Issue - meetings

To consider the conclusions and recommendation in the Consultants’ final report with a view to offering advice to Cabinet.

The Sub-Committee considered the final report by the Council’s consultants, PMP Genesis Consulting, on the Cheshire East Leisure Management Options Appraisal. The report set out the strategic context for the review, an analysis and evaluation of the options for future management and service delivery, and the consultants’ key findings and recommendations. Members noted the recommendation to pursue a new local trust vehicle for the reasons set out in the report.

Since the production of the final report, the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and other Members of the Cabinet had considered the report conclusions in the light of the budget-setting process. It had been suggested that the implementation of any recommendations should be “put on hold” until a fuller assessment of the implications from the report could be conducted. There was an interest in particular in making connections between leisure services and other strategic interests of the Council, such as library services. In addition, if the Council were successful in securing Building Schools for the Future funding, it would be keen to explore the scope for library services and leisure provision to be appropriately integrated into new developments.

A further benefit of deferring a decision on the recommendation in the Consultants’ report would be to allow an evaluation of the Facility Improvement Service which was expected to produce a series of conclusions and a framework for the production of a facilities development strategy in February 2010.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet be recommended not to proceed at this time with any further work to progress a Trust as the delivery model, and the Consultants’ recommendation be placed on hold while further consideration is given to the wider strategic issues and opportunities identified.