Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received.

RESOLVED that:-

The minutes of the meeting held on 9^th June 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The panel was provided with the background and context to the Active Communities Framework, a suite of strategies that would come together to produce the framework over a period of approximately 12-18 months. Initial phases of production would involve significant informational input to shape the vision of the framework, with a series of presentations being made to Council members to seek views.

The meeting heard from representatives of Max Associates, industry experts working alongside the Council in the production of the framework. It was noted that work had been undertaken over the previous couple of years to pull together the leisure services inherited from the legacy councils, with details provided to the meeting of these services. Unitarisation had provided the Council with the opportunity to develop a cohesive approach to leisure services across the whole of North Northamptonshire.

It was noted that the sector was moving towards a focus on movement, health, wellbeing and prevention and a place-based approach. It was heard that there could not be a “one-size fits all” approach, with an understanding of communities required to ensure the offer reflected need and demand and encouraged people to be more active, more often.

The initial round of engagement had commenced, with evidence documentation, including examination of existing policies, data mapping and a review of current facilities, users, finances and competition offer. A Management Options Appraisal would be undertaken to provide a good basis for decision making, with evaluation of different options to understand benefits and disadvantages of both.

The outcome of the above work would be the production of the Active Communities Strategy with a view to work being completed by the end of 2024.

Members were asked to consider four discussion topics as set out below:

·       How can increased participation in physical activity contribute towards the Council’s wider strategic outcomes?

·       What do you perceive the purpose of the ‘leisure service’ to be?

·       Thinking about what you want the service to achieve and the Active Communities 'branding' what are the keywords that need to form part of the vision for the Active Communities Strategy?

·       Are you aware of any opportunities and/or benefits for co-location and/or co-service delivery across the Council area? E.g., libraries, GP surgery/health services, council offices etc.

Councillors made the following comments in relation to the discussion items listed above:

·       Educational facilities and “left-behind” areas should be encouraged to engage

·       Affordability and ease of access to facilities needed consideration

·       Working in strategic partnership would help maximise offer and budgets

·       Consideration needed to be given to activities that were not “pitch-based” including dance and theatre

·       Maximising the use of green space assets across North Northamptonshire

·       Improving physical activity among Council staff to offer healthy benefits for the workforce

·       Consideration of the requirements of differing demographics and those with existing health and wellbeing risks

·       Improving inequalities by making paid leisure services more affordable and utilising open spaces effectively

·       Early engagement with children to offer a lifetime approach

·       Promotion of use of sustainable transport, including walking and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Cllr Helen Harrison provided a brief introduction to the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JH&W) item, with the meeting noting that production of a North Northamptonshire strategy was at its initial stage to replace the existing outdated countywide strategy, with work being led by the Council’s Public Health team.

Susan Hamilton, Interim Director of Public Health was invited to address the panel regarding the work of the team in developing the new strategy. The meeting was provided with the context of the strategy, the purpose of which was to set out priorities for improving the health and wellbeing of the local population and detailing how health inequalities and need would be addressed.

There was a recognition that the context had changed since the last strategy was developed, with Integrated Care Systems (ICS) now in place. National guidance had been released stating Health and Wellbeing Boards needed to take account of the ICS when developing JH&W strategies to ensure there was a coherent link between the system and strategy in terms of strategic aims and delivery.

It was noted that the Integrated Care Strategy, covering a ten-year period, had been developed and published in late 2022 setting out the aims and objectives over that timeframe, with the contents of the strategy based on evidence from a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment refresh undertaken in 2022, examining the needs of the populace. The JH&W Strategy would help to deliver the priorities of the ICS, with a focus specifically on place. Timeframes involved for the JH&W Strategy were across a shorter period, typically three to five years, with clear delivery mechanisms and an action plan to be developed to ensure that key priorities identified would be delivered with monitoring mechanisms in place

The meeting heard that although a similar approach was being taken by both North and West Northamptonshire Councils in the development of strategies, timeframes involved were different. In terms of evidencing the immediate issues for North Northamptonshire, data contained within the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment was being examined to identify immediate priorities and other engagement mechanisms including Community Wellbeing Forums and Local Area Partnerships. It was noted that engagement would form a key part in developing the JH&W strategy, with work in this regard already underway.

The meeting was reminded of the ambitions and outcomes of the Integrated Care Strategy. It was heard that there would be heavy emphasis on addressing behaviours, environment and socio-economic factors that impacted health and wellbeing in North Northamptonshire.

A governance structure was already in place for the development of the strategy, with a partnership approach and active leads linked to the Health & Wellbeing Board. The frequency and governance of meetings was in its formation prior to wider partners being brought in. The JH&W Strategy was connected to a variety of other existing and emerging strategies and there was a need to ensure these meshed effectively.

A high-level timeline was provided to the meeting who noted details regarding engagement, evidence gathering  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

The meeting welcomed Kerry Purnell, Assistant Director of Housing & Communities to provide a service presentation regarding the Communities and Leisure Service.

The meeting heard that the Communities and Leisure element of the directorate covered leisure, culture, tourism, heritage and communities and wellbeing as well as the Council’s libraries services. With effect from September, Communities and Leisure would fall under the Public Health and Wellbeing directorate.

The meeting noted the substantial work the service undertook in regard to outreach and delivery of sport and play offering in the community and were provided with details of Key Priorities within the service, with the meeting noting activity relating to the development of a business case for the ongoing operation of Kettering Leisure Village and partnership working with Public Health to deliver funded programmes in the leisure sector that would have a positive impact in the local community.

In regard to Culture, Tourism and Heritage, work was underway to bring all parts of the service together into single service unit and staffing structure, with a business plan due to be completed in Autumn and a view to creating an income generating service on a sustainable financial footprint. 

A North Northamptonshire Tourism Strategy would be submitted to Executive in September, with the ongoing implementation of that strategy being something for the panel to be engaged with. The Greenway Strategy would also be taken to September Executive with future consideration of tourism and heritage venues in North Northamptonshire.

Members discussed and asked questions in relation to the priority of community centres and the use of the Member Empowerment Fund in providing community grants.

A request was made by Cllr John McGhee for a review of outcomes of the work the panel had previously been involved with. It was agreed that a running log be produced of main feedback points raised by the panel going forward to provide updates as to how its involvement had shaped proposals and policies.

The Executive Forward Plan for August 2023 to November 2023 was noted. A copy of the Internal Forward Plan had been circulated to members in advance of the meeting.

The forward list of items for the EAP was considered.

Cllr John McGhee requested the addition of a feedback element to the Terms of Reference.

There being no further business, the Chair thanked Members and Officers for their attendance and closed the meeting.