REPORT
FROM THE CABINET MEMBER FOR REGENERATION, LEISURE AND COMMUNICATIONS
TO
THE MEETING OF FULL COUNCIL
ON WEDNESDAY
16 MAY 2007
Over the past month I have
been familiarising myself with the responsibilities in my new portfolio, and
establishing a clear picture of where the immediate and longer-term challenges
lie.
1.
Regeneration
Much of what happens now with
regeneration in dependent on the Core Strategy of the Local Development
Framework (Island Plan), which is subject to revision due to new government
guidance. Whilst this is primarily within Cllr Brown’s Cabinet
responsibilities, I am working with officers to ascertain what implications
this may have for regeneration projects – such as in the Bay. As a result, the
Bay Regeneration Steering Group is currently on hold, but we hope to bring
these stakeholders together in the near future to discuss how we progress
forward to deliver some tangible outcomes for the Bay.
I have been pleased to
welcome Bernadette Marjoram as our Interim Director of Regeneration and
Development, and she is looking at our existing regeneration projects in
2.
Leisure
Members will be aware that
the Heights swimming pool had to be closed temporarily to allow specialists to
search for where a leak was occurring. This has now been identified in the
piping, and has been repaired. The pool is now being monitored for the impact
this repair has had on the water loss. Further work may need to be done over
the next few weeks, but we hope to minimise the disruption to users of the
facility.
We have received the draft
report of the Leisure Needs Analysis, which provides an invaluable assessment of
the likely local demand for leisure facilities into the future. This is
informing our thinking as we prepare a report to Cabinet in July on the future
of community leisure facilities on the
One of areas of unmet
provision in the analysis was in Ryde, for gym facilities. We have been able to
respond to this ahead of the July decision, by relocating some of the gym
equipment to be placed in an unused squash court at Westridge, and bringing new
equipment in where necessary. This will be opened up in the near future and
promoted accordingly.
We are also considering how
both Ryde and Shanklin theatres can be utilised more effectively in the future,
and what opportunities exist for greater community use. I have already had
discussions to this end with Shanklin Town Council, and plan to meet with Ryde
Town Management Committee in the near future to seek their views on their venue.
I will bring a report on these theatres to Cabinet in July.
I was pleased to attend the
sending off ceremony for our 35 strong-team to the World Island Youth Games in
3.
Communications
As members know, the
The magazine has been
complemented by “One Council” – the internal publication for staff. This works
alongside the Vine, the weekly email bulletin to staff, and together they aim
to improve communications directly with officers, to ensure they are the first
to know about the latest developments from the Council.
The Corporate ID guidelines
are now being finalised and will be rolled out across the Council, to ensure
that we have consistent and recognisable branding for all our services,
including those with our partners. This will raise awareness amongst
The quality of services is
tested in our residents’ survey, and we have just completed another survey of
public opinion, which will be published shortly. As the