Agenda item

Free Swimming Programme

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Fletcher)

 

Report of Corporate Director (Regeneration).

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Fletcher)

 

The Corporate Director (Regeneration) submitted a report providing an update on the Free Swimming Programme as offered by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment, were set out in the report as follows:

 

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

Risks

1.  Accept grant award for providing free swimming to those aged 60 and above.

Grant funding will cover loss of income based on estimates of current usage and likely increased participation.

 

Secondary spend opportunities gained from ‘new market’.

 

Profile of swimming in the district considerably raised providing opportunity for City Council to generate positive image for city, coast and countryside.

 

Specific data to be collected for 60 plus age group (currently not available)

Opportunities to enter in to partnership arrangements such as PCT and local GP surgeries.

Council viewed as ambitious by DCMS

 

Potential bather discomfort if takeup is excessive..

 

 

Increase in numbers participating from the 60 plus age group unknown prior to scheme commencement (approx 30% of population aged 60 and over) - therefore degree of unknown takeup applies.

 

 

2.  Turn down the offer of £44,375 for 2009/10 and 2010/11for participation in the over 60 free swimming scheme.

Current income streams from this group remain unaffected

Lost opportunities to specifically target this age group and address the health agenda by providing greater opportunities for people to exercise safely.

Possible detrimental effect to relationship with organisations such as the Primary Care Trust.

 

 

Poor publicity and damage to positive image the City Council conveys.

3.Express an interest in offering free swimming to those aged 16 and under

Viewed as an ambitious Authority by DCMS

 

Expression of interest at this stage does not represent any firm commitment.

 

Enables Officers time to work up implications once informed of grant allocation.

Not  fully clear as level of grant not yet allocated.

Scheme would be sure to raise attendance levels amongst this age group (possibly others accompanying) with increased costs to staffing, energy and  chemicals

 

Further information to be provided to Cabinet once grant award is known.

4.  Turn down opportunity to express interest in participation of scheme to provide free swimming to those aged 16 and under.

Current income streams from this sector remain.

 

 

Not  fully clear as level of grant not yet allocated.

Opportunity to promote swimming amongst this age group lost with associated secondary spend benefits.

Council viewed as not being ambitious by DCMS if expression not submitted.

Poor publicity and damage to positive image the City Council conveys.

 

Preferred options are 1 and 3; accept grant of £44,375 for free swimming for those aged 60 and above. Also, to submit an expression of interest for participating in the free swimming scheme for those aged 16 and under. This will also provide the additional advantage of exploring receipt of capital funding from DCMS.

 

It was moved by Councillor Fletcher and seconded by Councillor Blamire:-

 

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Members then voted as follows:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)               That Cabinet approve the receipt of an annual grant from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of £44,375 per annum for financial years 2009/10 and 2010/11 in order to provide free swimming for those aged 60 or over.

 

(2)        That subject to Recommendation No. 1 being approved, the  Head of Financial Services be authorised to update the General Fund Revenue Budget in both years to reflect the additional grant and associated expenditure as part of the 2009/10 Budget Process.

 

(3)        That Cabinet approve in principle the provision of free swimming for those aged 16 or below and submit an expression of interest for the scheme subject to the level of funding yet to be announced by the DCMS. Further details on implications for this would be reported back to Cabinet at the meeting of 7th October 2008.

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Corporate Director (Regeneration)

Head of Cultural Services

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision to participate in these schemes will enable the Council to encourage increased participation in swimming and contribute towards the health agenda in a way that is likely to be cost neutral. Agreement to submit and expression of interest only for free swimming for those aged 16 and under would enable the Council to receive the offer of an additional grant from the DCMS without commitment. Officers would then be charged with determining a cost/benefit analysis.

Supporting documents: