Decision details

(1)        That the Leisure and Cultural Strategy be noted;

(2)        That the Key Recommendations of the Strategy be agreed as detailed below, as the basis of the Council’s future role and priorities with respect to the provision of Leisure and Cultural opportunities:

            2.1       That the key aim of the District Council with respect to the future provision of Leisure and Cultural activity, be to increase the number of people actively participating, by ensuring that provision was accessible and of the highest affordable quality;

            2.2       That the ability of Leisure and Cultural activities to deliver across a number of        broader themes, such as Health and Wellbeing, Social            Inclusion, Regeneration, Skills and Employment, Community Safety and      Economic Development, be acknowledged and as such, be considered     important to delivering policy objectives in these areas;

            2.3     That the Leisure and Cultural Strategy sets out a medium term vision of 10 years, with a formal review after 5 years, to coincide with the length of the District Council’s Corporate Plan;

            2.4    That the Draft Vision Statement developed by the Community Visioning consultation exercise of the Local Plan, steers the longer term aspirations of the Leisure and Cultural Strategy;

            2.5       That the Council’s Leisure and Cultural Strategy takes account of   National and Regional Policy, which should be kept under review;

2.6       That future service provision delivered by the Council maintains alignment to the locally relevant priorities of National/Regional grant making bodies, to maximise external funding opportunities;

            2.7       That, since the Council’s investment in purpose built leisure facilities          represented the largest area of discretionary spend, future provision should be delivered by the most cost effective means possible and that maximum        Value for Money be sought in terms of cost and quality;

            2.8     That whilst this Leisure and Cultural Strategy focused on the role of the District Council, with respect to the services it delivered directly or played a significant role in enabling, the conclusions of the “Epping Forest Open Space, Sport and Recreation Assessment” should form part of the key deliverables with respect to the Local Plan;

            2.9       (a)        That the conclusions of the Assessment Report with respect to                  future provision be accepted with regard to the quantative adequacy of              Swimming Pools, Health and Fitness Facilities, Squash Courts and                 Synthetic Pitches, based on current and future demand;

                        (b)        That the need to provide additional sports hall provision be               accepted and that the opportunity to meet the deficiency by working                        with Epping Forest College, be positively explored;

                        (c)        That it was acknowledged that the current level of provision was     adequate with respect to catchment standards, (although age and condition of the Council’s facilities would need to be addressed), but that future leisure      facility provision was kept under review, as growth scenarios develop as part of the Local Plan; and

            (d)        That provision of dual purpose spaces and facilities, where             practically possible and affordable, be included within any       development of new Leisure Facilities in the District, in order to accommodate arts,    cultural and community activity;

            2.10     That the current relative performance of the Council’s Leisure         Facilities with respect to cost, participation and subsidy, be noted and form a          key consideration with respect to future provision;

            2.11     That, subject to confirmation of the final results of the building         condition surveys, Waltham Abbey Pool be deemed to have reached the end       of its viable life, and be replaced by a new facility in Waltham Abbey, the part            of the District with amongst the poorest health outcomes, with further work            undertaken on the most suitable location, and how it might be funded;

2.12     That, in the medium term and depending on growth in the locality, the opportunity to re-provide a replacement facility for Epping Sports Centre should be investigated and that any new Leisure Management Contract had appropriate break clauses to enable relocation;

2.13     That, now confirmation of funding for the new Ongar Academy had been confirmed and on the basis that the site adjacent to the existing Leisure Centre remained the preferred location, negotiations be entered into with respect to a dual-use arrangement for the Leisure Centre, with the intention of increasing use and sharing cost;

            2.14    That the Council’s Key Objectives with respect to Leisure Management be re-affirmed as the basis for any future management contract, with the preferred option being to outsource to either the private sector or external trust;

            2.15     That the procurement approach to the new Leisure Management    Contract be by Competitive Dialogue, seeking to deliver flexibility for any partner to develop income streams to reduce costs, whilst still meeting the       Council’s Key Objectives with respect to participation and community access;

            2.16    That based on the success of other authorities, any new management partners be encouraged to invest in new facilities, which may involve the Council in providing capital finance;

            2.17     (a)        That the future Community and Cultural Priorities for the                              Council be Community and Cultural Cohesion, Health Inequalities,                    Young People and Youth Unemployment, Anti-Social Behaviour,                                Ageing Population and Rural isolation; and

            (b)        That the potential for a further community hub development at         Hillhouse, Waltham Abbey, be positively explored with the aim of co-       locating community, health and wellbeing services to improve the     quality of life of residents, in this area of health inequality;

2.18     That the priorities of the West Essex Health and Wellbeing Strategy be adopted by the Council and continue to play a key role in the local delivery of services, which had a positive impact on addressing health inequality, allowing people to live a longer more active life;

2.19     That the Council, whilst acknowledging the important role of the voluntary sector, undertook a review of its Grant Aid Policy and Discretionary Rate Relief Policy for Voluntary Organisations to ensure that resources were used in the most efficient way possible, and that policy priorities were met; and

2.20     That the Council continued to support the work of “One Epping Forest” generally, but specifically the work of the Tourism Taskforce in delivering their Action Plan, given the economic and social benefits that increased visitors to the District could bring; and

(3)        That the Leisure and Cultural Strategy be recommended to the Council for adoption.