Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T A Bond, S C Manion, R S Walkden and H M Williams.

It was noted that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4, Councillor P D Jull had been appointed as substitute member for Councillor R S Walkden.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 13 June 2022 (to follow).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the Cabinet decisions in respect of recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

There were none.

To receive any public petitions or issues referred by Council, Cabinet or another Committee.

The Democratic and Corporate Services Manager advised that there were no issues referred to the Committee by Council, Cabinet or another Committee.

The Democratic and Corporate Services Manager presented the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions to the Committee for its consideration.

In the absence of any dissent, it was agreed to note the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions.

It is intended that the Committee monitor and prioritise its rolling work programme (to follow).

The Democratic and Corporate Services Manager presented the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme to the Committee for its consideration.

Members identified the following items for inclusion in the work programme:

·         A review of the services returning in-house

In the absence of any dissent it was agreed that the Work Programme, subject to the inclusion of an item on the review of the services returning in-house, be noted.

Please note that in accordance with the agreed Protocol for Public Speaking at Overview and Scrutiny, the right to speak only applies to agenda items 10 and 11.

Members of the public wishing to speak must register to do so by no later than 2.00 pm on the second working day (Thursday) before the meeting.

The Democratic and Corporate Services Manager advised that no members of the public had registered to speak on items on the agenda to which the public speaking protocol applied.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

The Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial) presented the Draft Indoor Sports Facility Strategy. The Strategic Development Lead (Leisure) joined the meeting remotely by Teams.

It was stated that the Indoor Sports Facility Strategy would examine the current and future supply and demand for nine types of indoor sports facilities across Dover District. The study would inform potential decisions relating to rationalisation and investment, the community use of school facilities, encouraging greater flexibility of facility usage and determining strategic objectives for the district. The study would also highlight the links to public health and how provision of accessible indoor facilities could contribute toward healthy living and well-being.

In addition, the study would support feasibility work on the proposed redevelopment of Tides Leisure Centre in Deal and the new Local Plan.

The Strategic Development Lead (Leisure) advised that consultation was on-going with key stakeholders.

Members raised the following points:

·         To welcome the development of a strategy

·         What the officer resources would need to be to deliver this work, particularly given the pressures of projects such as the proposed redevelopment of Tides Leisure Centre.

·         The provision of a sports facility in Aylesham through S106 funding.

In the absence of any dissent, it was agreed to approve the recommendations set out in the report.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

The Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial) presented the Draft Indoor Sports Facility Strategy. The Strategic Development Lead (Leisure) joined the meeting remotely by Teams. In addition, the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor O C de R Richardson and the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance, Digital and Climate Change, Councillor C A Vinson, were also present.

Members were advised that the report set out the results of a further options appraisal study which had given consideration to a range of options that would improve the facilities at Tides Leisure Centre. The Cabinet had been agreed to approve the next steps in the development of a project to construct a new build leisure centre to serve Deal and the wider district.

It was stated that the current Tides Leisure Centre was nearing the end of its operational life and that doing nothing was not an option.

Members considered the following points:

·         The funding of the project and in particular the borrowing requirements.

·         The difference between the expected life span of a new leisure centre and the duration of the loan required to fund its construction.

·         The need for a member working group as had been used for the development of the Dover leisure centre. Members were advised that a Project Advisory Group (PAG) had been formed for this purpose.

·         The importance of applying the lessons learnt from the development of the Dover leisure centre.

·         The need to keep control of the projects finances and delivery.

·         The projected income for a redeveloped Tides Leisure Centre and whether this would cover the borrowing costs of the financing to build it. Members were advised that population growth was also built into the usage projections and it was expected that the income would significantly increase in the future with a redeveloped leisure centre.

In the absence of any dissent, it was agreed to approve the recommendations set out in the report.

The recommendation is attached.

MATTERS WHICH THE MANAGEMENT TEAM SUGGESTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN PRIVATE AS THE REPORT CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED WITHIN PART 1 OF SCHEDULE 12A OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS INDICATED AND IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE PROPER OFFICER CONSIDERS THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE EXEMPTION OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN DISCLOSING THE INFORMATION

It was moved by Councillor M Rose, duly seconded by Councillor D R Friend and

RESOLVED:   That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the remainder of the business on the grounds that the items to be considered involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Corporate Resources).

The Head of Housing presented the repot on the Award of a Four-Year Contract for the Provision of Kent Homechoice Housing Options System.

Members considered the report and the issues arising from it.

In the absence of any dissent, it was agreed to approve the recommendations set out in the report.