Meeting documents

1 THE ISSUE

1.1 The Directors' Group receives performance reports from each service area on a four monthly cycle. The attached report provides details of performance and key issues arising in Culture and Leisure services to September 2003. Culture and Leisure services include: Heritage Services, Leisure Services, including Parks, and Library Services.

2 RECOMMENDATION

2.1 That the Executive notes the performance of Culture & Leisure services for the period and the issues arising, as detailed in the attached report.

2.2 Consider whether any further specific actions are required.

3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

3.1 No financial implications directly arising from this report.

4 THE REPORT

4.1 The attached report provides details of progress made and key issues arising from the following services:

· Heritage Services

· Leisure Services

· Parks

· Library Services

4.2 The report also measures performance by the services against the thirty performance targets included within the Council's Performance Plan published in June 2003. Progress against targets, and the likelihood of achieving them, is assessed as either "Green" (on target); "Amber" (some difficulty expected in achieving target) or "Red" (target in danger of not being achieved).

4.3 Twenty six targets are assessed as "green" - likely to be achieved (87% of the total).

4.4 Three targets are assessed as "amber". The first relates to an objective to transfer 2 sports pitches to Norton Radstock Town Council. We are in negotiation with a sitting tenant which requires resolution before this objective can be achieved, hence some doubt as to its achievability. The remaining two amber targets concern museum visitor numbers which did not reach the budget expectations for the first quarter of 2003/04, because of the reluctance of overseas visitors to travel during the threat of an Iraqi war and of the SARS epidemic.

4.5 The "red" target unlikely to be achieved concerns the consequential loss in museum income caused by the same effect as in 4.4. - actions are being taken to reduce museum expenses to compensate for the loss in income, but these may not be sufficient to recover to budgeted levels.