Agenda item

To receive a written report from the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, and to question the Cabinet Member thereon, provided any such questions are registered in accordance with the timescales and procedures set out in Standing Order 8.2.1.

Council received a written report from Councillor Crisp, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism.

 

Notice had been  received of eleven questions on the report, submitted by Members in accordance with Standing Orders.  Members agreed to receive written answers to the questions, as set out below:

 

(i)      From Cllr Barton

 

“Could the Cabinet Member confirm as to whether or not any Branch Libraries will close either before or after the Community Benefit Society take over management of the service on 1^st April 2014, and if there are to be closures could she advise which branches will be closed?”

 

Reply:

“The purpose of our establishing a Community Benefit Society is to ensure that our service goes from strength to strength.  Cllr Barton may in fact have noticed that we have been in the business of opening libraries not closing them.  No, we are not closing any before 1 April.  As for the future, we will look to Explore Libraries and Archives to continue to make library services more accessible.  That doesn’t’t necessarily mean everything staying the same of course.  We are asking Explore to provide genuine community hubs where residents can access a range of services in new, more accessible ways.”

 

(ii)       From Cllr Ayre

 

          Could the Cabinet Member explain why attendance at all but one of York’s libraries was down in 2012/13 and how moves to a ‘community benefit society’ will help arrest this decline?

 

Reply:

“Attendances at York libraries are down just 0.4% down on 11/12, our record breaking year.  This is hardly surprising in a year that included the Olympics since nationally numbers are always down in years that include major sporting events.  In fact nationally visits to libraries were 6% down in 12/13 so once again York is bucking the trend.  The community benefit society will grow the excellent work that is underway to provide new forms of service delivery, opening up the service to a new generation of users.  Rowntree Park reading café and the library café at Sycamore House are just two examples of this which are beginning to swell the overall number of users.  The Community Benefit Society will bring the service much closer to communities and to its users and find new ways to make use of library buildings and to create new services for communities.”

 

(iii)     From Cllr Gillies

 

“Will the transformation taking place within the Library service provide a new Library as planned at the yet to be built Community Stadium?”

 

Reply:

“Yes, there will be a service point at the Community Stadium; this was never to be a library in the old-fashioned sense but a flexible space where people will be able to access books and other library services.”

 

(iv)    From Cllr Aspden

 

          “The report claims that the need to encourage more active leisure is a key priority. Given this, why is the council jeopardizing the future of local community centres and youth clubs and planning to privatise the running of council sports centres and swimming pools - all facilities where this type of activity is most easily accessible to those who are often the most difficult to engage?”

 

Reply:

“This administration is committed to investing in and improving all its provision to ensure better outcomes for its residents.  We have an excellent track record of investing in facilities, for example doubling the size of Energise gym and setting on the road to full sustainability.  Through the procurement exercise that is underway related to the leisure facilities I am confident that we will once again bring new investment to ensure the long-term sustainability of our leisure estate. 

 

Far from jeopardising facilities or privatising them we are working along side them to ensure that they are able to survive the funding crisis caused by the Conservative Lib Dem coalition government and to flourish over the long term.”

(v)     From Cllr Reid

 

          “In congratulating those responsible for what seems – subject to audit – to have been a successful St. Nicholas Fayre, would the Cabinet Member join with me in condemning her cabinet colleagues whose policies have resulted in a 10% reduction in shopper numbers in the city-centre since August?”

 

Reply:

“We are in fact investing in the city centre notably through Reinvigorate York.  I am just embarking on a £1.5m transformation of York Market to turn it into a real destination attraction.  These are difficult times for the high street but we are working in partnership with city centre business to ensure we have a thriving city centre.

 

I’m sure that Cllr Reid would like to join me in congratulating my Cabinet Colleagues on making some brave decisions which are transforming the city centre and giving our city centre businesses and those looking to invest in our city confidence in the viability of the city economy at a time when it is being sorely tried by the austerity measures meted out by the Conservative/ Liberal Democrat Coalition.”

 

(vi)    From Cllr Ayre

 

          “Could the Cabinet Member provide the profit and loss figures for the Rowntree Park Reading Café, Explore York Café and the Explore Acomb Café for the last financial year and for this financial year so far?”

 

Reply:

 “If Cllr Ayre had paid any attention at all during his brief spell on the Lib Dem Executive he would have perhaps realised that local authority accounting regimes do not provide for profit and loss accounts. 

 

One of the reasons for putting the service into a community benefit society is that this will change, bringing in a business approach that a Council’s systems simply cannot provide. 

 

I am pleased, however, to be able to say that the York and Acomb are in profit whilst Rowntree Park is getting to profitability.  The business plan for the community benefit society shows that it will be able to make huge improvements in these areas.”

 

(vii)    From Cllr Gillies

 

“Has the decision not to provide an Athletics facility at York Sports Village reduced the ability of the Sport and Active Leisure Teams to provide activities particularly for the elderly on one site?”

 

Reply:

“No, we have an excellent partnership arrangement with the University of York and the option to locate the athletics facility next to the greater part of the University’s existing sports facilities makes sense for both parties and represents an excellent grouping of community accessible sports facilities.

 

The decision to place the athletics facility away from the York Sports Village site has not affected our ability to deliver sessions for older people.  Activities we coordinate for older people are generally delivered in their local communities so as not to create any additional barriers to participation.

 

Athletics facilities are not particularly suited to the needs of older people but walking/ jogging activity would be very suited to the closed loop cycle circuit which we have provided in partnership with the University at the York Sport Village.”

 

(viii)   From Cllr Aspden

 

          “Can the Cabinet Member outline how much additional income the council can expect to receive from parking charges, rents, leases, licences, sponsorship and similar income streams during and after the “Grand Départ”?”

 

Reply:

“Strictly speaking this is not my area since it falls within the Leader’s brief of Economic Development.  However, I will say that work is underway to estimate the potential income from camping, caravanning and parking.  Final income will be dependent on how many visitors we attract that use these services.  So it is incumbent on everyone to ensure that we maximise this income by being positive and showing a genuine York welcome to our city.

 

Once the more accurate crowd modelling figures come to us in January we will expect to provide more information on the potential income from these activities.”

 

(ix)    From Cllr Ayre

 

          “The Cabinet Member describes the move to a ‘community benefit society’ as “staff led” giving the impression that this initiative was started by staff and has their support. Could she provide the results of any poll, which either the council or staff representatives have undertaken, which demonstrates that the majority of staff support the change?”

 

Reply:

“As part of a comprehensive staff survey staff were asked:

 

Based on everything you have heard about a Libraries and Archives community benefit society, how do you feel now?

 

Against the proposal             7.0%

Somewhat against                3.5%

Still undecided                       19.3%

Broadly in favour                   49.1%

Very much in favour              21.1%

 

So, 70% are in favour.  This questionnaire was completed back in May.  I suspect if the survey were to be repeated now staff would be even more in favour.”

 

(x)     From Cllr Ayre

 

          “As part of the efforts to expand access to sport and leisure could the Cabinet Member confirm when a planning application for the athletics track at Heslington West will be submitted?”

 

Reply:

“It is due to be submitted by the University in January 2014.”

 

(xi)    From Cllr Ayre

 

          “Can the Cabinet Member confirm the city-centre footfall figures for Illuminating York?”

 

Reply:

“We cannot provide accurate footfall figures for the whole of the Festival.  Our evaluation gives us estimates for each year depending on head counts at various events and this is still being compiled and cross checked. 

 

However, we do have the footfall camera in Parliament Street and these are supplied below.  I must emphasise that these are not the figures for the entire festival as the routes through the city from event to event will differ.  But in comparison to previous years you can see that the single camera capture figures are significantly up for 2013 compared to previous years.”