Issue - meetings

The Sports Facility Strategy for Huntingdonshire was adopted for implementation.

Having given consideration to a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached the draft Sports Facilities Strategy for Huntingdonshire 2009 - 2014 and with the aid of comments by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery), it was

RESOLVED

  that the Sports Facilities Strategy for Huntingdonshire 2009 - 2014 be adopted for implementation.

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services on the Sports Facilities Strategy.

20 Minutes.

(Councillors D B Dew, Executive Councillor for Leisure, Mrs D C Reynolds, Executive Councillor for Housing and Public Health and L M Simpson, Deputy Leader of the Council, were in attendance for this item).

The Panel considered a report by the Head of Environmental and Community Health Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) proposing the adoption of a Sports Facilities Strategy for Huntingdonshire. In introducing the report, the Executive Councillor for Leisure informed Members of the background to the Strategy and reminded the Panel that standards had been adopted for the five core sports facilities in September 2008. The proposed Strategy examined all other known sports facilities in Huntingdonshire and would help to achieve an adequate range of facilities to meet future need.

The Panel were advised that the Strategy attempted to identify all sports facilities within the District, inclusive of those owned by the private, voluntary and education sectors. In addition, it has been reported that the data had been compared with national recommended levels of provision for a specified level of population and that the results would be used to inform the future provision of sports facilities in the District. Members discussed anticipated population growth in future years, particularly in St Neots, and the importance of the Building Schools for the Future Programme for the achievement of increased levels of provision within the District.

The Panel discussed the fact that the required level of provision sometimes did not take into account some existing provision, such as smaller sports halls, which had been discounted owing to their lack of flexibility. When such facilities were taken into account, there was little difference between existing levels of provision and the projected need. It was suggested that this might account for survey findings on available space and on satisfaction levels.

In response to a question by a Member, the Panel received assurances that the Leisure Development Service had adequate officer resources to assist sports clubs to obtain external funding, grant aid or sponsorship to enhance their facilities. The Panel also commented that while 69% of the District’s residents found it easy / fairly easy to get to a sport / leisure facility, one third of the population found this difficult. Furthermore, this figure did not reflect the level of difficulty potential users experienced in getting to facilities. This issue would need to be addressed if the exercise to match the population to the levels of facilities was to translate into actual usage.

Having been advised that the Council would not be solely responsible for being the provider of new facilities and in expressing their support for the adoption of the Strategy, the Panel

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to adopt the Sports Facilities Strategy for Huntingdonshire.