REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

The Purpose of this Report is to update the Committee of the current situation regarding the externalisation of Wight Leisure to a Not for Profit Distribution Organisation (NPDO)

ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE

Members to accept the updated position.

BACKGROUND

At the Executive Meeting on 21 May 2002 the following was resolved:-

(i) That the Services be transferred to a Not for Profit Distributing Organisation with effect from 1 October 2002

(ii) That the timetable as set out in Annex 1 to be reported be agreed.

(iii) That the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee oversee negotiations in respect of all matters relating to the transfer and that the final details of the agreements with the Not for Profit Distributing Organisation be submitted to the Executive at its meeting on 27 August 2002

Following that decision this Committee has continued to oversee the negotiations between the Council and the embryonic Not for Profit Distributing Organisation (NPDO) to ensure as quick and effective transfer as possible.

Members of the Committee will recall that to discharge this duty they decided to meet informally on a regular basis throughout last year to enable a full and frank debate over all aspects concerning licences, leases, fees and staffing. To this end, Members comprehensively scrutinised the transfer details and the consultants’ findings.

Present Situation

Wight Leisure’s revised Business Plan was lodged with the Council’s consultants by 6 December 2002 and at the present time there still remains a small number of issues to be resolved. Meetings have been arranged for 23 January with the consultants and it is hoped that the outcome will provide best value for the Council as a whole.

The Head of Paid Service has recently assisted in the process by indicating that there should be greater clarity at both Member and Officer level about the final stages of the externalisation process. These new arrangements include David Pettitt as lead Director for reporting to the Executive through the portfolio holder, Councillor Jarman, on the client side.

As Chairman of the Informal Committee and as a member directly involved with the Wight Leisure Best Value Review I have now become the lead member of the externalisation process on the contractor (Wight Leisure) side. The role of the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee in scrutinising the externalisation process and Best Value Review has now been completed.

Next Steps

Subject to a satisfactory outcome of the consultants’ meeting that confirms that the final Business Plan relating to the NPDO transfer offers best value to the Council, then a timetable could be agreed to ensure the externalisation can occur as soon as possible.

Final documentation may then be recommended to the Executive early in February, as a realistic, achievable and sustainable plan that will deliver the Best Value Improvement Plan already recommended and supported by this Committee.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Externalisation of Wight Leisure Economic (Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure) 28/10/02

Externalisation of Wight Leisure (Executive) 05/11/02

Contact Point : A R Drain, F 823801

MR J FLEMING

Chairman of the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee