Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.    Relevant Background Information

 

         The Committee is reminded that at its meeting in August 2014 it received a report regarding proposals for a partner agreements framework for grass pitches. At that meeting the committee agreed to defer the report and requested party briefings.

 

2       Key Issues

 

         As requested Party Briefings took place during September 2014 and Members welcomed the opportunity to discuss the proposals.  They also made a number of comments on the draft proposals and these and how they will be addressed are outlined in the table below:

 

Comment from Party briefings	How this will be addressed
Officers should continue to engage with existing FMA holders.	Engagement with current FMA holders has already taken place and officers will ensure that this continues throughout the process.
Future consultation will be extended to groups from incoming LGR areas and include a member’s workshop.	The consultation process will include opportunities for groups from incoming LGR areas to respond.  Information workshops will also be made available to all potential applicants to the new grant aid partner agreements programme, including those from incoming LGR areas.
Applicant support with sports development plans to be attached to the roll out of any new grant aid programme.	All applicants will be provided with appropriate levels of support with sports development plans attached to future programming. Details of how and when to access this support will be widely communicated. It is likely that this will be facilitated through a series of workshops across the city.
Future scoring criteria should be extended to include participation by groups from areas of socio-economic disadvantage.	The proposed assessment criteria  and weighing allocates 60% to participation and social value as follows: ·         Participation type – 25% ·         Participation – increased in usage – 15% ·         Demonstrate social value – 20%
Adequate notice to be given to existing FMA holders and sufficient time to be given to consultation on the new process.	Prior engagement meetings have already taken place with existing FMA holders and any future consultation will include them.   The proposed timeframe for consultation accommodates league bookings for the 2014/15 playing season and a range of consultation opportunities and information workshops will be made available to all interested parties including current FMA holders.
It was requested that a report on demand/usage of council pitches as a means to factor in capacity for community based usage be brought to Committee.	A report which includes a review of the baseline study of demand for council pitches will be presented to this Committee in December 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         Members are reminded that a report will be brought to Committee in December 2014 outlining the proposed grass pitches that will be included in any future expression of interest for discussion and agreement by Members.

 

         They are also reminded that the Committee decision to defer the report in August 2014 has resulted in an amended timeline and that the consultation process on the new partner agreements framework, subject to Member approval, will now commence in November 2014.  If Members agree that the next steps in the consultation process commence a final report outlining the consultation findings and seeking final agreement on the new partner agreements framework, will be brought back to Committee in January 2015.

 

3       Resource Implications

 

         Financial

         Resources required for independent facilitation of the consultation already included in revenue budgets. Existing FMA payments will be re-distributed in the form of grant aid for active sports development plans. The total figure available is being finalised.

 

         Human Resources

         Ongoing officer time from a range of officers across the department will be dedicated to implementation and ongoing management in the medium to long term.

 

Asset and Other Implications

         The draft policy and new partner agreements will impact on the future management of assets. Legal services will continue to provide advice on this for Committee’s consideration. 

 

4       Equality and Good Relations Considerations

 

         The policy will be screened in line with the Council’s existing equality screening process.

 

5       Recommendations

 

         The Committee is asked to:

 

·        Note the report and the comments from party briefings; and

·        Approve the next steps in relation to the consultation on the partner agreements policy and process as set out in the Committee report (August 2014).”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.