Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed members to the meeting and listed apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

Siraz Natha, Adviser, introduced the item, updating members on the progress of Sport England Strategy. The LGA were working to ensure that councils would feature in the strategy, and to encourage a rebalance of funding from the central to the local level. Officers would look at where local government could play a part in investment priorities.

In tiers introduced from a new Sports Governance Code of Practice, local authorities would be placed in tier 1 (automatically deemed to have meet the criteria for funding). Local authorities would be in a position to receive Park Life football Programme funding, and although there were minimum population requirements for this, smaller councils could apply for funding if they grouped with other areas.

He asked members to raise any issues from a local government perspective for the ‘asks/offer’ list at Annex A.

The following points were made:

·         Health and Wellbeing Boards (especially those working on physical activity) were suggested as partners in this area. Concerns were raised about areas of responsibility which had not been identified in the strategy.

·         Members asked for clarification on whether grant money would be awarded to volunteers or councils. Officers advised that the strategy was unclear on this as yet.

·         There were concerns that plans to invest £72 million in football focused on major cities (due to the population requirement), thereby leaving out smaller towns. Although the scheme allowed smaller councils to partner with other areas to apply for funding, members expressed concern that there were limited resources to set up partnerships.

·         Members suggested that opportunities to make sports facilities in schools open to the public should be captured in the strategy.

·         Members asked for more information on the funding tiers.

·         Regarding point 13.4, members suggested that funding for sport needed to vary and focus on more than football.

·         As the strategy did not provide for those under 5, members emphasised the need to provide for those under this age. It was suggested that Sport England should be made aware of the Early Years Programme.

Decision:

1.    Officers to proceed with work as directed by members.

Action:

1.    Officers to circulate details of Leadership Essential Programmes.

Ian Leete, Senior Adviser, introduced the item, advising members of progress with the arrangements for the CTS Conference 2017. The time of the board meeting was confirmed as from 16:00-18:00 on the final day of the conference (23^rd Feb).

The Chair asked members to confirm whether they would attend, and for a volunteer to host the conference dinner.

Members raised the following points:

·         There was concern that there were four walking tours and no provision for those with limited mobility.

·         It was suggested that the SS Great Eastern should be considered as a tour venue.

·         Members expressed concern about the timing of the conference, as this clashed with many council annual budget meetings. However, the difficulty of finding a time which did not clash with other events was acknowledged.

·         Concern was also expressed over the time of the board meeting, as the finishing time would create difficulties for some members to return home by public transport.

Decision:

1.    Members noted the report.

Actions:

1.    Officers to look into the walking tours and ensure there is an option for those with mobility difficulties.

2.    Officers to look at the possibility of attending Great Eastern in Bristol for tours/a meal.

Members noted the report and made the following comments:

·         There was an error noted in the British Destinations table, as Cllr Knight should be included as the representative. MSO to correct.

·         Cllr Organ updated the board on the last meeting of the Tourism Alliance Board, advising members that the TA were considering their position in relation to the EU Exit.

·         Cllr Knight updated members on the work of British Destinations.

·         Cllr Abbott updated members on the work of the British Board of Film Classification, advising that the board were currently working on the regulation of offensive language and changing attitudes towards this.

·         The Chair requested that representatives on outside bodies forward minutes of meetings to the MSO to be included in board paperwork.

Decision:

1.    Members noted the report.

Actions:

1.    MSO to correct error on the outside bodies paper (detailed above).

2.    Minutes of outside body meetings to be forwarded to MSO to be included in board paperwork.

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as an accurate summary of the discussion.

Ian Leete, Senior Adviser, introduced the item, advising members that the Minister had now approved the libraries ambition document and officers would circulate this to members for comment when it was published.

A discussion with members followed.

Decision:

1.    Members noted the reports.

Action:

1.    Officers to take forward work as directed by members.

Eamon Lally, Principal Policy Adviser, introduced the item. The report set out the priorities on the impact of Brexit for local government.

A discussion with members followed.

Decision

1.    Members noted the report.

It was agreed that Cllr Colin Organ would send information from the Church Review Panel meeting to the MSO. The Chair asked Cllr Organ to attend any future meetings on this.

Members were advised that the joint publication with CLOA was in development and would be published in the New Year. It would be circulated then.