DECISION:

1.    To agree the proposed action responding to the Children & Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee Challenge Session on “Increasing Women and Girls Access and Participation in sport provision and physical activity”.

ACTION BY:

Corporate Director Children’s Services, (J. THOMAS)

Director of Commissioning and Culture (M. Eady)

Councillor Iqbal Hossain (Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation) introduced the report that proposed a service action plan in response to the Overview & Scrutiny Challenge session report and recommendations on “increasing women and girls access and participation in sport provision and physical activities in the borough.

Matthew Eady, (Director of Commissioning and Culture) provided further details. Caroline Holland, Corporate Director, Resources asked the Cabinet to note that, in addition to the financial comments in the report, growth bids or savings may be required to fund new initiatives if necessary.

The Mayor and Cabinet welcomed the report and made the following additional points:

·         In the past, free swimming sessions encouraged residents to be active and worked well. The Council should explore if this could be introduced for women-only swimming.

·         Variety and frequency of women only and culturally-sensitive sessions should be explored to encourage take-up across all the borough’s residents. The Mayor indicated he was supportive of a women-only leisure facility.

·         Creche provision on leisure sites could help to encourage female sports participation and should be explored as part of the wider work on insourcing leisure services.

·         The Council should also support existing sport structures such as the provision of funding and/or assistance to women-only sport teams to ensure they can compete and represent the borough at competitions such as London Youth Games.

RESOLVED that the Mayor in Cabinet:

1.    Agrees the proposed action responding to the Children & Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee Challenge Session on “Increasing Women and Girls Access and Participation in sport provision and physical activity”.