Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.      Relevant Background Information

          Each year, summer schemes are organised in leisure centres providing a programme of sporting and play activities to young people over the months of July and August.

          The Council’s Community Services offer grant funding in support of summer activity programmes, to the voluntary community sector, subject to established qualifying criteria.

2.       Key issues/events

          Leisure Services provide quality play, recreation and sporting opportunities for the children of Belfast over the summer holiday period.

          Free use of swimming pools has been offered in recent years to those community groups which are in receipt of Summer Scheme funding from Community Services, subject to availability.

          Free entrance to the zoo has also been offered to children participating in Leisure Services Summer Schemes and concessionary entrance fees are offered to community groups which are in receipt of Summer Scheme funding from Community Services, subject to availability.

          Free entrance to the Adventurous playground has also been offered to children participating in Belfast City Council Leisure Centre summer schemes, and free entrance before noon for community group schemes which are in receipt of Summer Scheme funding from Community Services, subject to availability.

          During 2012 it is intended to pilot a “breakfast club” scheme within four centres, Avoniel, Olympia, Whiterock and Shankill in order to further enhance our service provision. If approved this pilot will make schemes within the designated centres available from 08.30 a.m. and will aim to facilitate parents / guardians wishing to book children in at earlier times. It is proposed that a fee of £2 is levied for this additional provision. £2 is proportionate to the overall charge associated with the scheme.

          Since opening in 2008 the summer scheme at GWBC has sold all allocated spaces within three hours of tickets being made available.

          Feedback from customers has resulted in a number of minor procedural adjustments being implemented relating to the booking process. To help address this issue it is recommended that for 2012 parents / guardians booking for the scheme at GWBC are permitted to book a child for a maximum of any four weeks out of the five which the scheme

          is in operation for. This will, based upon analysis undertaken in 2010, make an additional 100 days immediately available for re-allocation and should assist in addressing concerns raised by a number of customers regarding availability.

          All users of Belfast City Council leisure centres benefit from a subsidised service, funded through the rates.  To support accessibility to holiday schemes it is recommended that the first day of holiday scheme enrolment is prioritised for Belfast residents only, and the second day onwards is targeted towards both Belfast and non Belfast residents.

          Parks and Leisure Department are also currently working with other council departments to better align all summer intervention schemes.

3.       Resource Implications

          Financial

          An allowance of £86,287 is allocated within revenue budgets to support holiday schemes in leisure centres with an anticipated £40,000 projected to be received in income from summer scheme participants.

          Human Resources

          Subject to the nature of the programme offered at each site, summer schemes are organised using Belfast City Council officers supported by the short term use of agency staff, for the duration of the scheme programme.

          Asset and Other Implications

          None.

4.       Equality and Good Relations Implications

          None.

5.       Recommendations

          It is recommended that Members agree that, as in previous years:

1)    Free swimming, during July and August for community group schemes which are in receipt of summer scheme funding from the Community Services Section, and concessionary entrance fees to the Zoo.

2)    Free entrance to the Zoo in July and August for children participating in Belfast City Council Leisure Centre summer schemes, and

3)    Free entrance to the adventurous playground in July and August for children participating in Belfast City Council

Leisure Centre summer schemes, and free entrance before noon for community group schemes which are in receipt of Summer Scheme funding from the Community Services Section, subject to availability.

4)    That the Breakfast club pilot and associated charge be adopted.

5)    That the adjustment regarding the maximum number of weeks being made available for booking at Grove Wellbeing Centre be adopted.

6)    That the adjustment regarding priority booking for Belfast residents be adopted for 2012 and then evaluated and reviewed for 2013.”

            After discussion, during which the Director pointed out that every effort would be made to ensure that those children of Belfast residents would be given priority for the places available on the Breakfast Club schemes, the Committee adopted the recommendations.