Issue - meetings

The report of the Director – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a)               adopts the updated Leisure Facilities Strategy 2017-2027 incorporating the mid-point review 2022;

b)               supports work to develop the detailed specification for Capital investment into Cotgrave Leisure Centre and Keyworth Leisure Centre, which are already included in the Capital Programme for 2023-2024; and

c)               delegates authority to the Director – Neighbourhoods, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change to approve the final content of the associated Playing Pitch Strategy Action Plan refresh.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Upton presented the report of the Director – Neighbourhoods outlining the mid-point review of the Leisure Facilities Strategy for 2017 to 2027.

Councillor Upton advised that whilst there was no statutory requirement to produce a Strategy, it was considered to be good practice, to set out plans, monitor progress, and to ensure that the Council remained on the right track.  Cabinet was reminded that the current cost of living pressures were impacting on the amount of disposable income some people had to spend on leisure, and with the increased running costs of those facilities, it was timely to undertake a mid-point review to ensure that it was still appropriate to all those changes in a post-Covid era.     

Councillor Upton referred to the Strategy, detailed at Appendix 1 to the report and to the draft Playing Pitch Strategy Action Plan at Appendix 2, and confirmed that consultations had taken place with appropriate stakeholders, with the Strategy supported by four guiding principles and six objectives, as detailed in paragraphs 4.7 and 4.8 of the report. 

Councillor Upton concluded by reminding Cabinet that the Council continued to invest significantly in its leisure facilities, and the multi-million pound leisure centre due to open early next year in Bingham was testament to that.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Moore congratulated the Director – Neighbourhoods and his team for the very thorough report, highlighted the six objectives, and stated that he was very happy to note that the first would be to retain five leisure facilities and ensure that they were fit for purpose, which had not always been the case.  He was pleased to note that partners and parishes would be supported to deliver priority projects, and referred to the support given to East Leake, and to the importance of joint working.  Councillor Moore referred to the maintenance of allotments and how many underestimated the physical benefits from working on them. 

Councillor Robinson agreed that despite the financial pressures it was pleasing that the Council continued investing in its leisure facilities, as could be seen in Cotgrave, Keyworth and now Bingham, and reiterated the thanks given to the Director – Neighbourhoods and his team for their hard work.  He reminded Cabinet that Rushcliffe was rightly very proud and renowned for its sport and its facilities and that it was included in the Council’s strapline.

It was RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a)               adopts the updated Leisure Facilities Strategy 2017-2027 incorporating the mid-point review 2022;

b)               supports work to develop the detailed specification for Capital investment into Cotgrave Leisure Centre and Keyworth Leisure Centre, which are already included in the Capital Programme for 2023-2024; and

c)               delegates authority to the Director – Neighbourhoods, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change to approve the final content of the associated Playing Pitch Strategy Action Plan refresh.