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.

Councillor Evans declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda items 6 and 7 as he worked for the Museums Trust.

Councillor Hogg declared a personal non prejudicial interest in Agenda Items 4, as he worked for the National Railway Museum in connection with the Yorkshire Film Archive and items 6 and 7 as he was a Member of the Museums Trust.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 5 September 2006.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Member for Leisure & Culture and Advisory Panel held on 5 September 2006 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 Monday 4 December 2006 at 10:00 am.

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

This report presents the 2007/08 budget proposals for Leisure & Culture.

That the following proposals for consultation be put forward prior to the Budget Executive on 16 January 2007:

·           2007/08 Base Budget as set out in paragraphs 7 to 9

·           Service Pressure Proposals as set out in Annex 2

·           Savings Proposals as set out in Annex 3

·           Fees and Charges as set out in Annex 4

REASON:                     To begin consultation on the Leisure & Culture budget for 2007/08

Members considered a report which presented the 2007/08 budget proposals for Leisure & Culture. It included:

·           The Budget Book Service Plans for 2006/07 (Annex 1) to show the original budgets.

·           The base budget for 2007/08 including the 2006/07 budget rolled forward and adjusted.

·           The allocation of pay and price increases for the portfolio.

·           Budget service pressure proposals and savings proposals for the portfolio area (Annexes 2 and 3).

·           Fees and charges proposals (Annex 4).

Some Members raised concerns about the ‘salami slicing’ approach to the budget and the Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services explained that the alternative i.e. to cut a complete service, could be more damaging.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to put forward the following proposals for consultation prior to the Budget Executive on 16 January 2007:

·           2007/08 Base Budget as set out in paragraphs 7 to 9

·           Service Pressure Proposals as set out in Annex 2

·           Savings Proposals as set out in Annex 3

·           Fees and Charges as set out in Annex 4

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     To begin consultation on the Leisure & Culture budget for 2007/08

This report is to inform Members of the likely out-turn position of the 2006/07 Capital Programme based on the spend profile and information to the end of September 2006, advise them of changes to existing schemes to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the Capital Programme and inform them of any new schemes and seek approval for their addition to the Capital Programme.

That the Executive Member:

·           Note the updates to schemes as detailed.

·           Agree the scheme reprofiling and slippage reported above and summarised in Annex 1, subject to the approval of the Executive.

·           Approve the revised capital programme as set out in Annex 1, subject to the approval of the Executive.                                                          

REASON:                     In order to allow the effective monitoring of the capital programme.

Members considered a report concerning the likely outturn position of the 2006/07 Capital Programme based on the spend profile and information to the end of September 2006.

The result of the amendments described in the report was to produce a revised capital programme for 2006/07 of £1.001m funded by £0.642m of external resources, and resulting in a net cost to the Council of £0.359m.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·           Note the updates to schemes as detailed.

·           Agree the scheme reprofiling and slippage reported above and summarised in Annex 1, subject to the approval of the Executive.

·           Approve the revised capital programme as set out in Annex 1, subject to the approval of the Executive.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     In order to allow the effective monitoring of the capital programme.

This report updates members on the current progress of the York Museums Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets agreed in the Partnership Delivery Plan.

That the Executive Member:

·           Note and comment upon the performance of the York Museum’s Trust.

·           Agree to the application of the Council’s capital as set out in paragraph 5 of the report.                                                                

REASON:                     To fulfil the Council’s role under the Partnership Delivery Plan

Members considered a report that updated them on the current progress of the York Museums Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets in the Partnership Delivery Plan.

Officers said that the York Museums Trust was continuing to grow and flourish and that over the past year there had been 500,000 visitors which was an increase of 25%. They were preparing to submit an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in December to refurbish the Yorkshire Museum. York Minster were also putting in a bid for  funding at the same time and the Officer expressed concern that these two bids would not be seen as separate items in the eyes of the HLF.

Members agreed that a lot of HLF Funds would be eaten by the Olympics.

Members commented that the performance of the York Museums Trust was everything they had hoped for.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·           Note and comment upon the performance of the York Museum’s Trust.

·           Agree to the application of the Council’s capital as set out in paragraph 5 of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     To fulfil the Council’s role under the Partnership Delivery Plan

This report outlines the process for the review of the Partnership Delivery Plan by the Council and the York Museums Trust and seeks Members’ views on the priorities for the Trust for the five years 2008-2013.

That the Executive Member:

·           Note the ideas contributed.

REASON:                     To update the Executive Member and seek Members’ views on the priorities for the Trust for the five years 2008-2013.

Members considered a report outlining the process for the review of the Partnership Delivery Plan by the Council and the York Museums Trust. The report sought Members views on the priorities for the Trust for the five years 2008-2013.

Members agreed that there was a need to improve storage facilities within the City. The Archives were vast and there was a lack of resources to cope with this.

York Museums Trust could take a more significant city leadership role on behalf of the Council co-ordinating the city's heritage sector in key areas such as the development of storage arrangements and education programmes.

Some Members said that there was the need to implement a Friends of the Trust scheme and that there should be more outside support of the Trust.

Members agreed that the industrial history of the city was underrepresented.

Members discussed whether the paintings, silver and other historic contents of the Mansion House should be in the custody of the Trust and it was agreed that there was an issue with many of the Mansion House Treasures not being on display.

Officers said that the Trust was trying to implement a ‘History of York’ brand that could be applied to all different media. The brand could be applied to many different areas within the City including tourist signage.

Some Members asked whether there was a policy for developing the relationship between the two Museums and Officers said that where the Yorkshire Museum left off historically the Castle Museum picked up.

Members said that they would like to see more emphasis placed on the Castle Museum and Officers stated that the Trust was aiming to invest between £300,000 and £500,000 every year on exhibitions at the Castle Museum.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·           Note the ideas contributed

Decision of the Executive Member

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

REASON:                     To update the Executive Member and seek Members’ views on the priorities for the Trust for the five years 2008-2013.

This report analyses performance by reference to the service plan, the budget, and the performance indicators for all of the services funded through the leisure and culture budget.

That the Executive Member note the performance of services within the directorate funded through the Leisure and Culture budget.                                                                     

REASON:            To monitor and review performance in the portfolio area.

Members considered a report that analyses performance by reference to the service plan, the budget, and the performance indicators for all the services funded through the Leisure and Culture budget. Officers advised that the report was to help draw attention to the extraordinary range of services that Leisure and Culture provided.

The main message from the report had been that the majority of planned projects were on track and in some instances particularly noteworthy.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

·           That the Executive Member note the performance of services within the directorate funded through the Leisure and Culture budget.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     To monitor and review performance in the portfolio area.

The purpose of this report is to consult the Executive Member about a restructure of the Arts and Culture Service.  Under the Council's Constitution the Chief Officer has the power to implement minor restructures.  Before implementing this proposed restructure the views of the Executive Member and Advisory Panel are sought on the principles set out.

That the Executive Member note the principles set out in the report

REASON:      To secure the increased engagement of young people in the arts, the delivery of a Wider Opportunities programme in schools and that the service arm operates within the budgets set for 2007/08.

Members considered a report about a restructure of the Arts and Culture Service. The guiding principles for the revised structure were:

·           Increasing active participation in the arts by widening access and diversifying our work.

·           Increasing active participation rates improving our offer to young people.

·           Creating safer and stronger communities through focused, targeted work, especially in those communities where active participation rates are low

·           Focusing our festival work on community and arts development whilst working in partnership to promote the ‘York-City of Festivals’ brand.

Members discussed the report and raised the following concerns:

·           How does the service become inclusive and come up with a picture of the City as a whole?

·           Does the Service know who our communities are?

·           What is the largest minority community within the City?

·           How were the statistics surrounding active participation rates worked out?

A letter from Unison was also considered. The Executive Member noted that the letter queried why there was a need to restructure given that the service had recently been restructured. Officers advised that it was appropriate staff were paid correctly according to the job they were doing. The Executive Member agreed and highlighted that now was an appropriate time for a review of the service as it was facing different challenges today than three years ago.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

·           That the Executive Member note the principles set out in the report

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     To secure the increased engagement of young people in the arts, the delivery of a Wider Opportunities programme in schools and that the service arm operates within the budgets set for 2007/08.

This report updates the Executive Member on the development of the School’s Out programme. It offers an opportunity to assess the future development of the programme of activities.

That the Executive Member note the comments made

REASON:      To enable the School’s Out Programme to continue to develop, supporting existing activity providers and utilising the private sector, to develop a comprehensive programme of activities and to meet the needs of those most at risk of exclusion.

Members considered a report on the development of the School’s Out Programme.

Officers reported that as the School’s Out Programme had developed the number of participating children and young people had increased. Some activities had been undersubscribed this year which suggested that there were now sufficient activities to meet demand and resources should be used towards meeting the needs of those least likely to participate.

Some Members  expressed the view that more emphasis needed to be placed on the geographic spread of the activities before any marketing was carried out.

The Executive Member noted that the School’s Out Programme had been very successful over the last few years and the attendance figures were excellent. He was pleased that Officers were looking at attracting the children and young people who would not normally have access to this  kind of activity. He also commented that children and young people did travel to other areas to take part in activities.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

·           That the Executive Member note the comments made

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:The advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and  endorsed  

REASON:                     To enable the School’s Out Programme to continue to develop, supporting existing activity providers and utilising the private sector, to develop a comprehensive programme of activities and to meet the needs of those most at risk of exclusion.