Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Development, Enterprise and Communities attached.

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1. the report be received and the principles be agreed.

2. a further report detailing the investment programme and the financial impacts be brought to the next Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Development, Enterprise and Communities which provided an update on the work of the Member Cross Party Working Group on the campus concept and how it might work in South Ribble.

The Business Transformation Manager undertook a short presentation on the proposal for a borough wide Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Campus Approach in the borough.

The Chair thanked the Business Transformation Manager for the informative and useful presentation.

During the debate, the Cabinet welcomed the positive views expressed at the meeting over the proposed outline of the general concept of campuses and noted the additional comments made, some of these being –

·         Linking up cycleways/footpaths

·         Wider sports provision

·         Expectations within the community

·         Consultation

·         Planning issues (noise/light pollution etc)

·         Opportunity to address homelessness issues

·         Green links in Leyland to include East to West (ie Paradise Park, Test Track, extended to Western Parishes etc)

·         More provisions of housing for older people

·         Securing funding of partners

·         Put some work in other areas across the borough

·         Health provisions, wellbeing and prevention across the borough

·         Review of the Local Plan

·         Heatherleigh

The Cabinet emphasised that this Council had no intentions of closing leisure centres in the borough. Discussions were ongoing with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) regarding the site relating to Heatherleigh which was made available because of provisions in a section 106 agreement. Those discussions were positive at present and if this principle was approved it would allow officers to look into that model. 

Decision Made (Unanimously):

That:

1.    the report be received and the principles be agreed; and

2.    a further report detailing the investment programme and the financial impacts be brought to the next Cabinet meeting.

Reasons for Decision:

At its meeting on 27 July 2017, the Cabinet received a paper outlining the Campus Concept. The paper outlined that the proposal for Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Campuses would be a focus for local service provision. It aimed to bring together a number of key work programmes including Central Park phased development, open space and pitch reviews, land and property reviews and leisure centre provision.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected: 

Other options were considered included doing nothing with existing facilities or maintaining current facilities. Both were dismissed, either as unsuitable or unsustainable. The Working Group constituted to look at the Campus Concept and its potential in South Ribble and agreed to make better use of what we currently have and not consider closure, but rather replacement of facilities where it was needed.