Cabinet Minutes – 24th June 2013

25/11/2013

Cabinet Minutes – 24^th June 2013

Delivery Model for Leisure, Sport, Play and Development Services

Cabinet considered a report on the benefits, implications and proposed approach to the creation of a new delivery vehicle for the Council’s leisure facilities, sport, play and development services.

The report summarised the work of specialist leisure consultants FMG, who had been appointed to look at various company models and to evaluate and report back on a preferred model that would safeguard the scope and quality of the existing service, whilst achieving required efficiency savings as set out in the Council’s three year plan.

The report sought Members’ approval to set up a charitable trust (limited by way of guarantee), whereby the Council retained the freehold of the current physical assets.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

(1)  notes the findings of the options appraisal and consultation exercise that have concluded that the most appropriate delivery model is that of a new charitable trust;

(2)  approves the formation of the Trust and the transfer of leisure services into it with an effective operational target date of 1^st April 2014, with the trust being established by the end of the year (December 2013) at the latest;

(3)  gives delegated authority to the Head of Public Protection and Enforcement (SRO for the project), the Borough Solicitor and the Section 151 Officer (or the officers that are devolved those powers) to commence the detailed implementation of the Trust, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and Leader of the Council (involving, but not being limited to, a progress report to Cabinet in October 2013), using the following actions and timetable:

· Start formal consultation with staff and Trade unions - July 2013 - onwards 

· Development of a robust, detailed Business Plan, which includes an asset investment plan (for the Trust), performance specification and details of contract management - October 2013 

· Complete formation and registration with the Charities Commission - November 2013

· Advertise intention to award contract - November 2013

· Recruitment and appointment of a board of trustees (see 2.4 below) - September 2013

· Recruitment and appointment of the Trust’s Senior Management Board - November 2013

· Complete condition surveys for all the buildings at cost of approximately £20k - November 2013

· Commission the Pension Actuary to confirm cost of any bond - Approximately £5K - August 2013

· Finalisation of staff transfer arrangements and related HR, insurance considerations; and operating procedures.- Dec 2013

· Shadow Trust becomes operational - December 2013 

· Enter into lease(s) for all facilities with the Trust on terms and conditions to be agreed by the delegated officers - February - March 2014

· Novation of current joint use agreements and other service contracts - March 2014 

· Entering into pension admissions agreement and staff transfer agreement plus formal transfer of staff and services - April 2014

(4)  agrees to nominate two elected members to serve as the Council’s representatives on the Trust Board, subject to approval by full Council in July 2013.