Agenda and minutes

To note that Councillors H.Bromley and H.Bower were appointed Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the 2018/19 municipal year at the Annual Council meeting on 21 May 2018.

It was noted that, at the Annual Council meeting on 21 May 2018, Councillor H.Bromley was appointed as Chairman and Councillor H.Bower was appointed as Vice Chairman of the Committee for the 2018-2019 municipal year.

The Chairman for the meeting, Councillor H.Bower, on behalf of Members, extended thanks to Councillor Darren Bennett for his hard work for the Council and Committee, on which he served as Chairman for a number of years.  Members, new to the Committee, were welcomed to their first meeting.

To note any substitution of Committee Members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19 – 22.

The following substitution of a Committee Member had been made in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 19-22:

Councillor J.Cragg for Councillor H.Bromley

Councillor G.Michaelides for Councillor P.Hebden

Councillor S.Glick for Councillor R.Lass

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors H.Bromley, P.Hebden and R.Lass.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 April 2018 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 April 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the status of actions agreed at the last meeting.

The Committee noted that the report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) giving an update on actions from the meeting held on 11 April 2018, all of which had been completed.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillor L. Chesterman declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Member of Hertfordshire County Council.

Introductory presentation from GLL following their merger with Finesse Leisure in respect of the council’s sport and leisure sites in the borough in May 2018.

Members received a brief presentation from the Head of Policy and Culture on the Finesse Leisure Monitoring Summary Quarter 4 2017-18:

•        The Finesse Leisure Partnership transferred its undertakings to Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) with effect from 1 May 2018.

•        All seven sport and leisure sites within the Council’s contract were now trading under the ‘Better’ brand, which is used by GLL on all of its site operations across the country.

•        All existing Finesse Leisure staff had transferred across to GLL and had protection of employment for the first 12 months, with all sites continuing to operate on the same basis following transition to the new contractor.

•        The Finesse Leisure name had ceased to trade and all legal and financial arrangements would be wound up.

•        A refurbishment of the male and female changing rooms in the south side of Stanborough Park had been completed and now complemented those in the main water sports pavilion to add much needed capacity and support GLL’s water sports operation over the peak summer period.

•        A similar refurbishment of the changing rooms at the King George V Playing Fields (using Section 106 funding) was nearing completion and would be ready ahead of the new outdoor field sports season in September.

•        Summer Holiday Camps were returning across the GLL sites for the main school summer holidays, and sites were fully engaged in delivering the Borough’s ‘Big Summer Fun’ programme from 1-19 August 2018.

•        Over quarter four overall attendances were up at the Hatfield Leisure Centre but down at other sport and leisure sites.  Much of this was due to the exceptionally long cold and wet winter over 2017-18 which impacted on attendance numbers compared to the same quarter in 2016-17.

Following its merger with Finesse Leisure in respect of the Council’s sport and leisure sites in the Borough in May 2018, GLL’s Regional Director gave an introductory presentation on the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and GLL Partnership.

The following areas were highlighted to Members.

•        GLL – Who Are We?

•        The GLL Timeline

•        Our 4 Pillars

•        Our Facilities In 2018

•        The Brands We Use

•        Since 1 May 2018

•        Future Plans

•        Social Value 

•        Social Value Calculator 

The GLL Regional Director responded to questions from Members as follows.

The organisation, whose head offices were located at Gosling Sports Park, had been trialling a cashless café on the site, through which a number of issues had been identified and would be addressed.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the content of the presentations be noted and that a further report providing an update on the GLL operations across the Borough be brought the meeting of the Committee in November 2018.

(2)       That a visit to all the sites now operated in the Borough by GLL be arranged for Members over the coming months.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and its accompanying update presentation is to inform Members of this Committee of the work of CW Entertainment over the period April 2017 to March 2018.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and its accompanying update presentation informed Members of the Committee of the work of CW Entertainment over the period April 2017 to March 2018.

CW Entertainment prepared and delivered an annual update to the Committee for information purposes to enable Members to see how CW Entertainment had delivered a broad range of leisure and entertainment services in the Borough.  It currently comprised four distinct business brands – the Garden City Cinema (3 screens), Hawthorne Theatre, Roller City and Soft Play City.  This was supported by Humphrey’s Café and Kitchen downstairs and by Humphrey’s Bar and Café upstairs in the building.

RESOLVED:

That the content of the report and accompanying update presentation for CW Entertainment covering 2017-18 be noted.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and accompanying presentation which provides the Committee with the performance indicator data collected for those services that fall within its remit.  It provides Quarter 4 and Annual data for 2017-18 along with comparative information where available.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and accompanying presentation provided the Committee with the performance indicator data collected for those services that fell within its remit.  It provided Quarter 4 and annual data for 2017-18 along with comparative information where available.

The presentation also showed the performance indicators that Corporate Directors, Heads of Service and Portfolio Holders had agreed for collection and reporting for the new financial year.

Performance indicators were used by the Council to measure how well it was performing and improving its services over time.  They could also be used to help plan for future service improvements where the service was consistent with the Council’s published corporate priorities set out in the Council’s Business Plan 2015-18. 

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the performance indicator data as set out in the report of Officers be noted.

(2)     That feedback be provided to the Council’s service teams on the trends shown in these performance indicators on an exception basis.

The pro-forma which sets out the Committee’s overview work programme has been updated since the last meeting to enable forward planning of items to be considered to take place. Items which the Committee agrees it would like to consider will be scheduled into the work programme.

The pro-forma setting out the Committee’s overview work programme had been updated since the last meeting to enable the forward planning of items to take place. Items which the Committee agreed it would like to consider would be scheduled into the work programme.

RESOLVED:

That the work programme be noted.