To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors R.B.A. Burke, J.C. Mayson (Cabinet Member – Rural Regeneration and Strategy) D.C. Taylor and A.L. Williams and Ms. C. Jones (Chamber of Commerce).

To receive any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillor J.W. Hope MBE substituted for Councillor R.B.A. Burke and Councillor T.M. James substituted for Councillor A.L. Williams.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

Mrs. E. Newman declared personal interests in Item 8 ‘Refurbishment of Kington Library’ and Item 10 ‘Scoping Statement for Proposed Review of Independent Museums and Heritage Centres’.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 11th January 2006 and reconvened on 13th January 2006.

RESOLVED: That the minutes for the meeting held on 11th and reconvened on 13th January 2006, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

There were no suggestions received from members of the public.

To receive a presentation from Jon Argent, Chief Executive of HALO Leisure Services Ltd.

The Committee received a presentation from Jon Argent, Chief Executive of HALO Leisure Services Ltd.

Mr Argent began his presentation by reminding the Committee that HALO had been established on 1st April 2002 as a registered charity with 25 year leases on its nine centres throughout the County.  At its nine centres HALO employed 380 full and part time staff and recorded 1.5 million visits and a turnover of £6m per annum.

Mr Argent explained that even though HALO was officially a charity it was still operated as a business with surpluses being returned to the community through improved facilities rather than paid as dividends to shareholders.

The Committee was informed that the Council provided HALO with 20% of its annual income, however, as this income was not subject to Retail Price Increases the Council’s input to HALO was in fact reducing over time.  This was significant as it meant that, in order to meet unavoidable cost increases, HALO was dependent on creating new income streams to increase revenue rather than relying on grants.  Mr Argent reported to the Committee that in 2005/06 HALO will again return an operating surplus.  This money would be reinvested into the business for future priorities as identified by the Vision Group made up of Councillors, and Council and HALO Officers.

The Committee heard how opinion surveys of HALO Staff had revealed that the vast majority of staff enjoyed their jobs, were motivated, and proud to work for HALO and prepared to recommend the company as an employer to their friends.  This fitted the company’s original ethos of becoming ‘an employer of choice’.

Mr Argent explained that HALOs facilities were externally inspected and revealed that Ross Pool had recently been received a score of 80% in a QUEST Inspection which was the equated to being the sixth highest score awarded in the Country. All Halo centres are within the top quartile of the assessment programme nationally.

The Committee heard about HALO’s future investment strategy and how it was essential that investment was made to drive revenue.  Examples were given of how it was planned that the gyms be extended at HALO centres in Ross, Leominster and Hereford.  Mr Argent asserted that this level of investment was required to increase current levels of revenue.  In addition to this HALO sought to improve the current facilities that it offered. Schemes such as changing room refurbishment and locker replacement were funded from reserves and in partnership with the Council, however, these schemes were not  commercial improvements.

In terms of asset management the Committee was informed that the Council was responsible for all structures and major plant replacements and that HALO was responsible for maintenance, emergency repairs and replacement of fixtures and fittings.  To meet its responsibilities HALO had implemented comprehensive maintenance programmes for each of its centres.  These programmes were delivered by qualified in-house teams and sub-contractors at a cost of £350,000 in 2005/06.  With regard to Halo’s responsibilities a 25-year repair and renewal programme had been established  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

To inform Members of the working relationship with the voluntary and community youth work sector and Herefordshire Council Youth Service.

Members were informed of the working relationship between the voluntary and community sector and Herefordshire Council’s Community Youth Service (CYS).

The Community Youth Service Manager began his presentation by reminding the Committee that in 1998 an external survey by De Montefort University had described the CYS as inadequate and that the local authority was failing in its duty to secure adequate provision for young people. The recommendations that the review suggested had been implemented.  These had included the commencement of new partnership arrangements with the voluntary and community sector through the Youth Consortium.

In October 2005 the CYS had been assessed as part of the Joint Area Review (JAR) of Services for Children and Young People by Ofsted.  The JAR report concluded that improvements had been made across all areas with the exception of ‘curriculum and resources’.  The report commented that: ‘there were insufficient staff and resources to provide a consistently high quality and broad curriculum’.  Overall the service was rated as ‘adequate’ and was described as having ‘a balance of strengths and weaknesses’.

With regard to the CYS relationship with the voluntary and community sector, the CYS Manager explained to the Committee that the CYS contributed £52,032 per annum to the Herefordshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (HCVYS) through a three-year Service Level Agreement (SLA).  This three year SLA was up for renewal this year.  The money granted to HCVYS was used to support youth work across the County and in return the Council could record the outcomes delivered by HCVYS and its members in its key performance indicator targets.  However, the Council could only claim outcomes  proportionate to the level of funding it provided..  The Ofsted inspector described CYS partnership arrangements as ‘effective’ and that they ‘support and complemented its work’.

The CYS Manager informed the Committee that directorate responsibility for the CYS was changing.  From  the 1^st April 2006  the CYS would sit within the Children’s Services Directorate of the Council rather than Adult and Community Services and therefore scrutiny of the CYS would be undertaken by the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee.

The following are the principal points from the ensuing discussion:

·         The Committee noted the recent appointment of the new Youth Council.

·         The Committee referred to the key performance indicator targets included in a later agenda item and noted that none of the five targets were being satisfactorily met.  It was asserted that the voluntary sector had contact with as many young people as the CYS but at a cost of approximately £50,000 rather than £1.1m.  It was suggested that a fresh approach was required in order to maximise the returns the CYS provided.

·         The Committee was informed that the CYS was still carrying an 8% vacancy rate and that even with a full team of staff the CYS would still not meet national guidelines for the ratio of youth workers compared to the number of young people.

·         A Member of the Committee suggested that young people were not interested in gaining educational outcomes in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

To update Members on the progress being made in the refurbishment of Kington Library.

Members were updated on the progress being made in the refurbishment of Kington Library.

Two questions were received from members of the public.

Miss Edwards, Kington Tourist Group asked:

“A burning question which concerns a number of bodies and individual people in and around Kington, is the provision Herefordshire Council intends to make to enable Kington Tourist Group to continue its work following the move of the Council’s Info. Department to the Library and the imminent proposed sale of the building at 2 Mill Street.

We read that Tourism is vital to the economy of the County and Kington T.I.C. has a role to play in helping to build that economy.  What is Herefordshire Council planning to do to ensure this vital service survives to serve Kington, one of the County’s market towns, and the hinterland?” 

Mrs Bradbury asked. 

“In Kington, Sure Start and the Doctor's Practice both need new buildings, both also get finance from the Primary Care Trust and Herefordshire Council can they not be encouraged to share and have space for other organisations? For example Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau, Credit Union etc all serving the public, plus Kington Tourist Group shortly to be made homeless by Herefordshire Council?

The Weslyan Chapel is crying out to be restored and brought back into public use. We find the lack of joined up thinking and planning very frustrating and disappointing.

NB You are meeting in the Burton because we have no Community Hall available during the day!”

The Interim Head of Economic and Community Services informed the meeting that Kington Tourist Group was independent of the Council Tourist Information Centres (TICs) whilst Kington Tourist Group had a close working relationship with the Council the Group had its own policies and procedures.

Currently the Library was being redeveloped in the Town to which the Council’s Info shop was relocating.  The Info shop was currently located in the same building as Kington TIC, however, once the Info shop had relocated the Council was intending to sell the building which it had occupied.  Kington T.I.C. had been offered the opportunity to relocate to the newly refurbished Kington Library.  Thereby providing a similar situation to the one that currently existed at the Bromyard Centre were the leisure centre, library and TIC all operated from one building.  Kington Tourist Group had been offered a similar arrangement and raised concerns over the space offered to them.

The Committee was informed that Kington Tourist Group were currently in talks with potential partners with regard to purchasing the building they currently occupied.  The Council’s offer of space within the refurbished Kington Library was also still available.

A Member expressed his concern that to relocate the TIC to the library was a mistake.  In its current location the TIC was located near the main car park in Kington which was used by most visitors.  The library was not near this or any other car park so the likelihood was that if the TIC relocated to the library that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

To report on the available Performance Indicators position and provide information about current performance management work within the Community Services Division within the Adult and Community Services Directorate.

The Committee was informed of the available performance indicators position and provided with information about current performance monitoring work within the Community Services division of the Adult and Community Services Directorate.

The Performance Improvement Manager reported that with the advent of the new Annual Operating Plan the performance indicators currently used were going to be reviewed.

He explained that all areas within the Community Services division, with the exception of the the CYS, were either performing better than last year or meeting or exceeding their targets.  He took the Committee through the report highlighting the success stories and any issues, challenges and concerns as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The following are the principal points from the ensuing discussion:

·         The target in relation to the reduction of alcohol related crime and disorder, within the Social and Economic Regeneration Section of Appendix 1 to the report, was referred to as a success story.  The Committee noted that whilst it was likely that the performance outturn was going to be improved compared to last year’s outturn it was still likely that, unless there was a significant reduction in incidents in the final quarter, the outturn figure would exceed its target.

·         The Committee questioned whether the indicator relating to Freedom of Information requests within the Parks and Countryside Section of Appendix 1 to the report did not contain any details of Environmental Information Requests or requests made under the Data Protection Act.  The Performance Improvement Manager confirmed that the indicator did not contain this information and that he would include it at the next meeting.

·         The data in relation to the performance indicator on staff absence within the Parks and Countryside section of Appendix 1 appeared to be incorrect.  The Performance Improvement Manager agreed to supply the correct data by e-mail to all Members of the Committee after the meeting.

·         The Committee noted that HALO’s annual staff survey was carried out by Herefordshire Council.

The Chairman noted the requests made by a number of Members of the Committee for further details on issues contained within the performance monitoring report and appendix and requested that more detailed performance monitoring information be provided at the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That:

(a)   the report on Community Services Performance be noted;

(b)   identified areas of concern continue to be monitored;

(c)   correct details with regard to staff absence within the Parks and Countryside section be provided to the Committee by e-mail;

and;

(d) further detail be included with regard to performance management data in subsequent reports.

To consider a scoping statement for a proposed review of the support for independent museums and heritage centres in the County.

The Committee considered a scoping statement for a proposed review of the support for independent museums and heritage centres in the County.

The Chairman informed the Committee that following a suggestion received from a member of the Committee at its meeting in June 2005 a scoping statement had been drafted for a proposed review of support for independent museums and heritage centres in the County.  He commented that there were many items of historical importance in the Council’s ownership that could be displayed and suggested that an audit of these artefacts should be a part of the review.

The Interim Head of Economic and Community Services clarified that as well as reviewing the funding for independent museums and heritage centres the review would investigate the Council’s own heritage provision.

The Cabinet Member (Community Services) stated that the Museum in Hereford would be expanded when the present library moved to a new site.

A Member of the Committee explained that he thought the way heritage facilities were provided could be changed and that new ways of engaging young people should be sought, particularly so that young people could interact with artefacts rather than be prohibited by the glass display case culture that currently existed.

The Committee decided to appoint five Members to the Review Group:  four Councillors and one Co-opted Member.

Three Councillors expressed an interest in serving on the Review Group.  It was suggested that a letter be sent to those Members not present seeking a volunteer to take the fourth Councillor place on the Review Group.

RESOLVED:

That:

(a)     the Scoping Statement, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, for a review of the support for independent museums and heritage centres be agreed;

(b)     Councillor H. Bramer, Councillor A.C.R. Chappell, Councillor J.G.S. Guthrie and Mrs. E. Newman be appointed to serve on the Review Group;

(c)     Councillor A.C.R. Chappell be appointed as Chairman of the Review Group

and

(d)  those Councillor members of the Committee not present at the meeting should be invited to express an interest in serving on the Review Group.