Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have had in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16^th January 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Executive Member for Leisure & Culture Advisory Panel held on 16 January 2007 be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Board’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5pm on Monday 26th March 2007.

It was reported that there were no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the Service Plans for council services that are wholly or partially funded from the Leisure and Culture budget.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Recommend the Service Plans

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In order to ensure that service and group managers are in a position to implement the strategic priorities of the directorate.

Members considered a report that sought approval for the Service Plans for Council Services that are wholly or partially funded from the Leisure and Culture budget.

The Chair asked Members if they were happy with the new format of the Service Plans and Members agreed that they were. There was a comment regarding the small print on several of the pages and the Officer said that he would look into changing this for future plans.

Members asked what the implications were regarding the reallocation of resources for the DfES (Department for Education & Skills) Music Manifesto.  The Officer said that the reallocation of resources needed to be discussed with the Schools Forum. There is Government funding available and the DfES suggest that this is devolved to individual schools. The possibility is, therefore, that there will be a need for an increase in teaching resources. This will not be completely resourced by the DfES.

Members raised a query regarding the programme of ownership for the vision of the Cultural Quarter. Officers clarified that The Minster, The University, York Museums Trust, The National Railway Museum, the Theatre and York@Large were working together to develop the vision. Members asked whether the public would be able to comment on the programme and Officers said that it was still at a very early stage at the moment but that once it was at an appropriate stage it would be shared widely for comment and further development. Members said that as Culture was a very important part of the City’s life it was important to involve residents before taking plans forward.

Members asked what steps were being taken to house the ‘library’ when Acomb library closed for building work in June of this year. Officers said that they were still looking into this but one solution was to have the mobile library situated in a local car park and this would offer the library service on some evenings and for some hours over the weekend.

Members raised a query concerning Civic Trust Green Flags and Officers said that they had spent a lot of time working on and maintaining Green Flag status for the various parks and open spaces in York. Officers also said that as part of the redevelopment of the Museum Gardens better facilities would be provided for the boating community along the Ouse.

Members asked when Yearsley pool would be closed for refurbishment and Officers said that it would be closed through the summer holidays and probably also a week on either side of this. Members asked if members of the public would be able to use any of the school pools whilst the work on Yearsley baths was being carried out and Officers said that they would look into this.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Recommend the Service Plans

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In order to ensure that service and group managers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

This report seeks approval to purchase Lifelong Learning and Culture programmes through Service Level Agreements. 

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Approve the proposed Service Level Agreement awards of more than £5k to Cube Media and Friends of St Nicholas Fields as set out in paragraph 12 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To provide a programme that meets the Council’s objectives.

Members considered a report  that sought approval to purchase Lifelong Learning and Culture programmes through Service Level Agreements.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Approve the proposed Service Level Agreement awards of more than £5k to Cube Media and Friends of St Nicholas Fields as set out in paragraph 12 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To provide a programme that meets the Council’s objectives.

This report seeks approval to submit a bid to the Community Library strand of the Big Lottery Fund in order to refurbish and extend Tang Hall library and deliver a library learning centre. 

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Approve the submission of a bid to the Community Library strand of the Big Lottery Fund.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To refurbish and extend Tang Hall Library and deliver a library learning centre.

Members considered a report that sought their approval to submit a bid to the Community Library strand of the Big Lottery fund in order to refurbish and extend Tang Hall library and deliver a library learning centre.  There is an overall fund of £80 million and 149 library authorities are eligible to apply for this.

Members asked if the bid of £800k would be enough to cover all costs and the Officer stated that the bid was now for just over £1 million and this included inflation at 7%.

Members then considered the following options:

Option A        to submit a bid to the Big Lottery to improve the existing building

Option B       not to submit a bid but to look instead for alternative ways to provide a new library building in the future perhaps through developments associated with Metcalfe Lane or any future plans for Tang Hall School.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

• Approve the submission of a bid to the Community Library strand of the Big Lottery Fund.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To refurbish and extend Tang Hall Library and deliver a library learning centre.

The Executive Member thanked Councillor Evans for his commitment as he was standing down at the next election.