Agenda item

To receive the annual report from the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Derek Taylor.

(Questions attached).

Further to consideration of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism’s written report at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29th November 2011 and Members’ agreed questions to be put to the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Derek Taylor provided the following responses as part of his annual report.

1)           What process does your department have in place for promoting community liaison?

A variety of methods and techniques had been used to promote community liaison to help improve service delivery or shape new services based on the needs of residents’, including: relevant forum groups – including the Parks Forum; social media and a dedicated website to promote the AiR Partnership; volunteer programmes; and obtaining feedback through questionnaires and feedback forms.  The Committee received a case study example of how these consultation methods had shaped service delivery at Morton Stanley Park. 

The Committee was also informed of the department’s plans for 2012/13 to build on its good work around engaging with the local community. This included developing the department’s section of the Council website and promoting its work through electronic marketing methods. The department was also setting up an events facilitation pack to enable local voluntary groups to set up their own events. 

Members encouraged the Portfolio Holder and relevant Officers to continue to facilitate and promote events for the Redditch youth. Officers confirmed that discussions on this subject were ongoing with the Youth Services Provision Task and Finish Group.

2)           In relation to the Palace Theatre:

a)     has the introduction of a new management structure and changes to the Theatre’s productions generated the savings and additional income expected?

Members heard that the anticipated saving of £40,000 to the 2012/13 revenue budget through restructuring would be achieved.

There had been a 15% increase in the number of performances in the Palace’s Autumn/Winter period compared to the same period twelve months before.  Attendance figures and the Palace’s audience market share remained stable.

The income targets will be revised upwards from 2013/14 once the final changes to the management structure had been implemented.

b)     what work has been done to ensure that the new productions are attracting as wide a section of the local community to the Theatre?

It was hoped that forthcoming new productions, as part of the Palace’s rolling eighteen month production programme, would attract a more diverse audience to the Theatre. A more targeted approach had been utilised to use market segmentation to identify key target groups that would be interested in a certain aspect of the programme. Social media, especially Twitter, was also being utilised to promote the Theatre’s productions to a wider audience. The Palace was also advertising its productions in nearby restaurants to attract more families and couples to the Theatre. Finally, it was explained that external funding had been sourced, including from County Council grants, to develop audience development performances for harder to reach audiences, such as members of black, minority and ethnic communities.

The Committee heard that incremental improvements had been made to the Palace since the new post of Palace Theatre Manager had been created and filled as part of the new management structure.

Members very much welcomed the improvements that had been made to the Palace Theatre and encouraged a more diverse range of productions being put on.

3)           How well is the new contract at the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre working for people in Redditch?

The new contract had produced the savings expected and provided additional resources to cover the Parks and Open spaces at weekends. This had also provided additional resources for improvements to the events service.

Members heard that water sports activities would soon be provided from the site. The initial activities were to include canoeing, wind surfing, raft building and general water skills. There had also been an increase in angling competitions taking place on the lake. Members also were informed that the Council remained responsible for providing children’s activities at the Centre.

No formal complaints about the new operator had been received, although a couple of negative letters has surfaced in the local press.  

4)           What events have been arranged around the Olympic Torch coming through Redditch in the summer?

It was explained that legal restrictions were in place around what can and could not be published at the present time. However, the Committee was informed that the Community Task Force was soon to a devise plan which complied with the obligations around the National Torch Relay agenda.

The ethos of the Olympics was to be celebrated, with a specific focus being placed on community involvement. A communications plan would soon be developed around this and presented to the Committee for its consideration.

5)           What impact has the new shared service arrangements in your department made upon the Council’s revenue?

Members received a breakdown of the cost savings that had been generated by the new shared service arrangements. The projected saving for 2011/12, pending actual outturn figures, was approximately £44,000

6)           How is the additional income that is being generated from the sale of timber through the Parks and Open Spaces Policy being used elsewhere in the Council?

Members were informed that no additional income is raised from the timber sale. Income is instead reinvested into the Woodland Management Scheme which generally operates to a balanced budget.

Members were referred to Environmental Services for further information.

On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked Councillor Taylor for his annual report.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.