Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2020.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 29 July 2020 were approved as a correct record.

·         A short discussion took place relating to how minutes should be presented in future.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and Officers were asked to declare any interests they may have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No interests were declared.

To report any urgent action taken under the Constitution since the last meeting of the Committee.

No urgent decisions were reported.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair on any matters within the powers and duties of the Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.  (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the card provided.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions) 

No public questions were submitted.

To consider whether it is in the public to exclude the public during consideration of agenda items 6, 7 and 8 which contains information “not for publication by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority), the disclosure of which would not be fair and would be in breach of Data Protection Principles, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Items 6&7.

To consider a report by the Managing Director, Life Leisure

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report.

The Managing Director, Life Leisure submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which updated Members on the performance, recovery and active communities’ projects April 2020 – November 2020.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members commented that this period had been very difficult for everybody but this report was positive and encouraging.  One particular success had been the continuation of swimming and school swimming lessons, this breathed confidence into the system.  In response to a question about how it was planned to keep things going, Members were advised that it was hoped that school swimming lessons would be back up to 100% in January.  There had been a move away from the traditional swimming lesson approach to a more year round approach which parents paid for by direct debit.

·         Members felt strongly that they would like to see more details in the report, in particular a breakdown of how the money has been spent and what were the subsequent outcomes.  Members were advised that a format for financial reporting would be agreed with Council officers and brought to the next Committee.

·         Given the exceptional circumstances, Members considered it more important than ever that more detail was supplied.

·         Members raised the issue of what the purpose of the Funding Committee was and what was required from it.  This is an issue that has been mentioned previously.

·         Recovery continued to be very positive and Life Leisure had been excellent at keeping users of their service safe.

·         Members noted that lack of investment had always been an issue and that there was stiff competition from private companies in the same field.

·         In response to a question about whether DCMS emergency funding had been applied for, Members were advised that discussions about this were ongoing.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a verbal report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: - Peter Ashworth on Tel: 474 2392 or email: peter.ashworth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive provided a verbal report which updated Members on the Active Communities/Leisure - Post-Covid Alternative Delivery Model.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members asked whether a more detailed report would be provided at the January meeting of the Committee and were advised that this was the case particularly in relation to details of the implementation plan.

·         It was agreed that the slides which formed part of the verbal report would be circulated to all Committee members.

·         A short discussion took place relating to how further work would be funded and whether Members would have any input on these decisions.

·         Members felt that an issue as important as this should be considered at an extraordinary scrutiny committee so that all sides could present their case.  Further meetings of the Funding committee were suggested in order that Members could scrutinise any potential decision making.  Members also requested that any confidential paperwork supplied to scrutiny committees be made available to Members of the Funding Committee. 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.