BOROUGH OF POOLE

ASHDOWN COMMUNITY USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

MONDAY, 10th MAY 2010

The Meeting commenced at 4.30pm and ended at 6.00pm

Present:

Councillor Peter Adams – Elected Member (In the Chair)

Keith Newman – Ashdown Technology College

Iain Stokes – SLM

Nigel Roberts – Haymoor Middle School

Anthony Rogers – Leisure Services

Jon Bland – Ashdown Technology College

Elizabeth Jones – Ashdown Technology College (Governing Body)

Eleanor Smith – Ashdown Technology College

Debbie Priest – PE & Arts Adviser, Children & Young People’s SQIS

Tom Darlington – Poole Hockey Club

Anne Murphy – Ashdown Technology College

Lisa Gardner – Democratic Services

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for Absence were received from Councillor Mrs Moore, Jennie Sykes (Poole Athletics Club), Caroline Stanley (Ashdown Technology College), Colvin Aldous (Governor Representative, Vice-Chair), Councillor Allen and David Greenwood (SLM).

Quorum

The Committee noted that it did not have a quorum for this meeting and that the recommendations would need to be ratified at the next meeting.

  1. MATTERS ARISING

(Minute 3, 11.01.10) – Perimeter Fencing

Elizabeth Jones advised it was anticipated that the Capital Bid for the Perimeter Fencing would be presented to the Council’s Children’s Services Capital Programme Board in the early Summer. Completely new fencing would be installed just inside of the existing fencing and agreement would need to be reached over who was responsible for the maintenance.

AGREED-

That an update regarding when the CapitalBid for the Perimeter Fencing would be presented to the Children’s Services Capital Programme Board be provided at the next Meeting of the CUMC.

(Minute 3, 11.01.10) – Work Experience Placements with SLM

Anthony Rogers (Recreation Manager, Leisure Services) advised that SLM was awaiting a response from Children & Young People’s Strategy, Quality & Improvement Service,regarding the expectation of roles undertaken and the benefits to young people of Work Experience placements with SLM.

Iain Stokes explained that SLM had felt concerns about the potential staff resource implications if pupils were shadowing members of staff and suggested that work experience placements needed to be constructive, manageable and positive from both sides.

AGREED-

That an update with regard to SLM offering Work Experience placements in its Leisure Centresbe provided at the next meeting of the CUMC.

(Minute 4, 01.03.10) – Astro Turf / Tennis Courts

The Committee suggested that further consideration was given to whether the Tennis Courts/Astro Turf could be enhanced by incorporating the spare section of land next to the facilities (for example, to establish a MUGA facility) and if Planning Obligations or Heathlands Mitigation Funding would be appropriate for such works.

AGREED –

That Leisure Services gives consideration to the above suggestion and provides an update at the next meeting of the CUMC.

(Minute 4, 11.01.10) - Storage Container

Elizabeth Jones advisedthat the School had recently painted the storage container based within the playground area.

(Minute 6, 11.01.10) –Joint Arrangements

SLM would be contacting the School shortly with a view to making joint arrangements for Legionella Testing in the Leisure Centre and the School.

(Minute 7, 11.01.10) - Hockey Pitch “D’s”

Iain Stokes advised that SLM hadtemporarily renewed the four “D’s” on the Hockey Pitch.

  1. APPOINTMENT OF HAYMOOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A USER REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ASHDOWN CUMC

The CUMC confirmed that it wished to establish a stronger link with Haymoor Middle School and expressed unanimous support that Haymoor Middle School should be appointed as a User Representative to the Committee.

AGREED:

That Haymoor Middle School be appointed as a User Representative on Ashdown Community Use Management Committee with immediate effect.

  1. OUTDOOR FACILITIES

Anthony Rogers (Leisure Services) provided the following update with regard to the Outdoor Facilities on the site:

Athletics Track

  • The second phase of repairs to the Athletics Track had been completed and new Pole Vault extensions and covers had been obtained;
  • The Council was aiming to secure a Competition Licence for the Summer season and to achieve full re-certification by September 2010;
  • Leisure Services would be meetingwith the Contractors following the completion of repairs and withUK Athleticsregarding the condition of the facility;
  • Interim repairs were being completed to the Athletics Track as needed although the Councilstill aimed to reline and resurface the facility in the medium-term.

Football Pitch

  • The Football Pitch inside of the Athletics Track should be ready for the September season, although the surface would be rolled prior to use, to cover the holes from the Hammer throws;
  • The new Football Pitch would be one of a small number of floodlit pitches within the Borough.

Hockey Pitch

  • English Hockey had confirmed that it would fund £40k towards the £100k required to resurfacethe facility, on the condition that the floodlights were also upgraded, at a potentialfurther cost of £80k;
  • The Council would therefore needa remaining£140k to upgrade the facility and would write to English Hockey to ask if it would reconsider the funding offer or the caveats to the offer;
  • The Council would need to use Prudential Borrowing for the resurfacing works and Planning Obligations/other funding sourcesfor refurbishing/enhancing and still aimed to complete some of the works during August if possible.

The Chairman suggested that Anthony Rogers contacted Tom Darlington (Poole Hockey Club) to seek his input on the letter to English Hockey.

AGREED –

That an update with regard to the Outdoor Facilities be provided at the next meeting of the CUMC.

  1. LEISURE CENTRE MANAGER’S REPORT

Iain Stokes, Senior Manager, gave a verbal Leisure Centre Manager’s report and drew attention to the following:

Memberships

  • Ashdown had attracted 59 and 44 new members during March and April respectively;
  • The average length of stay for Ashdown members was 11.5 months which exceeded competitors and was higher than SLM’s averagefor other Leisure Centres;
  • There had been a 2% increase of income compared with the previous year, the key income streams included holiday activities, football challenge and Group Exercise sessions and SLM had also made cost savings throughout the year;
  • 30 pupils from Haymoor Middle School had attended an Open Day at the Leisure Centre 6 weeks’ agoalthoughhad not returned for further visits;
  • SLM was continuing to focus on how more young people could be encouraged to attend activities at the Leisure Centre.

SLM Newsletter

  • A Newsletter had been issued to 15,000 households overall in the Canford Heath, Waterloo, Oakdale and Broadstone areas, which included advertising and discount vouchers for the Leisure Centre, although the take-up had been limited.

A discussion ensued during which Members made the following suggestions:

-A promotional feature on Ashdown Leisure Centre could be included in the next issue of the Borough’s`Poole News’, which was distributed to every household within the Borough;

-Iain Stokes and Nigel Roberts could meet to discuss what activities/clubs might be of interest to pupils attending Haymoor Middle School;

-Further consideration could be given to providing a spectator/refreshments area within the Leisure Centre to help encourage more young people and their families to participate in activities.

AGREED that-

(i)Iain Stokes and Nigel Roberts meet to discuss what further activities/clubs could be provided at the Leisure Centre which might be of interest to pupils from Haymoor Middle School; and

(ii)Anthony Rogers and Iain Stokes meet Julie Snow (Poole News Editor) to discuss the possible inclusion of a feature on Ashdown Leisure Centre.

  1. GOVERNING BODY & HEAD TEACHER’S ITEMS

Litter Collection

Elizabeth Jones reported that a meeting had taken place between Stuart Twiss (Head of Children & Young People’s Strategy, Quality & Improvement Services), Jan Hill (Leisure Services) and the School to consider how litter collection could be improved on the site.

A discussion took place during which Members made the following suggestions:

  • Litter tended to accumulate in the gorse/bushes bordering the campus and consideration could be given to agreeing joint responsibility for the litter collection and maintenance of the new Perimeter Fencing;
  • There was a need to consider (i) whether there were sufficientlitter facilities on the campus; (ii) how the litter was collected; (iii) how the litter was disposed of(iv) whether pupils could be engagedto not drop litter;
  • The litter problem tended to be exacerbated in the warmer weather as more pupils ventured outside during lunchtimes and the School SLM would welcome further litter-clears of the campus;
  • Councillor Mrs Moore had organised a Litter Pick for the campus for Saturday, 15th May 2010.

AGREED –

That Anthony Rogers and Anne Murphyinvestigate the current arrangements for litter/waste collection on the campus and report back to the next meeting.

Building Schools for the Future

The Outline Business Case for the Building Schools for the Future capital investment programme had been approved on 1st April 2010 and the building programme for the School would be commencing over the next year. The School and Council were working closely in partnership to move the project forward.

Daytime Use of Leisure Facilities

Keith Newman confirmed that there had been some conflict of interest over the daytime use of the facilities, although all interested parties were working well in partnership to resolve any differences and agreement had almost been reached.

  1. USER REPRESENTATIVE’S ITEMS

Poole Hockey Club Storage Container

Tom Darlington enquired whether consideration could be given to Poole Hockey Club positioning a small storage container between the two containers in the playground area and it was agreed that Tom would provide further details to Anthony Rogers and Keith Newman prior to the next meeting.

AGREED-

That Tom Darlington writes to Anthony Rogers and Keith Newman with details of Poole Hockey Club’s Storage Container/ the dimensions etc.

  1. DATE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING

Monday, 21st June 2010 at 4.30pm at Ashdown Technology College.

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