Agenda and minutes

Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 4 October 2022.

The Chairman noted that the additional questions regarding the Future4Me team presentation had been circulated, along with the relevant answers, after the meeting and these were also appended to the public minutes of the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 4 October 2022 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members may make any declarations of interest at this point and may also make them at any point during the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made at this point in the meeting.

Matters arising schedule setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 31 October 2022.

The matters arising schedule, setting out the position of previously agreed actions, as at 31 October 2022, was NOTED.

Presentation by Chris Duncan, Martin Miles and Peter Smith providing further details from Everyone Active following their presentation to the Committee in March 2022. To include updates on: works undertaken at the Gainsborough Leisure Centre, outreach programmes across the district and ongoing improvement plans.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Martin Miles, Regional Contract Manager, Chris Duncan, Regional Wellbeing Manager, and Peter Smith, Contract Manager, from Everyone Active. The Committee heard that their presentation would cover aspects and updates from their presentation to the Committee in March 2022, and was to include updates on the works undertaken at the Gainsborough Leisure Centre, the outreach programmes across the district, and ongoing improvement plans. This also followed answering questions and issues raised at the previous meeting. Questions from Members after the presentation would be welcomed.

In Mr Miles’s presentation, Members heard that the usage since the implementation of the new gym had increased by 79.9% and that the use in February 2018 had 5657 gym visits compared to 793 bowls visits. In an update on the usage by visitors before the pandemic, there was a consistently increased number of visits to the Health and Wellbeing Hub, with a 20.56% increase in participation. Addressing the move of the two gyms into the Indoor Bowls Hall, Mr Miles explained that it was to create the Health and Wellbeing Hub, to address the unmet demand for gym usage and deliver bespoke targeted health interventions. There was also the need to deliver a commercial return for West Lindsey District Council.

Moving to maintenance issues, Mr Miles explained that the focus for the Gainsborough Leisure Centre was on previously allocated priority issues, predominantly in the ‘Wet Change’ area, and included improvements on lockers, accessibility, the sauna and showers, toilets, and upgrading the pipework. There were also to be new water fountains, roof repairs in the gym section, and a new front door operating system for the reception area. Members heard that there was planned maintenance work during Christmas, including pool tank inspections.

In responding to cleanliness issues, Mr Miles explained that formal inspections were the main focus and informed Members that an external cleaning contractor was employed every 12 weeks for deep cleaning. 

Members thanked Mr Miles for his presentation portion, for addressing the main maintenance issues, and those significant improvements were scheduled.

The Committee then heard from Mr Duncan, who gave an outline of what was said at the March 2022 meeting and explained to Members that the attention of his presentation was on post-lockdown issues and improving the social engagement by Everyone Active. There was a need to work collectively across healthcare, education, local authorities and leisure providers to encourage lifestyle behaviours to support longer-term health and well-being. It was recognised that there was now a holistic view to achieving greater societal well-being, with organisations such as the NHS and Sports England starting to shape national strategies. Members heard that the core theme was on children and young people.

It was explained to Members that for Children's and Young people’s well-being, there were 12 young people on the activity membership, 40 plus girls playing in the GA Girls Wildcats events, and a programme working with 12 to 15 children and their families with a view to focusing on lifestyle  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

The Committee considered the content of the Forward Plan with a view to identifying options for pre-decision scrutiny, if appropriate. With no comments specific to the Forward Plan, a Member of the Committee made reference to the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and enquired as to whether it would be possible to invite a Member of the Prosperous Communities Committee to attend a meeting of Overview and Scrutiny in relation to an amendment that had been moved at the policy meeting on 1 November 2022, regarding the Fees and Charges report.

The Senior Democratic and Civic Officer confirmed to the Chairman that it was within the scope of the Committee to extend that invitation, and specified the procedure behind that. That being, for the motion to be proposed, seconded and voted upon.

Note:              A point of information was raised by a Member of the Committee, directing Councillors how to access the Constitution via their modern.gov app and extranet links.

Having sought the clarification, it was therefore formally proposed that, in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules, Part V, page 29, section 12.1(a) and (b), an invitation be extended to the Member of the Prosperous Communities Committee who had proposed amendments specifically in relation to the Fees and Charges report, at the meeting on 1 November 2022. The proposer outlined his rationale for this invitation, that being for the Committee to seek clarity regarding the reason for the amendments having been made.

This was duly seconded, and the Chairman invited further discussion from Members. The Committee expressed a varied response to the motion, with one Member suggesting the policy committees provided sufficient scrutiny to such amendments at their meetings, and highlighting the decision was yet to be presented to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee.

On taking the vote, it was subsequently

RESOLVED that, in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules, Part V, page 29, section 12.1(a) and (b), an invitation be extended to the Member of the Prosperous Communities Committee who had proposed amendments specifically in relation to the Fees and Charges report, at the meeting on 1 November 2022.

Members gave consideration to the proposed work plan for upcoming meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including the addition of a report to the March meeting regarding the flood risk management work across the district. With no questions or comments, the work plan was DULY NOTED.