Issue - meetings

Report number LAC146 by the Head of Leisure & Cultural Services.

                                                                                                (attached)

DECISION

(1)    The Cabinet notes the advice contained in the consultants’ report and requires further work on a single versus multiple trust option for the delivery of cultural services;

(2)    To embark on a consultation exercise as identified in report LAC146 to investigate some of the additional considerations identified by the consultants’ and to provide appropriate community information;

(3)    The Cabinet is minded to support the movement towards the development of a leisure trust, the resources for which to be included within the formal budget setting process.  However, the lease/ownership issues in relation to the Deepings and Bourne leisure centres including the apportionment of any proceeds arising from the creation of the trust are to be resolved with the Lincolnshire County Council prior to the setting up of the trust(s);

(4)    That a timetable and definitive list of services to be transferred to the trust be compiled by 31^st November 2005.

Considerations/Reasons for Decision:

(1)     Report number LAC146 by the Head of Leisure & Cultural Services setting out the recommendations contained in a consultants’ report on the viability of establishing a leisure trust to manage some or all of the services currently provided by the Council’s leisure and cultural services section;

(2)     The consultants, PMP, looked at various models of not for profit organisations, the services provided by the Council and their operational costs, business rates and VAT.  Future capital costs were also considered;

(3)     Consultation undertaken with officers of the Council, some town and parish councils, facility users and neighbouring authorities;

(4)     An exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of the trust options, together with the roles and responsibilities of board trustees;

(5)     Consideration of the legal and property issues, including the leasehold transfer of assets to a trust.  Staffing implications have also been considered;

(6)     A proposed course of action which will be required if the Council wants to accept the consultants’ advice and proceed with the development of a trust.  A period of consultation will be needed in order to establish the framework around which the new organisation can be built;

(7)     The consultants have identified one off costs of £150,000 that will be incurred in establishing a new leisure trust;

(8)     The Cabinet approve the establishment of a trust or trusts in principle but are mindful that there are outstanding issues to be resolved first, most notably the lease/ownership issues in relation to the Bourne and Market Deeping leisure centres with the Lincolnshire County Council.  The Cabinet indicated its desire to see these matters satisfactorily resolved before any trust(s) is established;

(9)     In view of the timescale for consultation, the Cabinet requested that this issue be fed through the current round of Local Area Assemblies.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

Options for management of leisure facilities, including the development of a partnership trust arrangement have previously been considered, assessed and dismissed.

[The Director of Community Services, and the Head of Leisure & Cultural Services here left the meeting before discussion and consideration of the following item.]