Agenda and minutes

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

Noted that there were no substitute members for this meeting.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

The Panel noted that there were no declarations of interest made pursuant to the Council’s Code of Conduct.

To consider and agree the notes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 25 February 2008.

The minutes from 25 February 2008 were noted and agreed as a correct record.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) To note the attached updated Terms of Reference and associated Work Programme. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The Panel noted the Terms of Reference and associated Work Programme, which they considered still to be relevant and would not require any amendment.

For the Panel to consider the draft annual report for this panel. The draft report will be circulated separately.

The Panel considered the draft annual report. They agreed the body of the report and considered in detail the recommendations for each topic covered.

1.         Future Management of the Waltham Abbey Sports Centre

The Panel noted and agreed recommendation 1 that the Council should enter into a holding agreement with King Harold School until 31 March 2009.

They also noted that dependent on the outcome of the feasibility of the provision of a new Sports Hall at Waltham Abbey Swimming Pool the Council had a choice of either declining to enter into a new long term dual use agreement or a new dual use agreement be entered into (recommendation 2a or 2b).

2.         Review of Arts Development in the District

The Panel agreed the six key objectives arising from the review of Arts Development and agreed option 5 that “with the transfer of Community and Cultural Services (to include Arts) transferring under Top Management Review, to a more corporate position under the Deputy Chief Executive, investigate how the Arts Service could be refocused across the wider work of the Authority in pursuit of Community/Council/BVPP Key Objectives”.

The Panel agreed that a review of the Arts needed to be done on an annual basis, produced by the Arts Service on how they are meeting their corporate aims. This report was to go to the new Leisure Panel next year.

The reports recommendations were agreed by the meeting.

3.         Monitoring of the Youth Initiative Scheme.

The panel agreed that an evaluation of the 2005/06 and 2006/07 schemes be completed by the autumn of 2008. They noted that a draft questionnaire had been dispatched to the Town and Parish Councils and the Police.

The analysis of the initial consultation questionnaires are to be circulated to the Panel when available (recommendation 2).

The Panel agreed that a recommendation be added to look at all possible avenues of funding and not just to constrain ourselves to the £244,000 already identified.

4.         Legacy from the Olympic / Paralympic Games.

The Panel agreed the recommendations in the annual report. They observed that the legacy of the Olympic was not just about sport but the development of young people.

            RESOLVED:

1.         That the draft Leisure Task and Finish be agreed subject to an extra recommendation being added to the Monitoring of Youth Initiative Scheme to look at all avenues of funding and not be constrained to the money already identified.

2.         That an annual report be produced by the Arts Service to identify how they are meeting their corporate aims. This report to go the new Leisure Panel.

3.         The analysis of the initial consultation questionnaires under the monitoring of the Youth Initiative Scheme, are to be circulated to the Panel when available.

1.         Councillor Pritchard made a general point that there was a chance here to showcase the good things that young people do and create a positive for them. The Chairman commented that maybe this was something the Youth Council could help with and get involved in.

2.         Councillor Murray suggested that perhaps next year we could co-opt a representative from the Youth Council to sit on this Panel. Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider this when setting up the new Panel.

            RESOLVED:

That a representative from the Youth Council be co-opted on to the new Leisure Panel.