Meeting documents

Date

September 2004

Reporting Area

Leisure & Culture

Lead Director

Peter Rowntree

· Heritage Services: Executive Decision in September agreeing to a new way of working for long term business planning and investment; Advisory Board to be appointed shortly

· Pump Room and Assembly Rooms catering contracts awarded to Searcy Tansley Ltd (Searcy's) and went `live' on 7th June

· Roman Baths awarded £100,000 grant by Wolfson Foundation for environmental control measure in the Temple Precinct

· Bath & North East Somerset Resident's Discovery Cards issued approaching 15,000

· Roman Baths awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for heritage education

· Play equipment replaced: Improvements to Disability Discrimination Act access, CCTV and first aid posts plus refurbishment of mound area at RVP completed. 2004/5 programme pending decision by Executive Members

· Leisure partnership with Aquaterra has secured investment in Bath Leisure Centre and Culverhay; 3 Board meetings have been held; Overview &Scrutiny (Corporate Issues Panel) report on partnership issued, welcomed by Partnership Board which has responded.

· New irrigation tank & system at Approach Golf Course: work completed, partnership funding by Council & Aquaterra

· Chew Valley Sports Centre - operating contract implemented; School has taken responsibility for managing Sports Centre and will work with Leisure & Amenity Services to achieve business plan. Service Level Agreement drafted to cover period to 2006

· Senior Officers of the 4 local Unitary Authorities along with Sport England have agreed to develop a joint sports plan to cover the 4UAs; appointment of partnership manager funded by Sport England

· Training plans for Customer Services and Libraries produced and training is underway for library and reception staff.

· Sure Start has funded an officer who has been recruited to the library service

· Targeted libraries stock purchasing underway together with introduction of more collections to improve stock rotation. Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) stock audit tool being used to measure quality of stock

· Self Issue project commenced in Customer Services, Libraries & Information funded by Public Service Agreement (PSA)

· Draft of "Libraries as first stop shops" strategy produced, subject to staff consultation

· Heritage Services room hire policy review nearly complete

· 4 Circus Trust - Bath Spa University College to discuss renting more rooms in the building

· Leisure PSA targets not achieved 2003/4

· Unsuccessful bid made to Sport England's "Active England" fund

· Funds being pursued to implement home delivery and lending - vending machines for Libraries.

· DCMS Library position statement written and to be taken through single member executive decision

· New mobile library under construction - due for delivery October 2004

· The new library management system invitation to tender has been issued; tender results will be reviewed and choice made by December 04 for a 2005 implementation

· Change programme facilitating the changes required to implement the Library Vision - on going coaching underway for four months

· Negotiations continue regarding opening libraries on "Bank Holiday Saturdays" with Unison; potential funding issues.

· Libraries Counters and workroom processes review begun to complement the self issue PSA project; Business Process Reengineering (BPR) paper to go to Business Improvement Service Development Group in September to set up a corporate BPR team which can be used to facilitate BPR in the libraries

· Cultural partnership to be established within the Local Strategic Partnership

· City of Festivals strategy being developed

Performance Targets

No.

%

RED

0

0

AMBER

2

11

GREEN

16

89

NOT KNOWN

TOTAL

18

100

Ref No

Indicator

Best 25% of all English Councils

02/03

02/03 actual

03/04 actual

04/05 target

04/05 estimated outturn

Status

Comment

PLAY AREAS & SPORTS CENTRES

Local 31

% of play areas that conform to national standards for local unequipped areas

N/a

26%

26%

26%

26%

Green

Local 32

% of play areas that conform to national standards for local equipped areas

N/a

73%

73%

73%

73%

Green

Local 33

Number of participants on Sports Development programmes organised by B&NES

N/a

New

789

800

800

Green

Local 34

Number of visits to sports centres per 1,000 population

N/a

6,423

6,453

6,550

6,550

Green

Local 35

Average spend per visit

N/a

£2.05

£2.82

£2.20

£2.20

Green

Local 36

Number of visits to Council golf courses '000

N/a

60

58

70

70

Green

PARKS & GROUNDS MAINTENANCE

Local 38

% of grounds meeting specification on first inspection

N/a

93%

95%

93%

95%

Green

Local 41

Percentage of Parks which are accredited with a Green Flag Park award

N/a

New

10%

20%

20%

Green

MUSEUMS

170a

Number of visits to/usages of museums per 1,000 population

744

9,348

9,476

9,540

9,700

Green

Increase in coach borne visitors to Roman Baths

170b

Number of those visits that were in person per 1,000 population

522

7,874

7,628

7,712

7,880

Green

Increase in coach borne visitors to Roman Baths

170c

Number of pupils visiting museums and galleries in organised school groups

N/a

89,640

98,786

103,000

109,000

Green

Recovery in language school market

Local 39

Net museum income per Council Tax payer

N/a

£43

£47

£50

£50

Green

LIBRARIES

117

Number of visits per head of population to public libraries per 1,000 population

6,295

4,705

4,760

4,894

4391

Amber

Local targets set. Marketing policy complete. Re-branding started. Marketing activities on going. Refurbishments and pilots planned and underway (e.g. Writhlington school)

COMMITMENTS MADE

C2

Open the Bath Spa development, involving 3 spa sites, supporting Bath as a major centre for tourism

N/a

N/a

N/a

Open in 2004/5

In progress

Amber

C19

All Libraries rebadged and marketed, and provide customers with access to information and transactions in relation to range of Council services to an agreed level. Location of libraries reviewed

N/a

N/a

N/a

Do It

In Progress

Green

Branding agency appointed and early work started.

C20

Employ member of staff to promote and co-ordinate GP Referral Schemes and Healthy Living activity both within Leisure Centres and through outreach work in order to effect improvement in well being of users and increased participation by those currently excluded

N/a

N/a

N/a

Do It

In Progress

Green

C21

Establish "Sport Forum For B&NES". Create partnership to deliver Plan For Sport & Physical Activity

N/a

N/a

N/a

Do It

In Progress

Green

C23

Re-design and plant bed areas in parks and open spaces to reduce the use of non-renewable resources and reduce ongoing costs.

N/a

N/a

N/a

Do It

In Progress

Green