Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Members, officers and guests to the meeting.

The Chair thanked the previous Chair, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, and the Board Members for their work over the past year.

Apologies were received by Cllr Lewis, Cllr Henry, Cllr Ashworth and Cllr Ridley. Cllr Higgins, Cllr Barnett-Ward and Cllr Simpson attended as substitutes.

The following declarations of interest were made:

• Cllr Jones-Evans declared an interest as an Arts Council Member (South West).
• Cllr Laing declared a standing interest as an Arts Council Member (South West).
• Cllr Hug declared an interest as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Parks.
• Cllr White declared an interest as a Member of Visit Hertfordshire.

The Chair invited all of the Board Members present to introduce themselves and state which Council they were from.

The Chair asked Members to refer to the table within the agenda pack and report any incorrect or missing information to Emma West, Member Services Officer.

The information contained within the agenda pack was noted without discussion.

·       For information only

The Chair invited all of the officers present to introduce themselves and state which team they worked in.

The information contained within the agenda pack was noted without discussion.

Ian Leete, Senior Policy Adviser, presented a series of slides to the Board which set out information related to the Board’s responsibilities, roles and remit.

In response to questions from Members, Ian confirmed that:

·       Pubs and restaurants were covered within the Safer and Stronger Community Board’s remit in terms of licensing side, although the Culture, Tourism and Sport Board focused on the impact that pubs and restaurants had from a hospitality and tourism aspect.

·       The British Film Institute is part of the creative industries, although recent work has been with Filming in England.

The Chair suggested that one meeting a year be hosted outside of London, the location would be agreed at a future Lead Member meeting. The Chair encouraged all Board Members to submit their location suggestions to Ian or to Member Services. Board Members supported this.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 June 2023 were agreed as an accurate record, subject to the meeting’s location being amended from ‘Hybrid Meeting’ to ‘Microsoft Teams & Market Hall, Duke St, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 4PS’.

Board Members thanked Cllr Tudor Evans, OBE, and Cllr Jemima Laing for hosting such an informative day at Plymouth.

Cllr Laban nominated, and Cllr Jory seconded, Cllr Golds to be appointed as the Board’s Creative Industries Council (CIC) representative. Board Members supported this.

As Cllr Higgins was an LGA peer for libraries, Ian and the Chair suggested that he work alongside Cllr Jones-Evans in her role as Library Champion for the Board, and that he join the Library Sounding Board.

Decision:

• Board Members noted the report and Cllr Golds’ appointment as the Board’s CIC representative.

Ian Leete, Senior Policy Adviser,introduced the paper which outlined some key lobbying priorities for culture, tourism and sport services which would inform the LGA’s programme of advocacy and engagement with political parties and stakeholders ahead of the general election.

Members discussed the following topics as possible lobbying priorities for the Board:

·       Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC)

·       Short-term lets

·       Overnight stays – Air BnB

• Tax-free shopping
• VAT reductions for the tourism and hospitality industries
• Support for those unable to spend money on leisure, sport, and entertainment facilities as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
• Long-term future of leisure facilities
• A licensing review to better support the hospitality sector and licensing venues to thrive.
• Support to address highstreet decline

Members asked questions and made additional comments, which included the following:

• A question was asked which related to the impact of councils issuing S114 notices and their spend on non-statutory services.
• It was suggested that a report on Martyn’s Law be brought to a future meeting of the Board.
• More information related to the DCMS participation survey, and its results were requested.
• More information related to productivity and employment and skills data was requested.

Ian responded to Members’ comments and questions:

• With regards to short-term lets, the legislation was included within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. The LGA were currently debating what to put forward for the King’s Speech and felt concerned that the Bill may not be included.
• A briefing note could be submitted to Board Members to agree an LGA position on tax-free shopping. The LGA had previously supported industry positions on VAT reduction.
• In relation to the cost-of-living crisis and the impact that it had had on councils, arms-length bodies continued to look at perception surveys and what people were spending their money on. The survey had proven that people were spending less on sports and leisure facilities as their incomes had reduced, meaning that services had been affected as a result. The LGA had a cost-of-living hub on its website which had been designed to share best practice and help councils to support their residents with the rise in the cost of living.
• A sense-checking exercise could be carried out in relation to S114 notices and the impact on spending.
• Regarding Martyn’s Law, an LGA colleague could be invited to the next meeting of the Board to provide an update. More information would be circulated to the Board via a briefing note outside of the meeting.
•  A future board meeting will be dedicated to exploring the data and evidence available to the sector, and will include a presentation from DCMS.

Decision:

• Board Members agreed that the following priorities would be added to the lobbying lines:
• Calling for a Royal Commission on the long-term future of leisure and culture facilities

Action:

• Officers to note and act upon Members’ suggestions (where appropriate).
• Officers to invite political spokespeople to each board meeting.
• Officers to circulate a briefing note to Members re tax-free shopping and introducing a tourism levy; and previous  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Ian Leete, Senior Policy Adviser, introduced the paper which outlined the planned deliverable outputs for the Board during the coming year.

Members suggested that the following topics be included in the Board Workplan:

• Creative Industries
• Sports and physical activity for older people and those with disabilities
• Underrepresentation of different cultures and faiths in sporting events

Members asked questions and made comments, which included the following:

• The importance of including communities of identity as well as groups of people with protected characteristics and creating a joined-up approach whilst still devolving to communities, was emphasised.
• A question was asked which related to think tank experts.
• A question was asked which related to the rapid decline in library use.
• It was suggested that the workplan include all the Board’s meetings within the cycle and a schedule of upcoming work for each of the meetings.
• The Chair asked officers to provide a link to Board Members to the monthly bulletin, as well as other key dates.

Ian responded to Members’ comments and questions:

• Whilst there were concerns around library participation levels, analysis work continued to be undertaken.
• A significant amount of work had already been undertaken on creative industries; this would be circulated to Board Members.
• Further work related to protected characteristics would be undertaken in the following Board cycle.

Decision:

• Board Members noted the report.

Action:

• Officers to provide a link to Board Members to the monthly bulletin, as well as other key dates.
• Officers to schedule work related to protected characteristics.
• Lead members will raise the issue of the decline in pub numbers with the safer & stronger communities board; and supporting the high street with the Local Infrastructure and Net-Zero Board.

Samantha Ramanah, Adviser, introduced the report which summarised the key points from the Government’s new sports strategy which was published on 30 August 2023. It offers the LGA’s view on the strategy based on established policy lines.

Members asked questions and made comments, which included the following:

• Concerns were raised which related to the strategy’s funding stream and how Government would be held accountable for delivery.
• Members agreed that local government must be represented on the National Physical Activity Taskforce
• The importance of focusing more on physical activity rather than sport was emphasised, as physical activity was a stepping stone to then participating in sport for some.
• With regards to active travel infrastructure, the importance of encouraging and supporting people to make journeys in physically active ways was emphasised.
• A question was asked which related to collaboration with the NHS.
• Working closely with other LGA Boards such as the Children and Young People Board and Community Wellbeing Board was welcomed.
• A view was expressed which related to health and wellbeing and the need for there to be a link to education and young people.
• The importance of future-proofing leisure centres was emphasised.
• A question was asked which related to the recovery of leisure and sport centres post Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the network of organisations supporting physical activity.

Sam noted the Members’ comments and confirmed that further information would be provided to Members regarding the funding for the strategy.

Decision:

• Board Members noted the report.

Action:

• Officers to provide further information to Members regarding the funding for the strategy.
• Officers to write to Ministers seeking a place for local government on the National Physical Activity Taskforce.

·       Verbal update (Ian Leete, Senior Adviser)

Ian Leete, Senior Adviser, provided a brief verbal update on RAAC. The update was noted without discussion.