ITEM CA9 CABINET – 15 MAY 2007 CHANGES TO THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES OF THE SPICEBALL PARK, KIDLINGTON & GOSFORD AND BICESTER & PLOUGHLEY SPORTS CENTRES Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families Introduction 1. This report seeks approval to changes in the role of the Management Committees established under the Joint Use Agreement for the Kidlington & Gosford, Bicester & Ploughley and Spiceball Park Sports Centres in the Cherwell area. The changes form part of the modernisation programme which is underway for these centres. Cabinet approval is needed because these joint committees exercise executive functions, as set out at Part 2 of Schedule 2 to Section K of the County Council’s Constitution. The report also provides an update on progress on the overall project. Background 2.
The Cabinet received a project appraisal report in December
2005 (ED630) giving details of this major refurbishment/rebuild programme
for the three centres. Since then Cherwell District Council have now
completed the process of selecting the preferred bidder – Cherwell Leisure
Ltd consortium - for delivering the modernisation work on an integrated
Design, Build, Operate and Maintain basis. The Consortium is made up of
Parkwood Project Management Ltd who specialise in delivering leisure projects,
Burke Rickhards Architects, Parkwood Leisure and Moss Construction. There
is a nine month period of detailed negotiations leading to a signed contract
in Autumn 2007, with an anticipated start of building works in early 2008.
The modernisation works comprise: ··
New entrance/reception, relocation and rebuilding of the 4 court sports
hall and stores, re-roofing the swimming pool, new crèche, café/seating
/viewing area, refurbishment of dry changing rooms, new school changing
rooms, and other general light refurbishment, replacement of the pool
roof and plant and some additional car parking. · The Secretary of State for Education has approved the disposal
of a strip of land adjoining the existing sports centre car park, which
is being sold to Cherwell to allow improvement to the traffic and pedestrian
management. Improvements include a new entrance/reception, a new six lane
ten pin bowling facility, improved corridor circulation, upgraded wet
and dry changing facilities, new health spa, soft play area, crèche,
dedicated new school fitness suite, new fitness suite, two new exercise
studios and exterior upgrade. · A completely new centre located across the Cherwell river opposite the existing centre comprising an eight court sports hall, crèche, soft play, café/bar, wet and dry changing rooms, sauna, steam room, spa, treatment rooms, two squash courts, six lane swimming pool, four lane exercise pool with variable depth floor, fitness suite, meeting room, three exercise studios, reception and car parking. 4. As approved by Cabinet, the County Council is making a capital contribution of £1,493,250 plus inflation over a number of years. The hours of school and community use are being rationalised to maximise usage and to reflect current use with an overall loss of time originally allocated to the Authority under the original agreements but which was not being effectively used. Discussions are continuing to reach agreement on the changes to the hours of school/college and community use. The level of the County Council’s ongoing revenue contribution in future years is being established at present. When agreed, these changes and those planned for the Management Committees will be recorded in revised joint use agreements. Management Committees5. In the joint use agreements for Kidlington & Gosford and Bicester & Ploughley Sports centres, the functions of the Management Committees are variously described as controlling the day to day management and administration of the sports centres, responsibility for staff, ensuring proper use of the premises and that accounts for income and expenditure are kept, reimbursement of costs, proper financial control and fixing charges. The membership is made up of Members appointed by the County, District and Parish Councils. 6. The new contract arrangements with the Cherwell Leisure Ltd consortium provide an opportunity to modernise these committees. The current committees have accepted the need for these changes. 7. The original management committee for Spiceball Park was established in 1973 just prior to local government reorganisation. With the appointment of D. C. Leisure Ltd in 1992 to operate the Centre, the opportunity was taken to replace the Committee with an Advisory Panel made up of Cherwell and Oxfordshire County Council Members and representatives nominated by the Banbury Sports Forum. The terms of reference were “to raise and discuss all matters of mutual interest in relation to customer usage of the Sports Centre’s facilities and to pass any comments to the District Council’s Recreation Committee in order to assist in the consideration of policy matters in relation to the operation of the Centre.” 8. It is planned that the two management committees and the Spiceball Park Advisory Panel should be disbanded and replaced by Sports Centre Advisory Panels with user and other Local Member and stakeholder representation. This position has been agreed by the District Council’s Executive and was reported and agreed at the March round of the Management Committee meetings. Further consideration is being given to the make-up and functions of the new Advisory Panels and will be reported by the District to a future meeting of its Executive. While the new panels will not have any policy or management role in connection with the sports centres, they will have an important role as a forum to discuss contractor performance, suggest programme and facility developments and engender close partnership working between the various user groups and key stakeholders. Corporate Policies & Priorities9. The change, which will help protect and maximise school and community use, is in line with the County Council’s strategic values and priorities of customer focus, efficient and effective services, keep improving our services by listening to user’s views, and giving all of us – throughout our lives – the opportunity to enjoy effective teaching and learning. It also relates to the Children and Young People’s Plan objectives of be healthy and enjoy and achieve. RECOMMENDATION 10. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the changes to the Management Committees for the Kidlington & Gosford and Bicester & Ploughley Sports Centres and the existing Advisory Panel at Spiceball Park Sports Centres to become Advisory Panels as set out in the report. JIM CROOK Background papers: Nil. Contact Officer: Gerald Hales, Service Manager (Property & Assets), Tel: (01865) 816 456 May 2007
|