Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED: Councillor Collop was appointed Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED: Councillor Bearshaw was appointed Vice-Chair for the meeting.

Councillor Heneghan, Bone and Bhondi via Zoom and Councillor Beales, Ring, Rust, de Whalley were present Under Standing Order 34.

Councillor Jones declared an interest as the current Chair of Alive West Norfolk.  

RESOLVED: The minutes from the meeting held on the 18^th June 2024 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the chair.

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The Corporate Governance Manager gave a presentation to the Panel on the renewal plan for the leisure centres. She provided background to the Panel which included residents’ activity levels which were low and obesity levels which were high and consequently a healthy life expectancy was low. She brought to the Panel’s attention St James and Oasis which were at the end of their economic life, with Lynnsport requiring investment within 5-10 years’ time. She advised Downham Market currently operated well with no pressing or significant change needed. She outlined the strategic options for the Council to consider.

The Chair invited questions from the Panel regarding the first part of the Presentation.

Councillor Crofts sought clarification on Oasis facilities and specifically the indoor bowls facilities used. He commented there was a lack of use in other leisure centres such as North Walsham and the Reef leisure centre.  He referred to Oasis being on the sea front and added the toilets needed updating and to charge people for the facilities and commented this was a source of income which other Council’s use.

The Interim Assistant Director for Leisure, Arts and Entertainment advised the indoor bowls facilities were important particularly for older residents. However, he advised that even during peak months the average utilisation of an indoor bowls hall was only around 20% usage and even at it highest in February there was only 40%. In response to Councillor Crofts, he commented at Lynnsport there was indoor bowls facilities including five rinks which could continue to be provided and was within a reasonable travel distance from Hunstanton.

Councillor Crofts commented that surrounding areas such as Wisbech did not have indoor bowls facilities and they were difficult to maintain as there was not the support for the facilities. He commented further he would support that the facilities at Hunstanton be closed and better facilities at Lynnsport provided to encourage usage.

The Corporate Governance Manager reminded the Panel that no decisions had been made on the future of the facilities and this the beginning of the project with further opportunity for consultation.

Councillor Collingham commented a renewal, and better indoor facilities were needed for tourism and for children to ensure a slump of inactivity did not occur. She added there was an opportunity for indoor racket activities to be provided in the community. She added the new swimming pools should be the same as at the Reef with being able to moderate the depth of the pool. 

Councillor Long added the facilities were not appealing and what the council were trying to provide needed to be considered. He added the facilities needed to be affordable to encourage people to use them and niche facilities did not get the most usage.

The Corporate Governance Manager advised that the experience of other Councils was being considered and new facilities did bring in new customers therefore more usage meant an increase revenue following investment.

The Interim  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 19772, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of the Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Corporate Governance Officer presented and explained the Executive Summary to the Panel.

The Chair thanked the Corporate Governance Officer and the Interim Assistant Director for Leisure, Arts and Entertainment for the report and invited any further comments and questions from the Panel.

The Panel asked questions regarding the Executive Summary and the Corporate Governance Officer and the Interim Assistant Director for Leisure, Arts and Entertainment responded.

The next Joint Panel meeting is scheduled to take place on 29^th January 2025 at 4.30pm to consider the Budget.

The next Joint Panel meeting was scheduled to take place on the 29^th January 2025 at 4:30pm.