The Cabinet Member Community and Social Development will present his aspirations for the programme area.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor R.V. Stockton, Cabinet Member (Community and Social Development), to the meeting and invited him to present his aspirations for his programme area.

Councillor Stockton commented that his programme area was comprised of a large collection of small services.  Although each service was under funded, the creative use of budgets enabled the current level of service to be provided.

He briefly outlined issues surrounding the following services:

Libraries – this area was to be discussed in greater depth later on the agenda.  However, he expressed a wish that any new library for Hereford be sited in the proposed ‘Edgar Street Grid’ development.  It was accepted that while ‘local heritage collections ‘ had not been significantly added to of late, greater emphasis would in the future be given to this area of the library collection.

Replacement Swimming Pool for North Herefordshire – he outlined the history to this item and commented that following the recent Cabinet decision regarding the provision of a replacement pool, project management arrangements were being established and the County Treasurer had been requested to report.

He commented on the very high percentage of people in Leominster who regarded it as a number one priority.

Wesleyan Chapel, Kington – following a site visit by Cabinet, a business plan for the project was awaited.  The project, should it proceed, could attract a large amount of external finance and bring the Grade II listed building back into use as a library and info centre.  The top floor could be used by private business, which would help offset some of the revenue costs.

Archives and Churchill House – he reiterated the logic of relocating the museum collection from Churchill House to the new Heritage store facility at Friar Street.  Churchill House was currently let under a lease to the Art College.

Tourism – he awaited with interest the work of the new Tourism Co-ordination Group.  Following the Best Value Review the Group had been formed to address the recommendation that a management group be formed to oversee tourism development in the County.

Parks and Countryside – he acknowledged the budgetary difficulties faced by this service, particularly in relation to the cost of maintaining adopted land/play areas and income in contract prices which were beyond the scope of budgetary uplifts.

Leisure Recreation & Sport – he informed the Committee that a report on the first year of operation by Halo, the Herefordshire Leisure Trust, was expected to be presented to the October Scrutiny Committee.

Cultural Services – he commented upon the importance of providing cultural facilities and opportunities both for local residents, particularly young people, and visitors to the County.  He acknowledged the important work undertaken by the Tourism Cultural Consortium in attracting and guiding finance into the tourism sector.

Youth Service – he recognised the difficulties experienced in this service, caused, to a large degree, by the service’s long-term inability to recruit staff.  A review of the service was underway.  He commented that the review may indicate that the service needed a change of emphasis to its service provision and the need to build closer partnership working with other agencies.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Stockton for his presentation.