Agenda item

The Committee received for consideration the Leisure Services Annual Update Report for 2016/17 measuring performance against the following seven outcomes:

Outcome 1 – People can access opportunities to be active

Outcome 2 – More Children and Young People are hooked on leisure / cultural activity for life (0-24)

Outcome 3 – More people (25years+) are active in Leisure and Culture

Outcome 4 People are affiliated to clubs / community groups or facilities

Outcome 5 – People are given the skills to become physically and creatively literate for life

Outcome 6 – People achieve their potential

Outcome 7 – Our facilities and services are well managed and efficient

The following issues were raised on the report:-

·        Reference was made to the proposals for the development of a masterplan for Parc Howard Museum and to a recent site visit undertaken by the Scrutiny Committee. A view was expressed on the uniqueness of the facility and the need for its marketing to both residents of, and visitors to, Carmarthenshire to enable the site to achieve its full potential.

The Head of Leisure Services concurred with the sentiment and reminded the Committee that when the museum service had been incorporated within Leisure Services several years previously, it had been endured funding reductions for a period of time. Subsequent to that integration, additional resources had been made available and it was hoped improvements thereto would become apparent over the next few years. Those additional resources, had enabled the service to appoint a Museum Development Manager and a vision was now being prepared for the future development and marketing of the service, incorporating a desire for the provision of a new storage facility to house the county’s artefacts to replace the current arrangements where they were stored in a number of different venues for example, 70,000 items were stored between the Parc Howard and Abergwili museums. However, those improvements would need time to bear fruition.

The Head of Leisure also advised that as part of the vision, the service was seeking accreditation from the Wales Museum Service which set standards for museum management, collection care and public service

·       In response to a question on the provision of the new archives building behind Carmarthen Library, the Head of Leisure advised that discussions on its design were nearing completion and it was hoped the new facility could be operational by early 2019.

·       In response to a question on the measurement of performance against the seven key outcomes, the Head of Leisure reminded the Committee that it received quarterly update reports on such performance. Those included reference to participation levels at both the Council’s, and private sports facilities, with the Council providing information on its own facilities and Sports Wales on private sports facilities/clubs.

·       Reference was made to previous Council consideration on the potential for the externalisation of leisure services, and clarification sought on the current position.

The Head of Leisure confirmed that whilst the Council had previously considered the matter, it was no longer being pursued.

·       References were made to the Committee’s recent visits to the libraries at Ammanford, Carmarthen and Llanelli where it viewed the refurbishments works. A question was asked on whether there were any proposals to undertake improvements to the community libraries.

The Head of Leisure confirmed whilst it was proposed to undertake improvement works to community libraries, the level of financial resources available to the department were limited with any schemes having to compete for funding amongst other departmental priorities. However, wherever possible, the department actively sought grant aid and funding from alternative sources to facilitate improvements to the library service as a whole.

·       References were made to the recent improvements to and marketing of the library service resulting in increased footfall and participation levels. A view was expressed the museum service could benefit from the adoption of a similar approach.

The Head of Leisure reminded the Committee that the improvements to the library service had been achieved, against a backdrop of funding reduction, by prioritising development to the high volume areas. With regard to the museum service, he reminded the Committee of his earlier comments on the appointment of a museum marketing manager and the proposals being formulated for its future development and marketing. He also advised that three additional senior staff had been appointed within the Department’s Country Parks Division to oversee the future development and marketing of those facilities.

·       In response to a question relating to the provision of the three new mobile library vehicles the Head of Leisure confirmed whilst delays were being encountered in their provision, it was hoped they could become operational by the middle of the year.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.