Agenda and minutes

The Council welcomes engagement from members of the public. To speak at this meeting please register no later than 24 hours prior to the date of the meeting via democracy@southkesteven.gov.uk.

No requests for public speaking had been received.

The Chairman advised the Committee that he was altering the agenda order and that agenda item 9 – LeisureSK Ltd Management Fee Request and Business Plan would be considered after agenda item 6.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor James Denniston and Councillor Matthew Bailey.  Councillor Denniston was substituted by Councillor Virginia Moran and Councillor Bailey was substituted by Councillor Graham Jeal.

Members are asked to disclose any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

None disclosed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 November were proposed, seconded and AGREED.

The Chairman advised the Committee that the next set of KPI’s would be coming to a future meeting of the Committee as the Corporate Plan was still being compiled.

A question was asked in respect of the update on the HelloSK App.  It was stated that discussions were taking place with the provider of the HelloSK App and a full response would come to the next meeting of the Committee.  Another Member stated that he had found some issues with the App and he would send them over to the Officer.

Ø Action Note

An update on HelloSK App to the next meeting of the Committee.

The Leader of the Council stated that he had a statement to read out when the Committee dealt with agenda item 9.

For the Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee to reconsider the level of management fee required to support LeisureSK Limited and to receive the Business Plan for financial year 2024/2025.

The Chairman reminded Members that if they wished to discuss information on the pink papers appended to the report then the meeting would need to go into closed session.  

A question was asked about keeping the debate in the public domain.  The Chairman replied that the meeting would be kept in the public domain, however, information contained within the pink papers was commercially sensitive and the meeting would need to go into private session if Members wished to discuss that information.

Before the report was presented, the Leader of the Council read out the following statement after receiving the urgent request for £273k from LeisureSK Ltd.

“In the short term and at the earliest opportunity, the Deputy Leader and the Leader would ask Cabinet;

·       To request officers, write to LeisureSK Ltd to request a mitigation and recovery plan for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 in response to the management fee request with a view to seeking the level of management fee being requested reducing further for 2024/25.

·       To request that the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Leisure receive regular detailed budget forecast reports from LeisureSK Ltd between now and the end of the financial year 2023/24.

·       To request an urgent independent assessment of the business plan and profit and loss account for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 and propose any corrective action or mitigations that can be undertaken.

·       Tik initiate an independent assessment of the existing governance model and operational financial management controls to ensure they are fit for purpose and effective.

·       To note that an independent review of the VAT and taxation implications is underway.

·       To ask the Councils S151 Officer to undertake a review of the financial information, a review of the Board minutes and level of financial support being provided to LeisureSK Ltd and to recommend to Cabinet any corrective actions that may be required.

In the Medium Term to;

·       Accelerate the options appraisal for the future delivery model of SKDC’s Leisure Services including insourcing and full market testing by tender with leisure providers.  This to be undertaken within the shortest of timelines.”

The Chairman of LeisureSK Ltd presented the report.  At the November 2023 meeting of the Committee a request had been made for more information.  The report had been updated with more explanations under the mitigating items.   The Board of LeisureSK Ltd had also sent additional, commercially sensitive information via email to Members which was also contained within the exempt pink papers appended to the report.

The leisure market had been struggling for a number of years and this had been reported over the years to various Committees.  As well as dealing with the impact of the pandemic, the leisure market was also having to face the volatility of utility costs and increased staffing costs due to the increase in the minimum wage.

The Chairman of the Board of LeisureSK Ltd reminded Members that the company had been set up due to the struggling leisure market and in January 2021  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

To provide an update on the refurbishment of the Wyndham Park Tennis Courts.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture presented the report which updated Members on the refurbishment of the Wyndham Park Tennis Courts.  The refurbishments works were 100% granted funded by the Lawn Tennis Association.  Grantham Tennis Club had taken on the management and operation of the courts under a leasehold arrangement. It was hoped that the refurbishment would encourage more players to take up tennis.  It was noted that there had been a delay due to the complex nature of the lease but this had now been addressed and the lease had been signed in November 2023.

A soft launch of the tennis courts had taken place at the beginning of December 2023 and a larger launch was planned for later in 2024. 

The Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture stated that this had been a cross council piece of work with a positive outcome.

Members unanimously agreed with the positive update in relation to the refurbishment of the Wyndham Park tennis courts and congratulated those who had made it happen.

To provide an update on the responses received from the Town Council’s and Grantham Charter Trustees to help inform the next stages regarding the development and future management of Council-operated street markets in Bourne, Grantham and Stamford. The report proposes the creation of a task and finish group to oversee a consultation regarding the future of markets, ahead of the development of a markets strategy.

The Deputy Leader of the Council stated that the item followed on from the last meeting of the Committee when markets were discussed.  It was suggested at the last meeting, that a Task and Finish Group was assembled to organise a consultation in respect of markets.  The Deputy Leader stated that his intention was for a Task and Finish Group to oversee the development of a market strategy.  There were Terms of Reference for the Task and Finish Group appended to the report and he welcomed the Committee’s comments on the document. 

The Chairman was thanked for sending a letter out as requested following the last meeting of the Committee to the Grantham Charter Trustees and also Bourne and Stamford Town Councils. 

The Deputy Leader thanked Councillor Charmaine Morgan for the work that she had undertaken in respect of circulating and collating a questionnaire in respect of Grantham market and the questions posed by the letter circulated.  It was disappointing that only one response to date, had been received from one Stamford Town Councillor.

Craig Rudd, the new Markets Supervisor was introduced to the Committee.

The Committee were asked to look at the Terms of Reference for the proposed Task and Finish Group which would co-ordinate the Market Strategy separate to the Committee.

The Chairman supported the recommendation contained within the report and highlighted the quick responses from Bourne Town Council and the work undertaken by the Grantham Charter Trustees to move the issue forward and come to a meaningful outcome.

In respect of the membership of the Task and Finish Group, the Deputy Leader asked that the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture be included.

Comments were made about past market reviews of which there had been many over the years, but it was highlighted that Councillor Tim Harrison had been instrumental in bringing the issue forward, attending the Grantham market and speaking to stall holders and he was thanked for the work that he had undertaken.  Reference was also made to the email that Councillor Harrison had circulated to Members with ideas for the markets that could be pursued instantly rather than having yet another Task and Finish Group whose proposed membership was far too big. 

It was felt that each market should have its own individual Task and Finish Group with a stripped back membership, such as the Ward Councillors where the markets were held, the relevant Cabinet Member and an Officer.

Further discussion followed on how each market was different and had distinctive needs.  Councillor Harrisons work on markets was acknowledged by the Committee.  The Deputy Leader stated that his proposal was a genuine attempt to get the right people in a room to look at aspirations to get the markets flourishing, to look at budgets and issues which affected the individual markets and other factors such as whether the Council were the right people to manage the markets or could others manage them, look at better engagement with stall holders and promotion of the markets.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

To consider the Committee’s Work Programme for 2023-24.

The Chairman indicated that a report would come back to the Committee following Cabinets deliberations in respect of LeisureSK Ltd and the statement made by the Leader and also that an update on the markets would be added to the work programme for the meeting in March 2024.

One Member asked that a full report in respect of the HelloSK App and also a review of Discover SK be included on the work programme.  

A further comment was made in respect of the issue of school holiday clubs.  The Chairman stated that there were issues around this topic in respect of what South Kesteven was capable of delivering within the timeframe that they had and he suggested that he and the Member meet to discuss the issue.  The Assistant Director for Leisure, Culture and Place stated that she was happy to attend the meeting.

Ø Action

That the following items be included on the Work Programme:

·       An update following Cabinet in respect of Leisure SK Ltd

·       A full report in respect of the HelloSK App and also a review of Discover SK

·       School Holiday Clubs – subject to discussion meeting between Cllr Fellows and Cllr Knight and the Assistant Director of Leisure, Culture and Place.

There was no urgent business.

The meeting closed at 12:30pm.