Leisure resources strategy · 2014. 12. 19. · Leisure resources strategy 2014 5 This strategy...

Leisureresources strategy 2014

Leisure resources strategy 20142

Contents

Executive summary 4

Introduction 5

Background and context to leisure in Cornwall 8

Leisure issues that concern Cornwall Council 11

How Cornwall Council will make leisure decisions 14

What Cornwall Council is going to do 15

Headline action plan for leisure 2015-2020 16

The way forward 17

Appendix 1 - Headline action plan 18

3Leisure resources strategy

Message from Adam Paynter, Portfolio holder for Partnerships

Over a third of people regularly participate in a wide range of leisure activities in Cornwall. Many more, as professionals or volunteers help groups and individuals to participate.

Leisure activities contribute to our way of life here in Cornwall in a variety of ways. They can help us become healthier, contribute to the economy, improve community cohesion and reduce social isolation. One of the Council’s challenges is to have greater consistency of leisure provision and to collaborate with a range of different organisations to take leisure provision forward, make it more relevant to our lives and ensure access across the length and breadth of the county.

Cornwall Council is facing difficult decisions. This document will help to set a strategic framework within which we can make decisions about our leisure resources, whilst helping to meet our aspirations to increase participation in leisure activity and contribute locally to health and wellbeing and the economy.

This strategy marks a significant change in emphasis from the Council’s perspective to one that will help our leisure partners and stakeholders to be clear about our constraints and intentions. We believe this can be brought about by being clear about:

• Ourchallengesandothersignificantfactors.

• WhatwethinktheleisuresectorinCornwallcouldbenefitfrom.

• Whatwewanttoachieve.

• Ourplans.

It is vital that we have a clear statement about our priorities and a comprehensive picture of leisure resources across the County to which we can refer in order to make well informed decisions. The strategy’s success will depend not only on the Council, but also through the efforts of everyone involved in leisure across Cornwall.

Thank you and enjoy your leisure time.


This Leisure Resources Strategy relates to the Council’s assets and resources for the provision of Leisure Services in Cornwall. It seeks to set a framework against which Councillors can make decisions about those resources and also to give clarity to external stakeholders about the Council’s plans. It is set in the context of significant reductions to public sector funding and a requirement for substantial investment in the current estate.

The Council’s ambition for leisure provision in Cornwall is that there is a sustainable network of leisure facilities and activities available to residents and visitors across Cornwall that contributes to local health, wellbeing and the economy of Cornwall, at no cost to the Council.

The strategy includes a set of objectives which should be met to fulfil this ambition. The strategy has been developed using an extensive evidence base and following wide-ranging consultation. As a result the Council has identified that the way in which it is most likely to achieve its ambition to transfer ownership/provision of its leisure facilities to another organisation/s. In order to meet the needs of the whole population, the preferred method of doing this is through finding a solution for the whole network rather than individual arrangements for each site, however if this is not possible then alternative arrangements will be sought. This document also sets out key issues that the Council would like to address with regards to its formal leisure provision alongside a headline action plan.

Executive summary

Leisure resources strategy 2014 5

This strategy focuses on the leisure activity that Cornwall Council influences, supports and provides and will be followed by a further work and a procurement report in summer 2015. It focuses on those elements of leisure for which the Council would benefit from having a contemporary approach or policy. To this extent, its emphasis is its leisure facilities and leisure centres. We have also considered what we do in other areas, including:

Adult education Open space PlayEconomic development Physical education PlanningOutdoor pursuits The countryside TourismPlaying pitches Youth services Transport

Introduction

During its development, targeted consultation with town/parish councils, schools, sports clubs, national governing bodies of sport, Council officers and Council leisure partners and stakeholders identified a variety of issues that have been addressed in this document. Consultation responses have been reviewed and collated and summarised in a separate report.

The Council considers that its leisure centres should complement the opportunities given by our natural environment and community based leisure activity, as opposed to supplanting them. Although cheaper than formal leisure provision there is still a significant cost in keeping trails and open spaces operational, accessible and available to encourage use.

This strategy is also set in the context of significant reductions in public sector funding. This has made it necessary for Cornwall Council to reduce its spending so that by 2019 it will be spending the equivalent of £360m less per year than in 2010. This takes account of

inflation and increases in demand over the period and includes the current savings target of £196m between 2014 and 2019. In addition, the costs of providing leisure have been and are increasing.

The Council aspires to Cornwall being a prosperous, resilient and resourceful place with strong communities where the most vulnerable are protected. To this extent the Council’s role is:

• Championing Cornwall, with elected members working with partners and communities to improve local wellbeing.

• Being ambitious for Cornwall, spearheading social and economic change as well as protecting and supporting the most vulnerable.

• Creating a leaner, more resourceful organisation that delivers essential council services in the most efficient and effective way.

The Council’s strategy has eight strategic themes that provide focus. They are:

Ambitious CornwallFocusing on the need for fairer funding and more local control over Government spending.

Stewardship of Cornwall’s assets Working with partners to protect the environment at the same time as harnessing natural assets and resources to generate income.

Being efficient, effective and innovative Delivering services in the most efficient and effective means.

Greater access to essentials for living Enabling all people to access services and necessities whatever their income and location.

Healthier communities Ensuring everyone has the best possible opportunity to achieve good health and protecting the most vulnerable.

Driving the economy Securing sustainable economic growth, maintaining natural and cultural assets and building on strengths in key industries.

Partners working together Working with partners to ensure that public services are delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Engaging with our communities Supporting local people, town and parish councils and the voluntary and community sector to make decisions that affect them and deliver what their community needs.


The Council’s overall savings target amounts to £196m over the period 2014-15 to 2018-19. The scope and impact of this budget reduction will vary from service to service. To achieve a reduction, its budget proposals are based around four key areas:

• The ‘pay bill’ (i.e., a reduction in the size of the Council’s workforce through the establishment of different models of service delivery and restructuring).

• Service delivery (e.g., integrating health and social care services, devolving more services to town and parish councils and community and voluntary groups and/or creating new service delivery arrangements).

• Efficiency improvements (e.g., delivering more services digitally and through the website).

• Increasing income (i.e., taking a more commercial approach).

The objective for the Council’s leisure service is to “review (the leisure) contracts with the aim to remove all subsidy to the service”. This equates to £5.730 million in the financial year 2017/18 (which takes inflation into account and assumes that all contract payments will cease). It is important to note that removing the subsidy does not mean the closure of all leisure centres.

Consequently, this strategy will help Cornwall Council Members make decisions about how to use Council leisure resources such as its leisure centres, funding and staff, so that it doesn’t cost the Council anything. It sets a direction in relation to the Council’s leisure provision and identifies what it will do to start to address some of the issues raised.

The Council believes that leisure activity is important, but it has to be realistic about what it can afford to do. It would like:

• More people to be physically active.

• Greater recognition that leisure provision supports other areas, such as helping to achieve health outcomes and economic activity.

• A comprehensive network of accessible facilities for leisure (regardless of ownership or operator).

• Opportunities to swim 25m indoors.

• Reduced cost and risk associated with its leisure provision.

To this extent, the Council’s vision for leisure in Cornwall is:

For a network of leisure activity and facilities available to residents and visitors across Cornwall that contributes to local health, wellbeing and the economy in Cornwall.


To achieve this vision, in the context of reducing budgets, the Council will need to change what it does and how it does it. Evolution of public sector leisure provision isn’t new and includes outdoor spaces and public baths. This Strategy marks another step in a process of continual change and will help the Council’s partners to plan accordingly.

As well as the financial situation, the Council has developed this Strategy now because it will need to make decisions in the future, particularly about what to do with its leisure facilities (i.e., leisure centres, entertainment venue, athletics tracks and outdoor, coastal swimming pools), some of which are in need of investment. How people use their leisure time is also changing and where they live and work is changing too, with a result that the previous ways of providing leisure opportunities aren’t necessarily so relevant any more.

Having this strategy will help the Council to:

• Define its leisure role.

• Provide a framework and evidence with which to make decisions.

• Be clear about what it is trying to do.

• Review what it is spending on its leisure facilities.

• Link what it does in leisure with other strategies and areas of work.

• Improve its ability, and that of its partners, to attract, and secure, external funding.

This strategy focuses on those things that the Council both provides directly and can influence or where there is a lack of clarity about what it is trying to do.

Leisure is a non-statutory duty for local authorities. In other words, the Council does not have a legal duty to provide leisure facilities. But one of the things the Council does have a duty to do is to protect,

maintain and improve the health and wellbeing of the population in Cornwall. Having a network of leisure centres is one way of helping to achieve this. However, it doesn’t necessarily matter who provides them as long as there are enough of them, in the right places.

The English National Curriculum specifies that at Key Stage 2 of the physical education programmes of study, pupils should be taught to:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres.

• Use a range of strokes effectively (for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke).

• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

The Council feels that use of an indoor/heated swimming pool is necessary to achieve this requirement. The Council also has responsibility for the health and safety requirements of the facilities it provides and any grant conditions for which it is accountable.


Background and context to leisure in Cornwall

Local profile

Cornwall is located in the South West peninsular of England and shares a boundary with Devon. It has remote rural, coastal and environmentally sensitive areas, interspersed with villages and historic market towns. There are nine towns with a population of over 10,000 (five over 20,000) while a further seventeen small towns have around 5,000 residents, plus numerous villages and hamlets. In 2011 the total population in Cornwall was 532,273 people. There were more females than males and more 60-64 year olds than any other age range. If current trends continue, the population in Cornwall will need 22,089 additional houses by 2030 and the population will be older.

As a result of the relatively small populations in Cornwall, it is difficult to sustain large leisure facilities.

There are also few alternatives. In addition, the leisure activities that residents are likely to want could change with a larger and aging population (e.g., demand for low impact leisure activities could increase).

Deprivation

Cornwall also has a relatively high proportion of households with no adults in employment and dependent children. Gross annual incomes are also relatively low, with the largest proportion being below £20,000. Participation in leisure activities is problematic for people with low incomes and, consequently, sustained subsidy is common place.

Although incomes are low, Cornwall as a whole isn’t particularly deprived when it’s measured using the seven Indices of Multiple Deprivation indicators. However, there is concern in the Council that the relative affluence of some areas masks poverty in others. Consequently, the ability of residents to pay for leisure activities is low, and residents who would arguably benefit the most from leisure activity are even less able to pay.

There are also problems associated with rural isolation, which affects the accessibility of leisure facilities and affordability of leisure activity.

Health

There is extensive evidence that being physically active throughout life improves and maintains health and wellbeing. Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of global mortality. Many of the leading causes of ill health, such as coronary heart disease, cancer and type II diabetes could be prevented if more inactive people were to become active. In addition to reducing premature death and the incidence of disease, participating in physical activity also has benefits for mental health, quality of life and wellbeing and maintaining independent living in older age. It can also play a key role in reducing health and social inequalities. NHS providers in England spent more than £900m in 2009/10 on treating people with diseases that could be prevented if more people were physically active.


A significant proportion of the County’s population has health problems. Over three quarters of the population in Cornwall think that their health is ‘good’, but many people are overweight or obese. Conversely, over 6% of the population think their health is ‘bad’. About a fifth of the population in Cornwall think that their health limits their day to day activities a little or a lot, which is a figure that continues to rise.

The gap between a persons’ good health and their life expectancy is increasing. This is despite the fact that life expectancy for both men and women is higher in Cornwall than it is in England. However, it’s lower for both men and women in the most deprived areas of Cornwall compared to the most affluent areas.

According to Public Health England, increasing levels of physical activity among 40-79 year olds could help to prevent death. Physical inactivity in Cornwall is estimated to have cost £11,947,128 in 2009/10. The cost of health inequalities in Cornwall is rising too, costing the local economy about £610 million between 2013 and 2015. Leisure activity could help to improve these situations.

Economic activity

Sport England’s local economic value of sport tool identifies that the total direct economic value of sport in 2013 was worth £156m to Cornwall. It has an economic value of £224m to health and £46m to volunteering. Nearly 6,000 people are employed in the sport economy of Cornwall, which is growing at a faster rate than other areas of the country. There’s also evidence that

the popularity of sport tourism and watersports in the South West is an important selling point and contributor to tourism locally.

Participation in sport and recreation activity in Cornwall

Factors that affect provision of leisure facilities in Cornwall include:

• Policy aspirations that relate to increasing levels of physical activity.

• The readiness, willingness and ability of an individual to be active.

• The resident population is projected to increase and become older.

• As the resident population in Cornwall becomes older, demand is likely to increase for low intensity activities such as swimming.

• The most dominant market segments (as defined by Sport England) in Cornwall would prefer to do low intensity sports/activities such as swimming and cycling.

• The distribution, condition and availability of leisure facilities. (Costs of new build and maintenance have steadily increased).

• Increasing costs associated with entry and transport

The Active People Survey, which is produced by Sport England, shows that self-reported activity levels (e.g., 30 minutes moderate intensity activity once a week) in Cornwall were about 31% in 2005/06. It increased to about 40% in 2013/14.

Other Active People Survey headline results for Cornwall include:

• More males are regularly active than females.

• There is more participation by young people than any others, which reflects what happens nationally.

• Weekly volunteering in sport is higher in Cornwall than it is in the South West or in England.

• Over a fifth of adults in Cornwall are members of a sports club, which is lower than the regional average but about the same as the national average.

In the Council’s view, Cornwall has the best natural playground in the United Kingdom. There is a plethora of local opportunities for walking, running, cycling, surfing etc., which provide weather dependent opportunities for activity. Although there are potentially significant health, wellbeing and economic benefits, its full potential is yet to be fully exploited and needs careful orchestration.


Disability sport

Disabled people are less likely to take part in sport with only one in six playing sport regularly compared to one in three non-disabled people. Active People Survey 5 indicates that people with a limiting disability in Cornwall are less active than those in the South West. Several organisations (including Cornwall Sports Partnership) have good track records in delivering activities for people with a disability.

Council leisure facilities

There are many leisure providers in Cornwall. Cornwall Council is the principal public sector provider. It currently has a five year leisure contract (including operation of 13 leisure centres, two other leisure facilities and leisure outreach programmes) with Tempus Leisure that is due to end on 31 March 2017. It pays Tempus Leisure an annual management fee, plus the utility costs and facility maintenance costs. Although the cost of the annual management fee has reduced significantly, the total spending on these facilities is still not affordable within the Council’s budget allocated to the service, plus the Council’s total funding is set to reduce significantly over the next five years.

A survey of electrical, mechanical, building fabric and swimming pool elements at the 13 leisure centres operated by Tempus Leisure was carried out at the end of 2013. It identified that a significant amount

of work is required, immediately and in the future, to improve the Council’s facilities. Without improvement, the identified faults pose a risk of closure or sudden failure of a facility. Elected Members subsequently approved immediate expenditure for the most urgent works. Other than immediate health and safety requirements, there is no funding identified for the balance of the works required.

There are two leisure facilities where the Council has entered into long term arrangements: land it has leased to Carn Brea Leisure Trust until 2099, and the funding of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement for Penzance Leisure Centre until 2035.

The Council also owns Princess Pavilions - Falmouth, Gyllyngdune Gardens and the Garden Rooms. They are part of the same leisure complex that provides a varied programme of entertainment and events throughout the year. Their focus is heritage and cultural activity. These are also managed by Tempus Leisure.

Transport

The lack of access to services particularly affects young people. Unless their parents or careers own cars, and are prepared to act as a ‘taxi service’, young people are restricted in what leisure experiences they can take part in. This situation is most acute in the most sparsely populated areas. The local bus service network (i.e., the primary means of transport reported to be used by young people to travel to/from leisure facilities) is poorest.

A fit-for-purpose network of leisure centres is required that helps to tackle climate change (by helping to reduce motorised travel), supports economic prosperity (through indoor facilities that enhance the tourist offer) and encourages healthy active lifestyles. This is

difficult to achieve particularly in sparsely populated areas where it is more difficult to generate sufficient income to cover expenditure. In addition, the public transport network is more comprehensive in west Cornwall than in east Cornwall.


Leisure issues that concern Cornwall Council

Various issues have been identified during development of this strategy. Cornwall Council would like to address these with its partners to improve and strengthen leisure in Cornwall:

Finance The Council would like activity levels to increase and for a comprehensive network of opportunities to participate in leisure and physical activity in Cornwall, but hasn’t got sufficient resources to do it by itself.

Comment The Cornwall Sports Partnership represents a group of organisations that have joined forces to make sport and physical activity a part of everyday life in Cornwall. It is run by a core team based in New County Hall, Truro which is hosted by Cornwall Council. The main funding for the core team comes from Sport England. In addition, the Council provides most of the employment and office services that the core team uses. Its main aim is to make a marked difference in participation in sport in Cornwall. It provides a strategic leisure presence in Cornwall.

Issues to be resolved

Cornwall Council consistently overspends its annual leisure budget.

Comment The Council’s leisure expenditure needs to be reduced so that it’s within budget. This is likely to mean that its ability to influence leisure provision will be reduced.

Optimising the impact of public expenditure on increasing the level of physical activity is essential if targets are to be met and sustained.

Comment Better alignment between what the Council pays Tempus Leisure to do, what Cornwall Sports Partnership does and some Health Promotion activities would be beneficial.

The Council would like to support sports clubs, but has needed to reduce what it spends via Discretionary Rate Relief.

Comment Recent changes to Discretionary Rate Relief in line with the Council’s budget strategy require applicants to achieve three levels. Assuming these are achieved, a voluntary sector sports club could receive a proportion of 50% of the total cost. Potential proportions available from the Council are either 35% or 75%. Anecdotal information would suggest that, as a result, sports club costs have increased (most voluntary sector sports clubs previously received 100% Discretionary Rate Relief).

Council leisure facilities

There’s relatively little information available to the Council about the impact of its leisure facilities.

Comment Whilst we know the numbers of people using our leisure centres, and have some statistics such as the number of people enrolled in swimming lessons, we do not have detailed information about things like the activities people are doing, where they are from, how often they visit a centre or what the impact of a centre is in terms of health and well-being, the economy etc.

Grass pitch sport is changing and grass pitch provision in Cornwall needs to reflect this.

Comment The Council own, manage, maintain, license or lease 41 grass pitch sites, which is about 6.5%


of the total number of grass pitch sites in Cornwall. In other words, the Council only has a minor role to play in the provision of grass pitches. A collaborative approach to the strategic development and management of playing pitches led by Cornwall Sports Partnership (in which the Council is also involved) is proposed to, where possible:

• Plan for new grass playing pitch provision.

• Improve existing grass playing pitch provision.

• Improveaccesstoallgrassplaying pitch facilities across the County.

Without the Council’s provision there wouldn’t be any all-weather 400m athletics tracks in Cornwall.

Demand for, and use of, all-weather 400m athletics tracks is based on the availability of two in Cornwall (i.e., at Par Recreation Ground and Carn Brea Leisure Centre). The Council is supportive of both of them, albeit through different arrangements, but it needs to find a way of reducing the costs it incurs.

How to increase opportunities for leisure activity that utilise open space in Cornwall?

Comment Networks of green spaces and corridors provide opportunities for recreation, walking and cycling. Conserving and enhancing open spaces provides buffers from development to important wildlife sites and watercourses and creates opportunities for leisure activity. Several areas of designated land (e.g., Site of Special Scientific Interest – SSSI) and beaches in Cornwall are also used for leisure activities. The Cornwall Countryside Access Strategy seeks to enhance access opportunities to Cornwall’s countryside.

The countryside in Cornwall could be a more significant venue for leisure activities.

Comment Access to the Cornish countryside is largely lifestyle and leisure oriented. It is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of the resident population as well as for tourism. The quality of how it is used and orchestrated is important.

Community leisureIf activity levels increase demand for community leisure is likely to increase too.

Comment Several of the outcomes specified in Cornwall Council’s leisure contract with Tempus Leisure are delivered via the charity’s community leisure activities. The Council could also be more proactive with regards to influencing opportunities for community leisure via Cornwall Sports Partnership, Health Promotion and the voluntary and community sector.

Health

How leisure services are provided is changing.

Comment An increase in commissioning leisure services by GPs, Public Health, Social Care services, individuals with personal budgets etc. to achieve health outcomes (e.g., independent living, mental health etc.) would boost investment in leisure. The Council (in partnership with Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA) and Sport England) is identifying how to encourage commissioning of leisure services. A pre-requisite to this is a demonstrable evidence base to show the (cost) effectiveness of formal leisure services in achieving meaningful, sustained public health outcomes for those most in need. Any drive to transfer Public Health monies into leisure services must be driven by evidence of outcomes.

PopulationDemand for low impact leisure activities is likely to increase as the resident population becomes older.

Comment The Council provides opportunities for indoor swimming and bowls; both are low impact activities. However, swimming pools are expensive to operate and a large proportion of outdoor bowling greens in Cornwall are leased to bowls clubs by the Council. The former generally requires a subsidy, whilst anecdotal information about the latter would suggest that lease agreements vary and that the ability of bowls clubs to successfully apply for external funding is enhanced with a 25+ year lease. Clarity over who is responsible for what could also be improved.


Other issuesChildren should be physically active to help them to develop the skills they need to continue being active throughout life.

Comment In addition to leisure centres, children have access to other facilities including doorstep parks. According to the draft Play Strategy (2010), many existing play areas/parks in Cornwall are doorstep parks that are in need of refurbishment. Many children in Cornwall would rather play in the street than in a park. The lack of pavements is also a significant factor that prevents children from independently using play spaces. Appropriate development could reduce some of the barriers associated with outdoor play, and will be dealt with by the appropriate part of the Council.

The Council has limited leisure knowledge and expertise.

Comment Cornwall Council needs specific leisure expertise in terms of its strategic planning, contract management and procurement to achieve leisure and sports development outcomes. The Council benefits from having a Portfolio Holder to extol the benefits of leisure and integrate it more into Council services.

Competitive sport in Cornwall is not inclusive.

Comment An absence of venues in Cornwall able to accommodate ‘high’ level sporting fixtures effectively creates a ‘glass ceiling’; talented athletes leave Cornwall and those with low incomes find it harder to excel.

How many of these issues will be addressed by the Council and its partners is identified in the Headline Action Plan on page 16.


How Cornwall Council will make leisure decisions

It is Cornwall Council’s hope that: there are more physically active people in order to contribute to several outcomes, including health improvement and economic performance; that there is a comprehensive network of accessible facilities for leisure (regardless of ownership or operator); there are opportunities to swim 25 metres indoors; and that there are no ongoing costs and liabilities to the Council.

Opportunities and challenges will be assessed against each of its leisure objectives, which are to help with:• Opportunities for indoor

swimming.

• Increasing the number of physically active people.

• Creating a comprehensive, sustainable network of accessible facilities for leisure (excluding play and outdoor countryside leisure activities and regardless of who owns or operates them).

• Generating greater recognition that leisure provision supports other areas of activity.

• Reducing cost and risk associated with the Council’s leisure provision.

The Council will make leisure decisions based on these objectives.

There were several options initially identified that the Council could do with its leisure resources. The four main options were:• Retain Council control but reduce

the number of leisure facilities provided by the Council so that it can afford them. This would mean that Cornwall Council would provide fewer leisure facilities so that those that are provided are delivered with no cost to the Council.

• Transfer ownership/provision of leisure facilities to another organisation/s. This would mean that other organisation/s would be responsible for the ownership and maintenance of the facilities. There would be no on-going

funding requirements or liability for the Council, but no guarantee that all facilities would remain open. Plus, there might be some investment in existing or new facilities.

• Stop providing leisure facilities altogether. This would mean that Cornwall Council would stop providing leisure facilities. There would be a cost to the Council to decommission sites, but any future revenue savings could help to protect other Council services.

• Carry-on providing them in the same way. This would require significant ongoing Council investment that is not fundable within the service’s existing budget and would require a reduction in the funding of other services.

Choosing the last two options would either be contrary to what the Council thinks its leisure provision should do or it’s not affordable for the Council. Consequently, neither option was considered further.


Although there is a wide range of providers, and the term “leisure” covers an array of activities, it is recognised by the Council that leisure centres, and specifically swimming pools, create a focus of attention. They are also the source of one of the Council’s biggest funding challenges due to their maintenance and condition. However, the Council recognises that there is a significant amount of leisure provision that it’s not involved in. It will cease to be a significant provider of leisure activities and facilities in the future.

As a result of Member discussions and consultation with Council leisure partners and stakeholders, the Council will investigate the transfer of ownership/provision of its leisure centres to another organisation/s. At this stage, it is thought that this will best meet the Councils’ aspirations, safeguard provision in Cornwall and enable continued provision of its leisure centres at zero cost to the Council. However, it is recognised that this will lead to a loss of Council control and influence over the future operation of facilities.

What Cornwall Council is going to do

By defining what it wants to achieve (e.g., where facilities are desirable, protecting the existing network, having up-to-date centres and affordable prices etc.), it will best meet the Council’s aspirations, safeguard provision of leisure centres and provide a programme of investment that is needed though unlikely to happen without external finance.

In developing how the Council’s leisure centres will best be transferred, the potential impact on the whole population of Cornwall will be taken into consideration and efforts will be made to ensure that provision is improved, that health and wellbeing improves, access is sustained and the future is sustainable and not compromised.

The Council would prefer a whole network approach, but where this is not possible alternative arrangements will be sought. Whatever the approach, new service delivery arrangements are likely to result in efficiency improvements and a commercial approach, albeit within the following parameters. To

this extent the Council will seek an owner and operator of its leisure centres that:

• Has a good track record in providing leisure centres.

• Demonstrates a strong empathy with Cornwall.

• Would try to safeguard a whole network approach.

• Will deliver services efficiently and effectively.

• Is capable of providing investment.

• Enables people to access services whatever their income and location.

• Will work with the Health sector in Cornwall to improve health outcomes through physical activity.

• Will develop innovative approaches that will help to drive the local economy and secure sustainable economic growth.

• Has a strong background of working with partners.

• Will engage with the Council’s partners to help deliver what communities need.

• Illustrates how it would intend to protect future provision.

This will be achieved through the implementation of a headline action plan for leisure.


The Council’s headline action plan for leisure (see Appendix 1) provides direction and a framework for leisure activity for Cornwall Council for the period to 2020. It is based upon (and derived from) recommendations identified as a result of work to produce this strategy.

Headline actions are identified to address the “leisure issues that concern Cornwall Council” (see pages 11 - 13). However, they are not identified as issues where the Council already has an approach or an approved strategy (e.g., play, open space, countryside access etc.).

Every headline action is made up of several individual actions for them to be achieved. The Plan is intended to be flexible and allow room for new opportunities that will increase the level of, and add value to, participation in leisure activity within Cornwall.

Headline action plan for leisure 2015-2020

The Council’s headline action plan for leisure provides direction and a framework for leisure activity for Cornwall Council for the period to 2020.

Timescales for strategy implementation are difficult to predict, so a simple short, medium and long term approach is adopted, where:

• Short term is between 1 and 12 months

• Medium term is between 1 and 3 years

• Long term is between 3 and 5 years.


The primary and immediate task for Cornwall Council is to rationalise its leisure resources by:

• Confirming how strategy aspirations will be achieved.

• Securing Council resources for strategy implementation.

• Informing its leisure partners and stakeholders of the Council’s plan and intentions.

• Adopting a series of outcome measures against which progress will be assessed.

Strategy aspirations will be met by:

• Assessing the level of interest in owning and operating the Council’s leisure centres.

• Developing a portfolio of leisure facility information for potential interested parties (i.e., a data room).

• Procuring an organisation/s to own and operate one, several or all Council leisure facilities prior to March 2017.

• Establishing a new operational model from 1 April 2017.

The way forward

Strategy implementation

Performance measures should ensure best value and enable Cornwall Council to clearly demonstrate the impact made by its investment. They should be integral to any future ‘leisure contracts’ and agreements. The ability to demonstrate, measure and benchmark direct and indirect impact is fundamental to strategy delivery.

Information collected should be such that it is possible to identify which groups of local residents are/not engaged by, and benefiting from, the services provided. Development of improved management information systems is not just an issue for indoor leisure facilities. More detailed information is required to justify investment in all facets of leisure.

This Strategy should be regularly reviewed and updated and reports produced and presented to Cornwall Council’s Partnerships PAC and Portfolio Holder (or equivalent). Strategy implementation will be evaluated in 2020 and, following this, a new strategy published, identifying how progress and impact will be maintained.

The primary and immediate task for Cornwall Council is to rationalise its leisure resource.


Appendix 1 - Headline action plan

Action: Establish how efficient and/or effective the Council’s leisure centres are.

Comment: Commissioning a National Benchmarking Service study will help to identify how the Council’s leisure centres are performing financially and in terms of access, utilisation and satisfaction levels.

Partners: Sport England, Tempus Leisure

Target: A comprehensive NBS report.

Performance Measure: A letter/email from Sport England accepting the final report.

Resource Implications:• Staffing.• Incidental costs. Timescale: 1 – 12 months

Risk: Relies on effective partnership working and Council capacity

Risk Score: 15 (i.e., 5 x 3)

Action: Conduct a market test to transfer Cornwall Council leisure centres (excluding Carn Brea and Penzance Leisure Centres).

Comment: Comprehensive market testing will help to identify how the Council’s leisure aspirations could be achieved.

Target: Identification of how the Council’s leisure centres could be provided at no ongoing cost to the Council.

Performance Measure: Notes of meetings with private, public, voluntary and community sector organisations, confirming which leisure centres each is interested in managing and operating, and why.

Resource Implications: • Staffing.

Timescale: 1 – 12 months


Risk score: 15 (i.e., 5 x 3)

Action: Develop a data room of information about CC’s leisure centres

Comment: Collation of information about CC’s leisure centres.

Target: Provision of satisfactory information

Performance Measure: Receipt of proposals to deliver, develop and operate CC’s leisure centres.



Risk: Relies on Council capacity


Council leisure centres

The following actions will help Cornwall Council to transform its leisure provision.


Appendix 1 - Headline action plan

Other Council leisure facilitiesAction: Review the Council’s costs and liabilities associated with the Pavilions complex in Falmouth.

Comment: The Council owns the leisure complex in Falmouth. The Council’s leisure contract requires Tempus Leisure to operate it and work with the Council to achieve HLF grant conditions.

Partners: Tempus Leisure, Falmouth Town Council, Friends of the Pavilions

Target: Reduced Council costs and liabilities associated with the Pavilions, Gyllyngdune Gardens and the Garden Rooms.

Performance Measure: Operation of the Pavilions, Gyllyngdune Gardens and the Garden Rooms complex is cost neutral for Cornwall Council

Resource Implications:

• Staffing.• Mileage Timescale: 1 – 12 months

Risk: Relies on Member support to deliver the action


Action: Reduce CC’s costs and liabilities associated with its all-weather 400m athletics tracks.

Comment: The Council is the only provider of 400m, all-weather athletics tracks in Cornwall, but its financial resources are declining and the tracks are in need of repair/ refurbishment.

Partners: Newquay and Par AC, Cornwall AC, TL, CBLC, England Athletics, Duchy Athletics Network

Target: Reduced Council costs and liabilities associated with its all-weather 400m athletics tracks

Performance Measure: Change in operation of all-weather 400m athletics tracks in Cornwall

Resource Implications: • Staffing.• Mileage Timescale: 1 – 12 months

Risk: Relies on effective partnership working


Action: Establish an approach to work with partners to improve grass pitches in Cornwall.

Comment: Grass pitch sport is changing and the Council’s grass pitch provision needs to change too.

Partners: CSP, Sport England, grass sport NGBs.

Target: More holistic management and development of grass pitches in Cornwall.

Performance Measure: Collaborative development and implementation of the Playing Pitch Strategy for Cornwall.


Timescale: 1 – 12 months Risk: Relies on effective partnership working and Council capacity



Planning Action: Improve the Council’s capacity to secure developer contributions for leisure facilities

Comment: Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy agreements are potential delivery/funding mechanisms to address future shortfalls.

Target: Increase in developer contributions available for leisure facilities.

Performance Measure: Developer contributions used for leisure facilities.

Resource Implications:• Staffing.




Action: Produce an assessment of indoor sport and recreation facilities that is consistent with Sport England’s guidance.

Comment: The Council’s indoor leisure facilities assessment should be compliant with Sport England’s Technical Guide for Assessing Needs & Opportunities (i.e., ANOG) Guidance.

Partners: Sport England

Target: An ANOG compliant assessment report.

Performance Measure: A letter/email from Sport England accepting the final report.

Resource Implications: • Staffing. Timescale: 1 – 12 months



HealthAction: Help to reduce the gap between a person’s good health and their life expectancy by encouraging higher levels of physical activity.

Comment: Life expectancy is generally lower in the most deprived areas of Cornwall compared to the most affluent areas.

The leading causes of ill health and shortened life expectancy could be reduced by increased physical activity.

Partners: Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Promotion Service.

Target: Increased contribution of leisure provision to health and life expectancy in Cornwall.

Performance Measure: More older, physically active people as measured by Sport England’s annual Active People Survey.

Resource Implications: • Staffing.• Mileage Timescale: 3 – 5 years




EconomyAction: Raise awareness of the contribution that leisure makes to the economy in Cornwall.

Comment: Not many Council Members know that the Leisure Economy makes a significant contribution to the economy in Cornwall.

Target: Increased awareness amongst Council Members and officers of the contribution that leisure makes to the economy in Cornwall.

Performance Measure: More involvement of leisure in Council sponsored economic development projects.


Timescale: 3 – 5 years



Action: Increase the contribution that leisure centres make to tourism in Cornwall.

Comment: Whilst Cornwall’s coastal towns and beaches get most of its visitors, the product elsewhere in Cornwall is less well developed.

Partners: Leisure facilities operator(s).

Target: Increased contribution of leisure facilities to tourist offer in Cornwall.

Performance Measure: Number of visitors that use leisure facilities in Cornwall.

Resource Implications: • Cornwall staffing. • Leisure facility(s) operator(s)

equipment.




ParticipationAction: Improve alignment between organisations working to increase the number of physically active people.

Comment: The Council aspires to increasing activity levels, but hasn’t got sufficient resources to do it by itself. However, there is potential duplication between what the Council does with its leisure contract, some of Tempus Leisure’s activities, what Cornwall Sports Partnership does and some Health Promotion activities.

Partners: Sport England, Tempus Leisure, Cornwall Sports Partnership, Health Promotion

Target: More effective use of public sector resources to increase physical activity levels

Performance Measure: More opportunities to be physically active provided by the public sector





Action: Increase participation in low impact leisure activities.

Comment: Demand for low impact leisure activities is likely to increase as the resident population becomes older. In addition, how leisure services are provided is changing.

Partners: Sport England, CSP

Target: More opportunities for older people to be physically active.

Performance Measure: More older physically active people as measured by Sport England’s annual Active People Survey






Community leisureAction: Review Cornwall Council’s hosting arrangements with Cornwall Sports Partnership.

Comment: Cornwall Sports Partnership’s strategic director is line-managed by the Council, and the Council provides most of the employment and office services for the core team.

Partners: Cornwall Sports Partnership, Sport England

Target: Improved integration of the CSP core team into Cornwall Council.

Performance Measure: Increased leisure resource used to achieve Council aspirations.





Action: Encourage ‘high’ level sport in Cornwall.

Comment: An absence of venues in Cornwall able to accommodate ‘high’ level sporting fixtures effectively creates a ‘glass ceiling’, with the result that talented athletes leave Cornwall and talented players with low incomes find it harder to excel.

Partners: Sport England, CSP, NGBs

Target: More talented Cornish players competing in ‘high’ level sporting fixtures.

Performance Measure: More talented players from Cornwall achieving a podium position in ‘high’ level sporting fixtures.





Other issuesAction: Enhance the Council’s leisure knowledge and expertise.

Comment: The Leisure Strategy Officer was appointed on a 12 month contract to produce a new strategy for the Council - there will not be in post beyond this date.

Target: Resources to implement the Leisure Resources Strategy.

Performance Measure: Resources to implement the Strategy.





Develop and use performance indicators for leisure.

Comment: Without effective measurement assessment of impact is difficult. For example, there’s relatively little information available to the Council about the effectiveness of its leisure facilities.

Partners: Sport England, CSP, NGBs, leisure centre operator

Target: Effective measurement of leisure’s impact.

Performance Measure: Performance indicators for leisure.




Risk score: 6 (i.e., 2 x3)

Risk scoring

An impact and likelihood score is given to each risk and multiplied to give an overall risk score.

Impact

5 = Severe/Catastrophic impact

4 = Moderate impact

3 = Minor/Moderate impact

2 = Minor impact

1 = No impact

Likelihood

5 = Certain

4 = Probable

3 = Possible

2 = Unlikely

1 = Remote

If you would like this information in another format or language please contact:

Cornwall Council, County Hall Treyew Road, Truro TR1 3AY

Telephone: 0300 1234 100 Email: [email protected] 12/14

Leisure resources strategy · 2014. 12. 19. · Leisure resources strategy 2014 5 This strategy...

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