Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Head of Leisure and Museums on proposals for the restructuring of the Leisure and Museums Unit.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 3 June 2008 and their comments will be reported.

(Report circulated to members)

The report of the Head of Leisure and Museums was submitted setting out proposals for the restructuring of the Leisure and Museums Unit in order to create future savings in the revenue budget.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 3 June and expressed concern at the reductions in services that would be necessary as a result of the proposals.  Some Executive members were also concerned at the proposals and proposed that the recommendations should be referred back in order that savings could be identified from across both the leisure and museums services.  It was also felt by some members that the proposed restructure was a retrograde step. Members were particularly concerned at the impact of the termination of services such as the Splash Holiday play scheme in disadvantaged areas.   Whilst regretting that such measures were required, Portfolio Holders acknowledged the need to make savings to avoid over–expenditure on the budget. They considered that it was preferable to take forward any proposed reductions in services in a planned manner rather than in response to circumstances as they arose and which might result in compulsory redundancies.

Members were pleased to note those events and activities identified which it was hoped may continue to be delivered in future by other agencies and organisations. In response to the particular concerns expressed by Scrutiny members regarding the Splash Holiday scheme, an amendment to the recommendations was proposed to delete the reference to the termination of the scheme in May 2009 and the deletion of the Splash Co-ordinator post in order to give more time to attempt to identify alternative funding sources.    

Noting the options available and for the reasons stated in the report Executive resolvedthat:- 

(1)     the employment of the holder of the post of Community Outreach Manager (CE 12121) be terminated on the grounds of redundancy as from 31 March 2009, he be paid a compensation payment in accordance with the discretion exercised by the Council under the provisions of the Local Government (Early Termination)(Discretionary Compensation)(England and Wales) Regulations 2006 and that his post be deleted on that date;

(2)     the post of Play Development Manager (CE 12122) be deleted immediately and savings from this year’s budget of £27,100 inclusive of on-costs be used to fund the extension of the post of Temporary Countryside Ranger (CE 12236), and the remainder be used to assist the funding of the costs of redundancy and early retirement of the Community Outreach Manager;

(3)     the post of Temporary Countryside Ranger (CE 12236)  be extended from 11 December 2008 until 31 March 2009;

(4)     the post of Part-time Splash Holiday Co-ordinator (CE 12205)  be extended to 31 May 2009; and

(5)     the new staffing structure for the Leisure & Museums Unit set out in Appendix II to the report be approved with effect from 1 April 2009, and the Head of Leisure & Museums be authorised to transfer services and functions as appropriate.

(In accordance with Standing Order 43, Councillors Edwards and Mrs Henson requested  ...  view the full decision text for item 69

The report of the Head of Leisure and Museums was submitted setting out proposals for the restructuring of the Leisure and Museums Unit in order to create future savings in the revenue budget.

Scrutiny Committee – Community considered the report at their meeting on 3 June and expressed concern at the reductions in services that would be necessary as a result of the proposals.  Some Executive members were also concerned at the proposals and proposed that the recommendations should be referred back in order that savings could be identified from across both the leisure and museums services.  It was also felt by some members that the proposed restructure was a retrograde step. Members were particularly concerned at the impact of the termination of services such as the Splash Holiday play scheme in disadvantaged areas.   Whilst regretting that such measures were required, Portfolio Holders acknowledged the need to make savings to avoid over–expenditure on the budget. They considered that it was preferable to take forward any proposed reductions in services in a planned manner rather than in response to circumstances as they arose and which might result in compulsory redundancies.

Members were pleased to note those events and activities identified which it was hoped may continue to be delivered in future by other agencies and organisations. In response to the particular concerns expressed by Scrutiny members regarding the Splash Holiday scheme, an amendment to the recommendations was proposed to delete the reference to the termination of the scheme in May 2009 and the deletion of the Splash Co-ordinator post in order to give more time to attempt to identify alternative funding sources.    

RESOLVED that:- 

(1)     the employment of the holder of the post of Community Outreach Manager (CE 12121) be terminated on the grounds of redundancy as from 31 March 2009, he be paid a compensation payment in accordance with the discretion exercised by the Council under the provisions of the Local Government (Early Termination)(Discretionary Compensation)(England and Wales) Regulations 2006 and that his post be deleted on that date;

(2)     the post of Play Development Manager (CE 12122) be deleted immediately and savings from this year’s budget of £27,100 inclusive of on-costs be used to fund the extension of the post of Temporary Countryside Ranger (CE 12236), and the remainder be used to assist the funding of the costs of redundancy and early retirement of the Community Outreach Manager;

(3)     the post of Temporary Countryside Ranger (CE 12236)  be extended from 11 December 2008 until 31 March 2009;

(4)     the post of Part-time Splash Holiday Co-ordinator (CE 12205)  be extended to 31 May 2009; and

(5)     the new staffing structure for the Leisure & Museums Unit set out in Appendix II to the report be approved with effect from 1 April 2009, and the Head of Leisure & Museums be authorised to transfer services and functions as appropriate.

(Report circulated to Members)

In accordance with Standing Order 43, Councillors Edwards and Mrs Henson requested that their names be recorded as having  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69

To consider the report of the Head of Leisure and Museums – report circulated to Members.

Councillor Newcombe declared a personal interest as Devon County Council’s Children and Young People’s Play Champion.

The Head of Leisure and Museums presented the report on the proposed restructuring of the Leisure and Museums Unit in order to create future savings in the revenue budget.

Members were very concerned that, as a result of the proposals, reductions in services would be necessary. Amongst areas of work to be lost were the SPLASH scheme, provision of support to some community associations, preparation of funding applications for Council activities, fund raising research and strategic input into wider groups, the capacity to organise major events and the promotion of workplace health to businesses in the City and a cardiac rehabilitation service. It was recognised that the latter was essentially a function of the PCT but, as with SPLASH, funding from partners had been withdrawn. It was inequitable for the City Council to pick up funding that was the responsibility of other bodies. A Member referred specifically to the impact of the ending of the Splash scheme, including the provision of holiday activities, in the Exwick area.

The Head of Leisure and Museums stated that, overall, expenditure on Museums was approximately half that of sport, recreation and play, expenditure on the latter would also increase significantly with the construction of the Swimming Pool.

Scrutiny Committee - Community did not support the proposals and requested Executive to agree to a reassessment of the options for a further report to be submitted to this Committee and Executive.

(Report circulated to Members)