chief Finance and
Administration Officer.
Purpose of the report
1. The Draft Leisure and Recreation Strategy has now been distributed for
widespread consultation. Comments and observations will be incorporated into
the final report to be presented to Council on 19th September. The Council has
determined that the procurement route for the leisure and recreation strategy
should be presented to the Council meeting on 19th December 2002, so that new
arrangements can be implemented during 2003. This report seeks approval to
employ an Independent Advisor to provide specialist advise on the best
procurement route for the Leisure and Recreation Strategy.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Executive RESOLVES that:
i. A Specialist Advisor be appointed to advise the Council on the best
procurement options for the development of the Leisure and Recreation
Strategy
ii. A sum not exceeding £25,000 be made available at the discretion of the
Chief Finance and Administration Officer for the employment of a
Specialist Advisor
iii. The terms of reference for the employment of a Specialist Advisor as set out
in this report be approved.
Background
2. The development of a Leisure and Recreation strategy started by conducting a
10% sample survey across the District to find how residents in the South Hams
use their leisure time. In priority order, for adults, these are:
1. Walking or Hiking
2. Swimming (Indoors)
3. Fitness Training
4. Cycling
5. Swimming (Outdoors)
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And when interviewed the five most popular activities that respondents said they
planned to do over this summer were:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Swimming
Sailing
Keep Fit/Aerobics
Tennis
Cycling
The most popular indoor venues for leisure and recreational activities are:
1. Village/Town/School Hall
2. Quayside Leisure Centre
3. South Dartmoor Leisure Centre
4. Totnes Pavilion
5. Riveria Centre
6. Torbay Leisure Centre
7. Plympton Pool
8. Dinnaton Health and Fitness Club
9. Mayflower Leisure Centre
10. Dyrons Leisure Centre, Newton Abbot
Amongst young people of 16 years and below the most popular activities are:
a) Watching TV/Video
b) Doing a part time job
c) Taking part in sport/exercise – with the most popular exercise facilities
being cycling (54%), football (43%), swimming (50%) and skateboarding
(26%).
3. It is evident that the Council’s current approach to the provision, enabling and
coordination of sport, leisure and recreation is fragmented and the cost effective
delivery of a comprehensive service may be better delivered as a single service.
This would indicate that the scope of the review should be kept as wide as
possible and include:
 The provision of Parks and Open Spaces to contribute to the development
of the leisure and recreation strategy
 The provision of Outdoor Sports Services to contribute to the development
of the leisure and recreation strategy
 The provision of Outreach Leisure and Recreational Services to contribute
to the development of the leisure and recreation strategy
 The provision of Leisure Centres to contribute to the development of the
leisure and recreation strategy
 The provision of Leisure and Recreation services within the Coast and
Countryside Service to contribute to the development of the leisure and
recreation strategy
 The provision of Children’s Play and support for the Arts to contribute to
the development of the leisure and recreation strategy
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 The opportunities for integration of leisure and recreation with other
providers which can contribute to the development of the leisure and
recreation strategy.
4. The Leisure and Recreation strategy must be seen in the context of the Council’s
overall core objectives and since these services are not the highest priority core
services prioritisation of expenditure therefore is going to become even more
important than is currently the case.
5. The scope of this survey would, of necessity, be extensive and requires the
specialist knowledge and experience not available in-house. The use of ‘specialist
advisors’ is therefore proposed to ensure that the Council is making decisions,
based on the best possible independent advice.
Financial Information
6. Informal discussions indicate that the cost of a specialist advisor to undertake the
above work and report back to the Council would be in the order of £15,000 £25,000. It is therefore proposed that a sum not exceeding £25,000 be made
available to undertake this work. The selection of a suitable specialist advisor
would be undertaken in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders relating to
Contracts.
CONCLUSION
7. The implementation of the draft Leisure and Recreation strategy will require a
fundamental review of the current methods of service delivery, a review of the
options available to the Council for its future delivery and a recommendation as to
the best option available to meet the Council’s requirements. The work will
require the services of a specialist independent advisor and the factors to be
evaluated must include:
a) An analysis of the methods available to achieve the delivery of the Leisure and
Recreation strategy.
b) The improved integration of delivery to secure wider social and other
objectives of the Council.
c) Maximising the output from revenue resources.
d) Opportunities for reinvestment to maintain and improve services.
e) Opportunities to secure grant aid and other external funding.
f) A recommendation on the best solutions for the next 10 years.
Tony Eden
Chief Customer Operations Officer
Executive
1st August 02
Background Papers
The development of the draft Leisure and Recreations Strategy – Community Policy
Development Group, 27 June 2002
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