PAPER B

POLICY COMMISSION BRIEFING DOCUMENT

RESPONSIBLE BODY Policy Commission for Economy, Tourism, Regeneration and Transport
ENQUIRY NAME Value for Money (VFM) Leisure	REFERENCE NUMBER E4/05
Works associated with the value for money study have progressed in accordance with the project plan agreed between the lead Member for the Commission and the lead link officer. Tenders for the consultancy work to undertake the benchmarking of all of the cultural and leisure services were invited and returned from interested parties by the due date. At the point of receiving tenders – prior to making any financial commitment on the Council’s behalf, further discussions with the Commission Chairman and Councillor Hunter-Henderson Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure were held as to whether the outputs that were defined for the study would achieve all that the Council required. Ultimately some concern was expressed that whilst the original outputs, as drafted, would identify to Cabinet the way in which it could achieve maximum value for money in the delivery of leisure services, this would not actually put in place the service delivery mechanism to achieve the outputs required. If a procurement route was required, then it may take a further 12 months for the Council to realise the benefits of this saving. This was not felt to be acceptable. Consideration was therefore given to undertaking a value for money study linked to a procurement exercise. Using this approach, the Cabinet would have the option to accept and immediately implement the Commission’s recommendations when they are presented to it. It was also identified that to undertake a VFM study linked to a procurement exercise for all of the services within the department would be difficult to manage. It has therefore been agreed that the leisure VFM study be divided into two components. A VFM/procurement exercise will be completed for those service areas in which there is known expertise in third party providers to undertake the management of the services. This exercise will essentially encompass all of the leisure facilities and will complete with a recommendation to Cabinet in December 2006. A VFM study of all of the remaining service areas within the cultural and leisure services department will follow the completion of the first exercise. This study will conclude with a recommendation to Cabinet in December 2007. These changes are reflected in the revised scoping document attached herewith.
Prepared by:	John Metcalfe, Associate Director for Cultural and Leisure Services
Date:	3 January 2006

v.1.1

POLICY COMMISSION ENQUIRY SCOPING DOCUMENT

RESPONSIBLE BODY Policy Commission for Economy, Tourism, Regeneration and Transport
ENQUIRY NAME Value for Money (VFM) Leisure (part 1)		REFERENCE NUMBER E4/05 (part 1)
PROPOSED OUTPUTS: Recommend to Cabinet a service delivery mechanism for leisure which provides for an increase in service standards (in-house, outsourced to the private sector or trust, or included within a strategic partner arrangement), which meets customer expectations and which provides value for money (VFM) to the Council Tax Payer
DATE OF INITIATION 13 July 2005 DATE OF CHANGE 3 January 2006		REVISED DATES OF COMPLETION Part 1 – end December 2006 Part 2 – end December 2007
REASON FOR ENQUIRY Administration manifesto commitment
1) CHANGE Focus of review split into two: Part 1 – those service areas in which there is known expertise in third party providers to undertake service management; and Part 2 – those remaining areas within Cultural and Leisure Services.		2) REASON FOR CHANGE See attached briefing document
REVISED PROPOSED OUTCOME OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION Ø To identify the range and scale of leisure service provision that the Council wishes to see delivered on the Island, in support of its goals Ø To identify the level of support that the Council will be prepared to commit in the medium term, in the provision of these services Ø To adopt an approach to the delivery of these services which is effective, efficient and provides value for money for the Council and the taxpayer Ø To deliver improved standards of leisure services (including facilities) Ø The service delivery mechanism to be implemented within 12 weeks of the Cabinet accepting the Commission’s recommendation
REVISED TERMS OF REFERENCE To employ the procurement model of the Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) and in so doing: Ø Consider how closely the services align with and contribute to the achievement of the Council’s overall goals and priorities (e.g. Healthier Communities) Ø Identify the level of support that the Council is able to give to these services in support of its overall goals Ø Examine previous Member-led project work (“Cultural & Leisure Services Project Board”) and previous investigations into Trust status Services/Facilities to be included Ø Medina Leisure Centre Ø Heights Leisure Centre Ø Waterside Swimming Pool Ø Rew Valley Sports Centre
KEY STAKEHOLDERS Customers – visitors and Islanders Public Health department Leisure Services staff/UNISON Leisure competitors on and off Island National and Regional funding bodies * Island-based organisations which currently use IWC leisure facilities * IWC Safer Communities Team IWC Children’s Services directorate * Which organisations and agencies are involved is dependent on the agreed coverage and scope of the Project
RELEVANT CORPORATE AND/OR COMMUNITY STRATEGY/IES Corporate Priorities fit: þEconomic development and regeneration þHealthier communities and older people ¨ Safer communities þChildren and Young People Community Strategy: “Better access to leisure and culture” (p. 12) Cultural Strategy – Theme 2 “Improving Access to Services and Facilities”
RELATED PROJECTS: This Commission : VFM review of Tourism
LEAD MEMBER Cllr John Hobart
OFFICER INVOLVEMENT Lead Link Officer: John Metcalfe – Associate Director, Cultural and Leisure Services Overview and Scrutiny Team: Astrid Davies – Project Lead Louise Biggs – Project Support
OTHER RESOURCES REQUIRED Budget for expert witnesses Specialist Council Officer input Budget to implement change process
Prepared by:	Overview and Scrutiny Team
Date:	3 January 2006