Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 April 2025 were noted as a true and accurate record.

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

Cllr N Hookway - Minute 11, Affects Non-Registerable Interest: Member of Devon County Council.

Information on public speaking is available online

No members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting.

There were no matters of urgency.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no items which officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway.

There were no confidential/exempt items.

The LED Chief Operating Officer presented this report which provided an update on LED facilities and activities including performance and project highlights, risks and challenges, and the work of the Active Communities Team.

Discussion and clarification included the following points:

·        The Coburg Field Tennis Courts at Sidmouth were upgraded and repainted at an approximate cost of £40k, funded by the Lawn Tennis Association.

·        Dashboard – Contract-wide Year on Year Attendances Report

·        Dashboard – Contract-wide Monthly Performance Report

·        Dashboard – Individual Sites Monthly Performance Reports (x8)

The Forum received and noted key details of the performance of LED Community Leisure for May 2025 including contract-wide year on year attendances, a contract-wide monthly performance report and individual sites monthly performance reports.

The Senior Leisure Officer now had live access to the KPI Dashboards in order to see in-month updates as required.

Discussion and clarification included the following points:

·        Members commented on the encouraging performance data particularly around gym attendance and the Senior Leisure Officer was asked to look at putting out some positive communications highlighting the achievements. 

·        The Dashboard data is based on LED sites which relate to the East Devon leisure contract but excluding Axminster.  It was explained that this is due to LED using a single licence shared between Axminster Leisure Centre which forms part of the East Devon leisure contract, and The Hangar at Seaton which does not.  Going forward, LED officers will look to manually extrapolate data specific to Axminster Leisure Centre, in order that this can be reported to the Forum.

·        LED members can attend classes at any LED facility; however their attendance is recorded on the Dashboard under the primary site at which their membership is held, irrespective of the facility they attend.

The Principal Building Surveyor presented this report which summarised corporate property and FM activities for the 4^th quarter of financial year 2024/25 (January to March 2025) and listed the tasks for the 1^st quarter of 2025/26 (April to June 2025).  The report also provided an update on ongoing approved capital projects.

The Forum noted the contents of the report.

The Senior Leisure Officer provided a verbal update outlining progress being made on car parking arrangements at Honiton Leisure Centre following concerns raised by LED staff concerning inconsiderate and dangerous parking. 

EDDC officers and LED had reached a consensus about the way forward and would be working together with a private operator to implement an automatic number plate recognition system in the car park, with a view to changing people’s behaviour. 

The Senior Leisure Officer stated he would bring a further report to the Forum once more detail was known. 

Members discussed relevant considerations and expressed a view that the Council and LED should be careful to appoint a private operator that operates considerately and responsibility.  The Assistant Director Place, Assets and Commercialisation stated that he would share with Forum members technical advice obtained from EDDC’s Parking Services Manager, for reference.

The Assistant Director Place Assets & Commercialisation presented this report which provided an update on the Building Condition Survey on the leisure portfolio, completed earlier this year.  The survey was in response to recommendations from the 2022 Leisure and Built Facilities Strategy and Corporate Peer Challenge undertaken in 2024.  The aim of the survey was for this information to be used to inform long term strategic decision making around the Leisure portfolio and capital investment planning.

Discussion and clarification included the following points:

·        In relation to the table at 3.1 in the report, it was clarified that the total 30-year forecast spend is inclusive of the total 10-year inclusive spend.

·        It was recognised that the eventual spend will almost certainly be higher than set out in the report due to inflation. 

The Forum noted the findings from the Leisure Buildings Condition Surveys and that they will inform future asset management decisions and the Strategic Leisure Review.

The Senior Leisure Officer presented this report which provided a progress update with the Cranbrook Leisure Centre project.

Discussion and clarification included the following points:

·        Members expressed concern that the final facilities mix for the project was not expected to include a 4-court sports hall.  They stated that there is a shortage of sports facilities in Cranbrook; the sports courts at Cranbrook Education Campus are not accessible to the community during the normal school day and are also restricted in the evening, weekends and school holidays.  They added that if new sports hall facilities are not built into the new leisure centre then this could be seen in the future as a missed opportunity. 

·        The governance strategy is being developed and stakeholder mapping is underway and these will be reviewed by the Cranbrook Leisure Centre Project Team before sharing with Portfolio Holder, Forum Chair and ward members.

·        It is necessary for the council to get itself into the strategic position to invest in moving the facility forward, since this will put it in the most advantageous position to explore avenues for funding going forward.

·        Officers have not been informed that there are any specific constraints or timelines for Sport England funding bids.

·        LED have demonstrated their interest in supporting EDDC in the development of a sports facility in Cranbrook and have discussed potential interim facilities that could be put in around the area.  They have also offered their consultancy services in relation to the facilities mix for the new build.