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. 

In recent years the summer schemes have been a huge success with numbers attending last year reaching 19,400 compared to 11,700 during 2008.  The 2013 schemes have been developed to include four sunrise clubs, one in each area of the City.  In 2012 two centres provided access to children less than five years of age and in 2013 this will be extended to four areas in the City.   A pilot youth scheme aimed at 12-15 year olds is also being held in four centres across the City.

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.

All users of Belfast City Council leisure centres benefit from a subsidised service, funded through the rates. The Parks and Leisure Department are also currently working with other council departments to better align all summer intervention schemes.

In January 2013 due to the demand for the Summer Scheme at Grove Wellbeing Centre the Committee gave approval to pilot a new approach to pre-registration for the Grove Summer Scheme.  The approach prioritised places for local children in BT14 and BT15 in front of other Belfast residents and residents outside of the Belfast boundary.

This report provides members with an update on the pre registration which took place in April 2013.

            2       Key Issues

The Grove Summer Scheme offers places for 72 children on a daily basis for five weeks.  A communication plan to raise awareness of the new approach to registration involved utilising the following approaches to inform the public of the scheduled pre- register day on Saturday 13 April 2013:

·        BCC website advertising from 29 April – 15 April 2013

·        Notices at Grove Well Being Centre from 3 April 2013

·        Notices on Facebook from 8 April 2013-05-01

·        Article on UTV news on Friday 12 April 2013 including a live interview

·        General coverage in City Matters in January and February 2013.

136 applications were received from within BT14 and BT15.  An additional 40 applications were received from outside of this postcode area.  Management at the Grove are confident that they can accommodate the 136 BT14 and BT15 applicants as all applicants did not apply for all five weeks.  The additional 40 applicants can be accommodated in the neighbouring Loughside or Shankill summer schemes.  The enrolment for these schemes and other centres schemes will open on 18 May 2013. 

3      Resource Implications

      Financial

An allowance of £71,900 is allocated within revenue budgets to support holiday schemes in leisure centres with an anticipated £32,000 projected to be received in income from summer scheme participants.

            4       Recommendations

It is recommended that Members agree as in previous years:

1.   Free swimming was provided during July and August for community group schemes 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.

4.   Free entrance before noon for community group schemes which are in receipt of Summer Scheme funding from the Community Services Section, subject to availability.

It is also recommended that Members note the update on the Grove Wellbeing Centre Summer Scheme.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.