Agenda item

Report DRR17/055

Members considered Mytime Active’s Annual Report for 2016/17 together with future proposals in respect of the Investment Fund for 2018/19 which the Council provided to Mytime on an annual basis.  Mytime had developed proposals for a 5 year rolling programme of spending from the Investment Fund which represented key service areas for improvement in 2018/19. 

The report highlighted an underspend within the Investment Fund for 2016/17.  A reduction in design scheme costs for the upgrades to soft play facilities at the Spa and Pavilion leisure centres had resulted in a saving of £100k.  Similarly, work undertaken on customer lifts improvements had achieved a saving of £10k.  In regard to these savings, Mytime sought approval for the total underspend of £110k to be reallocated to the proposed upgrade of the Beckenham Spa swimming pool changing village.

Mytime officers Marg Mayne, Chief Executive, Jason Stanton, Operations Director, Adam Smith, Leisure Divisional Manager and Debra Weekes, Partnerships Manager, attended the meeting for the presentation of this item.

A brochure indicating the highlights of Mytime Active in 2016/17 was circulated to Members.  There was a record number of visits to facilities and take up of services during the year equating to a 17% increase.  Projects and events were made accessible to a wide range of the community including golf family membership schemes, the annual Santa Dash (which this year will head into Orpington), and various projects to support adults and older people to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

The Primetime programme for people aged 60+ continued to grow from strength to strength.  The programme was managed by two full time members of staff with support from 24 Primetime Volunteer Buddies.

Mytime Active were members of the Bromley Dementia Action Alliance and throughout the year, three Dementia Champions had been trained.  A total of 13 staff/volunteers had attended a one-day Dementia Awareness Training Course.

Mrs Mayne was pleased to report that Mytime Active assisted in managing the London Youth Games which Bromley won in both 2016 and 2017.  An Orpington 1^st Award was also given for best leisure facility.

Mytime Active appreciated its partnership with Bromley Council and Mrs Mayne thanked Colin Brand and John Gledhill for their valued and improved relationship.

The Chairman congratulated Bromley’s participants on winning the All London Youth Games.

Mr Stanton reported the increase in visitors was due, in part, to affordable pricing levels and rewarding loyal customers with cheaper fees.  In order to maximise services in a greater number of areas, options were currently being explored including the operation of facilities in community buildings such as church and village halls or the introduction of exercise classes in the Beckenham library and swimming pool.

Councillor Michael congratulated Mytime Active on its continued improvements.  She did however, draw attention to the four self-service ticket dispensing machines at Beckenham which were not always in working order.  She requested that this matter be looked into together with the option to install some self-service machines at the Bromley Pavilion. 

Councillor Allen asked if Mytime would be increasing its resources for cleaning as this could be a problem at times.  Mr Smith acknowledged that as a result of feedback from customers, 80 of the 166 comments received alluded to hygiene and cleanliness issues.  Mytime had acted upon this and a new company, Rapid Cleaning, had been engaged to resolve the matter.

The resulting underspend of £100k was achieved by better value procurement for the soft play equipment.  Mytime were seeking approval for this sum to be reallocated to upgrade the Spa changing rooms (in particular, the wet side area of the Spa).  Mr Smith confirmed that all allocated funds would be spent by April 2018.

Councillor Tickner queried the viability of public golf courses.  The London Borough of Lewisham had closed the public course at Beckenham Place Park stating that it was not sufficiently used due to golf being an elitist sport.  Mrs Mayne disagreed with this statement and reported that Mytime did all it could to make golf facilities accessible to all, including varied pricing schedules.  All Bromley’s public golf courses were well promoted and a partnership with England Golf had been secured in regard to the health programme.

In response to questions from Councillor Benington, Ms Weekes reported on a relatively new Primetime scheme designed for men over the age of 50.  The Walnuts Leisure Centre currently offered a walking football programme, table tennis and racquet squash.  During the last year, 800 people took part in the Primetime programme however, there was still progress to be made across all leisure sites.

HeartSmart was commissioned by the Bromley CCG.  The scheme consisted of a 12 session programme of exercise for people at risk or those with established heart disease.  Each exercise session was supervised by a specialist in the customer’s cited health condition.

Whilst no specific group of children were targeted for swimming instruction/assistance, Mytime did work with schools to offer support.  In some cases, target-led sessions were offered to children with greater needs.

In noting Councillor Benington’s statement that no ‘Walking for Health Group’ currently existed in Biggin Hill, the representatives confirmed  that Mytime Active would continue to increase and improve all aspects of its services and facilities wherever possible.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:-

1)  note the commentary within the report and any recommendations made by the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee;

2)  agree to the release of the 2018/19 Investment Fund to upgrade facilities as detailed within Appendix 2 of Mytime’s Annual Report;

3)  agree to the reallocation of the £100k underspend in soft play equipment from the 2016/17 Investment Fund to upgrade the Spa swimming pool changing village; and

4)  agree to the reallocation of the £10k underspend in the customer lift improvements from the 2017/18 Investment Fund to upgrade the Spa swimming pool changing village.