Agenda item

(Leisure & Community Services Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-048-2014/15).

(1)        That £10,000 from the income share between Sports & Leisure Management Ltd and the Council be used to fund a District Development Fund initiative to engage inactive people in physical activity in order to improve their health and wellbeing; and

(2)        That the initiative be monitored and evaluated to assess the impact of increasing participation of inactive people in the four super output areas of the District, namely:

            (a)        Paternoster Ward, Waltham Abbey;

            (b)        Limes Farm Estate, Chigwell;

            (c)        Oakwood Hill, Debden; and

            (d)        Shelley, Ongar.

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Community Wellbeing presented a report on further funding for the Get Active Epping Forest initiative.

The Portfolio Holder requested approval for the use of an unexpected income share of £10,000 from Sports & Leisure Management Ltd (SLM) to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents. The Council had not anticipated this level of income share from SLM Ltd, but due to increased attendances at Loughton Leisure Centre the income share was higher than expected. It was recommended that the £10,000 be re-invested by the Council to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in the District, through a new initiative called Get Active Epping Forest linked to the county-wide initiative Get Active Essex launched in October by Active Essex. This initiative would target inactive people to improve their health and wellbeing through a series of activities and events, and would include free taster sessions, physical activity sessions, plus events to enable local communities to engage and become more physically active. The activities would be delivered in the four super output areas of the District: Paternoster Ward, Waltham Abbey; Limes Farm Estate, Chigwell; Oakwood Hill, Debden; and Shelley, Ongar. The Council’s Community Services section would be responsible for the implementation of the Get Active Epping Forest Initiative.

The Cabinet generally welcomed the report, although two Members queried whether this was the best possible use of £10,000 as this was a discretionary activity for the Council. Most Members of the Cabinet expressed some concern about the proposed expenditure of £2,000 on Marketing and Promotional Incentives, especially the t-shirt and water bottle items listed. The Portfolio Holder responded that this was a one-off expenditure, hence it was a District Development Fund initiative, as the additional monies came from the Leisure Management contract then the funding should remain with the Leisure & Community Services Portfolio. It was highlighted that this initiative would be included in the new Leisure Management contract, and the Director of Neighbourhoods confirmed that the Council would look for more emphasis on Outreach and Community Engagement activities to be supported by the new Contractor during the competitive dialogue process.

In response to questions from the members present, the Portfolio Holder stated that the Council already ran a scheme for the over-50’s called New Horizons. The Portfolio Holder stated that a super output area was one with poverty and health inequality issues, of which the Council had four within the District, and assured the Cabinet that the expenditure would be closely and regularly monitored to determine the impact of the initiative.

Decision:

(1)        That £10,000 from the income share between Sports & Leisure Management Ltd and the Council be used to fund a District Development Fund initiative to engage inactive people in physical activity in order to improve their health and wellbeing; and

(2)        That the initiative be monitored and evaluated to assess the impact of increasing participation of inactive people in the four super output areas of the District, namely:

            (a)        Paternoster Ward, Waltham Abbey;

            (b)        Limes Farm Estate, Chigwell;

            (c)        Oakwood Hill, Debden; and

            (d)        Shelley, Ongar.

Reasons for Decision:

To improve the health and wellbeing of residents through a Get Active Epping Forest initiative, particularly in the four areas of the District where there were acknowledged poverty and health inequality issues.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To return all or part of the money to the Continuing Services Budget for use on general Council expenditure.