Agenda item

The Committee considered a report updating Members on Council funding and support for Rubicon Leisure Limited.

Members discussed the content of the report and in doing so commented that it was important for the Council to support Rubicon Leisure Limited moving forward.  It was noted that the quality of the services delivered by Rubicon Leisure Limited had improved over the years and this was welcomed by Members. 

Reference was made to the questions that had been raised at the previous meeting of the Committee and the inclusion of information in the report that addressed these points.  This included consideration of arrangements for the Company Secretary support for Rubicon Leisure Limited moving forward together with information about the Directors who had been appointed to serve on the Rubicon Board.  Members welcomed the updates in respect of these matters.

During consideration of this item, it was noted that Members had been contacted about their availability to meet with members of the Rubicon Board in the first two weeks of March 2024.  This suggestion had been made following the previous meeting of the Committee, when the suggestion had been made that representatives of the Board could attend a meeting of the Committee.  Officers explained that, on reflection, it had been determined that attendance by representatives of the Board at a meeting of the Shareholders Committee would not be appropriate as this did not align with the reserved matters for the Committee.  However, this did not mean that a meeting between Committee and Board members could not take place, so instead a proposal had been made to arrange for a meeting to take place on a separate date.  It was likely that this meeting would take place at the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre.  Members who had not yet responded regarding their availability were urged to do so as soon as possible.

Members noted that at the previous meeting of the Committee it had been highlighted that Rubicon Leisure Limited was aiming to recruit a new Events and Marketing Manager.  An update in respect of the recruitment process for this post was requested.  The Committee was informed that interviews for the position had been held that day and it was therefore anticipated that there would be a candidate in post soon.  As part of the work of this new member of staff, Members suggested that they should consider liaising with Councillors in terms of the ways that they could help to promote Rubicon events in the local community.

Consideration was given to the funding that had been proposed for the pump track and questions were raised about whether this funding would be supporting one track or two.  Officers explained that the funding was intended to support one track and action would be taken to clarify that this was the case.

RESOLVED to note

1)          the ongoing approach for the financial support and the delivery of financial support services to Rubicon by the Council;

2)          the investment being made in Rubicon operated facilities by the Council over the following three years as per the 2024/5 Medium Term Financial Plan; and

3)          the delivery of improvements/savings facilitated by the £177k and £205k Grants from Sport England (DCMS).