PAPER B
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING,
TOURISM AND LEISURE SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE - 1 JULY 2004
PROGRESS
REPORT – “WHERE HAS THE REVIEW BOARD GOT TO?”
Joint Report of THE
Portfolio Holder FOR TOURISM AND LEISURE and THE Chair of the Review Board
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
The Review Board has met on 6 occasions during the preceding 3 months and this report is intended to reflect where the various deliberations have taken us thus far. It is worth noting that outwith Board meetings the management team have worked to produce detailed papers to support the Boards activity. The Board is tasked to report with conclusions as to a way forward for Wight Leisure to the Executive of the Council by the end of September 2004.
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ACTION
REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE The Board would particularly invite comments from Scrutiny Committee as to how best to progress work in two areas: 1. ‘Core’ business where further work has been identified as necessary 2. Helping to determine the future direction for ‘non-core’ business |
BACKGROUND
Through
March and April 2004, the Executive and Full Council discussed organisational
arrangements following a decision to create a Strategic Director of Children’s
Services. A corollary of this was to
transfer the Leisure and Community Development Division with the relevant Head
of Service (John Metcalf) to a new Directorate.
Prior
to this the Council, on advice, took a decision to bring Wight Leisure back
into the Council as a core element of service.
This reversed an earlier decision, which sought to externalise the
service. It is clear that the prolonged
period of time taken up by the ‘externalisation debate’ acted detrimentally
upon Wight Leisure.
To
help the Council determine a suitable way forward for Wight Leisure a Review
Board was established under the Chairmanship of Councillor Peter Harris, Deputy
Leader. Glen Garrod, Strategic Director
for Social Services and Housing was asked to take the lead Director role.
Where has the Board got to?
The
Board has progressed through 3 significant stages in undertaking a review of
Wight Leisure.
A Focus for Wight Leisure:
The first has been to affirm Wight Leisure as a ‘Public Good’ and not a
‘Private Service’ which underpins the Council’s decision to retain Wight
Leisure as a core activity.
Second,
in this sense the direction for Wight Leisure is clarified in so far as it is primarily
concerned with serving the Island community as a public good. The secondary audience for Wight
Leisure is the tourist/Island visitor market.
Thus the potential for development of Wight Leisure as a significant
contributor to the public health and social inclusion agenda is marked.
The
third stage that the Board has reached is to determine, with the management
team, what is evaluated as ‘core business’ and that which is not and, if not,
what should happen to those areas of activity.
The analysis is nearly complete and a further verbal update will be
possible for the Committee. This is the result of both the Management Team and
the Review Board reviewing each area of business against the Council’s 6
corporate objectives. We have also identified areas of activity that require
further work before they can be considered to be in a robust state eg., the
dual use agreement for the ‘Medina Campus’.
What are the Boards Next Steps?
1.
Obtain agreement for
each area of activity as either – core and non-core business. For non-core
business those areas which should be managed elsewhere either within or outwith
the Council and, those that should cease.
2.
Agree how best to take
forward those elements not considered to be core business and those about which
the Board is uncertain and requires further work.
3.
Consider recommending
early decisions for the Executive including confirmation of a formal transfer
date to the new Directorate of Adult & Community Services and,
Accommodation for Wight Leisure Headquarters staff.
4.
Consider and agree
communication with a staff representative group.
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The
Council has recently determined that Wight Leisure be brought back into the
Council as a core service area. The draft Cultural Strategy will reinforce the
importance of Wight Leisure activities.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
To
date only the Review Board and the Management Team of Wight Leisure have been
consulted. It is intended that an existing staff representative group will be
engaged shortly.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
There are no Crime & Disorder implications arising from this paper. However, financial and legal elements pertain to actions that may arise as a result of a decision around non-core business. These are to be developed between July and September 2004.
APPENDICES ATTACHED
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
None
Contact Point : John Metcalfe, Head of Community Development and Tourism, ' 01983 823825 or [email protected] or
Glen Garrod, Strategic Director Social Services & Housing, ' 01983 520600 ext 2225 or [email protected]
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CLLR JOHN FLEMING Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure |
CLLR PETER HARRIS Chair of the Review Board |