Agenda item

Lancaster John O' Gaunt Water Centre

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Ashworth and Bryning)

 

Report of the Head of Community Engagement.

Minutes:

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Ashworth and Bryning)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Community Engagement in order to decide whether to offer Council support to develop a regionally significant centre for rowing, canoeing and kayaking at the current site of the Lancaster John O’ Gaunt Rowing Club on the River Lune in Lancaster.

 

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

 

 

Option 1: Members approve officers to provide advice and support to the scheme

Option 2: Members do not approve officer support for this scheme.

Advantages

Officers could work with the various clubs, community and architects to ensure the proposal proceeds in line with corporate objectives.

Officers free to utilise time on other areas of work.

Disadvantages

The scheme proceeds with minimal involvement from the Council and opportunities to maximise consultation/ benefits for clubs and community and energy saving implications are not provided.

Scheme is in its infancy and efficiencies around community/club integration, tourism and energy would not be explored.

Risks

As the scheme develops it requires considerable officer time – would need to be managed by regular reporting to ensure work programmes are appropriate.

Council not associated in a scheme which could positively impact on tourism, residents and clubs resulting in poor publicity.

 

Officer Preferred Option (and comments)

There was no officer preferred option but as the scheme was in its early stages officers would have to monitor their time spent against demands from other areas on their time should option 1 be approved.

 

Councillor Bryning proposed, seconded by Councillor Ashworth:-

 

“(1)      Cabinet notes the details of the proposal, progress to date and partners involved.

(2)        Cabinet supports the concept of providing a regionally significant centre for rowing, canoeing and kayaking at the current site of the Lancaster John O’ Gaunt Rowing Club on the River Lune in Lancaster.

(3)        Cabinet agrees to provide officer support from within the Community Engagement and Regeneration and Policy services as appropriate to assist the development of the water centre.”

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved:

 

(7 Members (Councillors Ashworth, Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Fletcher, Kerr and Langhorn) voted in favour, and 1 Member (Councillor Robinson) abstained.)

 

(1)        Cabinet notes the details of the proposal, progress to date and partners involved.

(2)        Cabinet supports the concept of providing a regionally significant centre for rowing, canoeing and kayaking at the current site of the Lancaster John O’ Gaunt Rowing Club on the River Lune in Lancaster.

(3)        Cabinet agrees to provide officer support from within the Community Engagement and Regeneration and Policy services as appropriate to assist the development of the water centre.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Head of Community Engagement

Head of Regeneration and Policy

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision fits in with the corporate priorities with regard to visitor economy, energy coast and partnership working and the scheme is potentially a considerable improvement on the current offer.  Other than officer time the club was not seeking financial support from the Council.

Supporting documents: