Agenda item
Development of a Physical Activity and Sport Strategy
Presented by Lisa Pottinger, Head of Sport and Physical Activity.
Minutes:
The Committee received the briefing note of Lisa Pottinger (Head of Sport & Physical Activity), on the development of the Physical Activity and Sports Strategy.
- Ms Pottinger summarised the local picture and steps to be taken in the next six months. She emphasised that the new plan would work alongside existing strategies and plans such as the addressing childhood obesity action plan.
- Engagement activity had taken place with the Mayor, Lead Member, voluntary sector organisations, online and via community workshops.
- She said officers were in the process of finalising the first draft of the strategy. Key drivers behind the strategy included driving health change, shaping places and the environment and developing youth interest in sport.
- A draft of the Strategy was due to be completed in October and there would be an accompanying Action Plan alongside the strategy.
Members made the following comments:
- Cllr Andrew Wood said that the strategy did not look like a strategy document in that it did not have an executable plan with outcomes and deliverable objectives. He suggested council officers should look at the strategy documents of other London Boroughs for a comparison. Ms Pottinger explained that colleagues from Waltham Forest and Westminster Councils had consulted on the document but she would note the comment.
- A Member asked whether the strategy would emphasise the use of sport and activity in community cohesion. Officers confirmed that this would be incorporated into the strategy.
- It was confirmed that the borough employed a sports development officer whose role included providing sports provision for disabled residents.
- Members said that the GLL contract needed to be reviewed because users were reporting difficulties in accessing the system or booking swim classes.
- Members welcomed the opportunity for the strategy to come back to the Committee for comment before its formal publication. However in order to effectively scrutinise, Members requested a benchmarking exercise take place between Tower Hamlets and other neighbouring boroughs to find out levels of inactivity and how much is spent on sport and physical activity. Officers agreed to investigate and offered that the CIPFA on sports spend could be shared.
- Members queried whether private leisure centres could be used by school groups during the daytime at reduced rates because schools had reported that their budgets were stretched in this area. Officers acknowledged that it was a challenge for schools to access facilities but schools had already been provided with school rates for provision. Officers said the new strategy could explore this but Council Members would have to provide a steer on whether they wanted provision to be completely commercial or completely subsidised which may impact council revenue.
- It was noted that there should be more water sport activities in the strategy given the location and existing facilities in the borough.
- It was noted the council paid a levy towards Lee Valley Park. Members advised that the borough was therefore entitled to use Lee Valley facilities and this should be negotiated for and included in the strategy.
RESOLVED:
- To note the development of the Physical Activity and Sports Strategy.
ACTION:
- Officers to provide comparative data from other London councils on physical inactivity rates and spend on physical activity and sport.
- For the Physical Activity and Sports Strategy to come back to the Committee for review prior to its publication.
Supporting documents: