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Contact: Carrianne Lloyd-Ralph
Media
Items
| No. |
Item |
1. |
Apologies
To receive apologies for absence.
Minutes:
Apologies received: K Lewis, L Rijnenberg, B Davies, C Walsh
Absent: B Breeze, Bryn Davies, C Robinson, C
Masefield, J Yeomans, S McNicholas
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2. |
Declarations of Interest
To receive any disclosures of interest by
Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting.
Minutes:
There were no declarations of interest from
Members relating to items for consideration on the agenda.
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3. |
Disclosure of Party Whips
To receive disclosures of prohibited party
whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in
accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure
2011.
(NB: Members are
reminded that, under Section 78, Members having been given a
prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the
Committee.)
Minutes:
The
Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips
which a Member had been given in relation to the meeting in
accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure
2011.
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4. |
Leisure Paper  PDF 518 KB
To continue the consideration of the Leisure
Papers from the adjourned meeting on the 14th November
2024.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Background:
- Follow on meeting from 14 November
2024.
- Officers received number of
questions after the meeting on the 14 November and answers had been
circulated to the Committee members. It was explained that
questions had been categorised by theme.
- Additional questions by specific
committee members would be replied to as soon as possible.
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Points raised by the
Committee:
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Responses
received
Officers /Cabinet
Members:
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The breakdown of figures provided a net cost
to the Council as £2.3m.
It was assumed that the £0.4m was a
management fee paid from the council to Freedom Leisure
£2.2m was a payment from the Council to
Freedom Leisure for the use of facilities wet and dry.
With a total cost of £2.6m and a grant
of £0.3m.
Net cost excluding services to schools to the
Council £0.1m
Freedom Leisure made £700k surplus last
year, it suggested that the contract was operating at a net
£600k surplus between the Council and Freedom Leisure.
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It was stated that Freedom Leisure had only
recently moved to a profitable position after deficit since the
contract began.
An officer explained that the Council made a
management fee contribution to Freedom Leisure which put them in a
surplus position over the last couple of years which was netting
off cumulative deficit that occurred in the first few years,
the payment did support schools use of
facilities.
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Delivering services commercially was more
affordable and provided better value for money in offering broader
leisure services. Centres were designed and operated by services
that deliver both the national curriculum and community leisure.
Removing the community leisure aspect would still cost the Council
£2.2m to deliver the curriculum.
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It was acknowledged that by having fewer
centres the curriculum would be harder to deliver.
An officer explained that financial analysis
modelling had been conducted.
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Clarification was requested on whether fewer
centres would result in a lower payment to Freedom Leisure.
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It was confirmed that the report provided an
assumption and would need to be negotiated.
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What were the school options for running
centres, and was there budget capacity
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If schools accepted facilities the Council
would need to provide funding for costs including running the
centre and utilities. And would not be provided for the schools
delegated budget.
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A question was raised around the allocation of
funds through the fair funding formula to schools and how and who
would pay the additional cost for the swimming provision in a
different facility.
It was felt that the figures were incomplete
as additional costs had not been considered.
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An officer explained that the costs of travel
and transport to centres had not been included in the report.
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An observation stated that schools or the fair
funding formula would not have the budget available to run centres
as the Council as a
whole did not have funding to deliver services.
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The report showed the cost to bring individual
centres up to net zero and asked if the Council had considered
removing the full cost of net zero delivery figures for
... view
the full minutes text for item 4.
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5. |
Scrutiny Recommendations
To consider and confirm Joint Scrutiny
Recommendations to Cabinet.
Minutes:
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Scrutiny’s
Recommendation
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Accept
plus, Action and
timescale
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Partially Accept plus
Rationale and Action and timescale
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Reject
Plus, rationale
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1The Scrutiny Committees believe the current
leisure review will not resolve Powys County Council's financial
issues and more importantly provide adequate services to residents
and urge Cabinet to reconsider other options and postpone
considering the report.
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2 To consider looking at options on a locality
basis.
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6. |
Exempt Item
Minutes:
Agenda Item not required.
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7. |
Contract Information
To receive and consider Contract information
as requested at the adjourned meeting on the 14th November
2024.
Minutes:
Post meeting - Paper withdrawn by Cabinet.
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