Agenda item

Report DRR15/094

In accordance with contractual arrangements between the Council and Mytime at the point of transfer of the services and the updated agreement dated 1 November 2011, Mytime submitted its Annual Report for 2014/15 for Member consideration.  

The report outlined Mytime’s achievements for the year and previewed it’s future spending proposals from the Investment Fund, along with their 2016 pricing review.  In particular, Members were requested to consider the release of £1.51m from the current Investment Fund to upgrade facilities as set out in Appendix 3 of the report.

The Chairman extended a warm welcome to, Marg Mayne, Matthew Roberts, Alan Yardley and Keith Sykes, representatives from Mytime Active.  The Chairman commended MyTime for producing an excellent and informative report, but was disappointed to note the lack of detailed financial information on investment figures for Bromley. 

Ms Mayne outlined the progress achieved and work undertaken during the year.  The importance of physical activity to reduce obesity and enhance health was recognised and various events and activities to promote this were held throughout the year.  The current aim was for MyTime Active to integrate further within the Borough to give residents wider access to health and fitness facilities.  In this very competitive and challenging environment, it was essential for a vast range of physical activities and programmes to be provided in order to engage and retain inactive people.

Councillor Michael was pleased to note that, apart from an increase in fees for casual paying services, a number of prices had been frozen.  Members were informed that MyTime continued to offer bargains and deals in order to attract and retain interest.  It was anticipated that the revised pricing schedule would help to compete in the current competitive market.

Fierce competition from other organisations continued to challenge MyTime to provide services to a much wider audience to enable them to stay ahead of their competitors.  If a competitor was to concentrate on providing just one individual service, MyTime would need to assess the commercial viability of providing the same service before it continued to compete.

In relation to MyTime's request for Investment Fund monies, Members were informed that as funding had not been fully released for three years, this had impacted negatively on MyTime's ability to maintain the services it could offer.  There were currently several facilities which were in urgent need of upgrading and refurbishment.  The Assistant Director, Culture Libraries and Leisure, outlined the required elements for the release of funds and confirmed that all works set out in MyTime's Investment Fund Programme were compliant.  Although any proposals put forward for refurbishment and improvement of facilities would add to MyTime's profitability, there were other concerns and further issues arising from the adventure golf proposals.

Childcare provision for parents who required out of hours supervision for their children was provided in a variety of venues including the Council's Great Hall.  After school clubs and breakfast clubs were also provided in a number of Bromley schools.  MyTime aimed to explore and develop these clubs with one option being to consider the introduction of a child weight management programme.  It was hoped that MyTime would become Harris Academy's preferred partner as it expanded.

With regard to the MyTime Challenge which encouraged people to get or stay active through a points based challenge, Members were informed that participants set their own target and whilst only 12% completed their goals, others still participated but failed to achieve their individual targets.  This year, to promote the challenge further, social media was used to reach a wider audience.

Ms Mayne confirmed to Members that the income generated by the release of Investment Fund monies was reinvested in providing on-going activities and services.  There were no shareholders or dividends to be paid.  MyTime would send Committee Members via e-mail, a table of figures identifying the percentage of surplus money that was reinvested in Bromley.  Draft financial statements had not yet been approved.  MyTime had achieved a £1.4m surplus from a turnover of £32m; this was equal to a 4% return.  Over time, MyTime had expanded its work in health and golf.  Investment in Ruxley and Orpington Golf Clubs had enabled the introduction of the award winning 'MyFuture' project which empowered young people from diverse backgrounds facing challenging circumstances to take ownership of their personal and social development.

In summing up, Ms Mayne reported that MyTime Active was a stronger company now than it was five years ago, having gained vast expertise in health and capital projects whilst maintaining a good level of financial resilience.  The Council had approached MyTime to renegotiate future arrangements and this was something Ms Mayne would be happy to discuss at a later date.  Part of MyTime's direction was recognising more effective ways to run its programmes on a much wider scale.  In this regard, it may be possible to look at implementing new services i.e. at  Crystal Palace Park or establishing children's centres.

As stated in Appendix 3 of their Annual Report, MyTime were seeking to spend £2.2m from the Investment Fund.  In this regard, Members agreed that £1.51m of the funding should be released now and Year 13 funds discussed at a future meeting of the PDS Committee.

RESOLVED that:-

1.  the report be noted: and

2.  the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree the release of £1.51m from the current balance of the Investment Fund to upgrade facilities as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report.