Agenda item

LEISURE STRATEGY UPDATE

To receive a report of the Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Executive Member, Communities and Partnerships providing an update on the Leisure Strategy’s progress as a fundamental pillar of the Vision for 2031. The report covered progress on: the Physical Activity Strategy; the Playing Pitch Strategy; Leisure Centre Investment; and Trafford Leisure’s Physical Activity Referral Scheme.

 

The Committee were shown a video of a successful case study of the GP referral scheme to accompany the report. It was noted that the scheme had been designed to be scalable in relation to demand, and that the scheme could be administered in parks and other green spaces, as well as in leisure centres. Trafford Leisure CIC were currently developing other products for the referral of different groups. It was noted that the scheme was a demand led model funded by Trafford Leisure CIC, and had a conversion rate of 64% of referrals continuing with the prescribed physical activity after their referral.

 

The Committee discussed the Playing Pitch Strategy and whether the proposed pitches could be used in winter. Members were advised that the Leisure Trust CIC were currently working with the Parklife Football Hubs Programme, developed by Sport England and the Football Association, to ensure that the most was made of the playing pitches in the borough.

 

Concerns were raised regarding the delay in the building of Altrincham Leisure Centre, which had been agreed in principle several years ago. The Committee were assured that the development would be going ahead and that funding for this had been ring-fenced. The Leisure Strategy was also focused on ongoing improvements at other facilities in the borough, but work on the Altrincham site would get underway as soon as practicably possible.

 

The Committee discussed the proposed development on the George H. Carnell site, recently announced at a meeting of full Council. Some Members questioned the decision to announce this at full Council before any consultation had been undertaken with local residents, and that Members required more information on the proposals. Members were advised that the details of the proposals were currently being finalised, and that further discussions would take place following this work. The Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships felt that the proposals should be welcomed. A new sporting team in the Manchester Giants would be located in Trafford, and the proposals would offer improved facilities in the area, outreach programmes, as well as new housing.

 

Members discussed the proposals at Turn Moss. Members advised that many residents did not feel that the proposals would deliver the community activity programme mentioned in the report. Members were advised that the land would be leased to Salford City Football Club. The Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships advised that the proposals would make the otherwise mostly unplayable pitches into usable facilities for local residents, and that a number of residents were in favour of the proposals. Members were advised that the planning application in relation to Turn Moss was currently in progress, and Members could find the three accompanying benefit statements on the Council’s planning portal. There was a commitment to develop the final detail of the proposals with the community following the planning application, and many discussions were ongoing with local groups on how they wanted the land to be used. Members were also advised of the community benefits detailed in the report, and how this would align with the Council’s Vision 2031 objectives.

 

The Vice Chairman suggested that the Leisure Trust widen its brief and should be an integral stakeholder for aspects other than just leisure facilities. For example they should be consulted on road changes which might stop people being so active in certain areas. It was also felt that more challenging targets should be set, especially in relation to the percentage of the population engaging in over 30 minutes for moderate exercise a week. The Vice Chairman felt that the Leisure and Playing Pitch Strategies alone might not be enough to achieve this, and that wider consideration of all aspects in relation to health and wellbeing was required. Members were reminded that Vision 2031 covered a large number of aspects in relation to health and wellbeing, including walking, cycling, the use of outside playing areas, and was not confined to the use of leisure centres, and looked at how people see how they want to get healthier, especially within the context of Trafford’s aging population.

 

Members commented on the difficulty in finding formal information in relation to Vision 2031. It was noted that the Vision itself had not been published whilst it was still in development, and this would be launched following its finalisation. Care had been given to ensure full engagement with residents and stakeholders before the Vision and the outcomes it wished to achieve were agreed and published. Some Committee members raised their concerns that the Vision had been used to inform a number of recent reports, including the budget, but that this was not a formal document in the public domain. The Chairman agreed that it was important for this information to be made public, and looked forward to its publication in due course.

 

The Vice Chairman raised his concerns with the consultation process for the Stretford Masterplan, which included the proposals for Turn Moss, and felt that some aspects of the proposals, many of which were positive, were lost in discussions about more controversial aspects of the proposals. The Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships disagreed with the Vice Chairman’s assessment, and felt that the consultation had been thorough and robust, highlighting the number of public meetings held and the amount of feedback received. The Vice Chairman advised that he would be putting the Council’s consultation processes forward as an item for Scrutiny to consider in the coming municipal year.

 

The Committee discussed the Leisure Strategy’s official launch, as mentioned in the report. It was noted that the Strategy would be launched over three days from Friday 3 April to Sunday 5 April 2018. The Friday would be an event to engage with stakeholders held at Lancashire County Cricket Club, and would be an opportunity to talk about Vision 2031 and how stakeholders and partners could get involved with helping the Council achieve the Vision’s objectives. Saturday 4 April would be focused on engaging with the community, giving residents the opportunity to take part in activities at multiple areas across the borough. The 2018 Manchester Marathon would take place on Sunday 5 April. The three day event would be a celebration and an opportunity to get residents active, and would be advertised via many different channels, including contacting resident through Trafford’s sports and physical activity partnership databases and social media.

 

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

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