Issue - meetings

B Report of the Director of Environment and Culture

1.      That Cabinet notes the outcome of an appraisal of potential management options for leisure and sports provision (see annex 1 of the Cabinet report).

2.      That, in accordance with the outcome of the management options appraisal, Cabinet agrees to the commencement of the implementation phase for the establishment of a new charitable trust for the provision of leisure and sports development services.

Dr Ronald Mendel addressed Cabinet as local President of Trades Union Council.  He commended the report but was concerned that it had not been prepared in-house. He referred to the options appraisal within the report.  He listed his main concerns and stated that he was of the opinion that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.  He was not happy about the loss of Council control of facilities and was not convinced of the wisdom of creating a Trust.  The report did not address access to facilities, nor the long-term viability of the scheme.  Although the success of Trust working with the Royal and Derngate Theatres was mentioned, Dr Mendell did not feel this equated, as the appeal was for a different population, with the demand of leisure centres being from a more deprived customer base.  He did not feel that the Trust would have any better chances of outside funding.

In response to a question, Dr Mendell accepted that the Royal and Derngate undertook projects with deprived young people, but still maintained that overall the Theatres served a different area.

Councillor Mason addressed Cabinet and referred to the Portfolio Holder report presented to the previous Full Council meeting that had reported the success of the Trilogy centres and the uptake of concessionary swimming.  She asked how efficiency would be achieved if the Council was still having to subsidise the Trust in addition to the cost of developing the project. She was concerned at the potential job losses and asked why there had not been a fuller consultation about the proposals.  She asked if all the centres would remain and if the price of using them would increase.

Councillor Hawkins addressed Cabinet and reiterated the importance of the Lings centre for residents in the east of Northampton.  She felt the democratic process of the strategic business review had been flawed and asked who had been consulted on the proposals. She felt that the matter was a political hot potato and should be subject to a major consultation before returning to Cabinet at a later stage.

Councillor Mildren addressed cabinet and commented that a staff transfer scheme would not cover people’s pension arrangements.  He pointed out what he saw as discrepancies in figures in the report relating to the support charges.  He was of the opinion that a reduction in services would mean a reduction in staff and asked if a cap could be put on the council’s subsidy.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet and asserted that the report was an abuse of the Administration’s powers. He felt that the report was ill advised and poorly written.  He questioned why there had been no engagement with the public on this issue to coincide with the recent consultation on the Corporate Plan and Budget.  He accused the Cabinet of treating people and fellow councillors with contempt.  He referred to complex and challenging legal implications mentioned in the report and did not think that an adequate equality impact assessment had been carried out.  He further accused  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11