Agenda item

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The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services introduced a report regarding Young Person’s Participation in Sports. The volume of information in the report was considerable, and the information provided for the Sports and Active Lifestyle Services reflected that there was a lot of activity taking place. The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services had endeavoured to capture activities from providers other than the Council. The Council was not in a unique position and many bodies were fighting the tide of decreasing participation in sport. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport had undertaken a survey that indicated that even in the Olympic year participation in sport had been static or even declining. The Council’s leisure service was working hard to obtain government funding to encourage greater participation in sport within the borough.

The Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee was in attendance at the meeting to advise that the Active and Cohesive Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee were invited to attend the 20 November meeting of the Health Scrutiny Committee, in order to jointly consider Physical Activity in Schools. This had originated from a presentation that the Health Scrutiny Committee had received in June for the draft Health and Well Being Strategy, where it had become apparent that physical activity in schools was a cause for concern, as Newcastle had the lowest participation levels in Staffordshire, and the participation levels were significantly lower than the national average. A joint letter from the Chairs of the Health and Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committees was sent to the County Council Cabinet member for Learning and Skills. A response had been received which advised that since 2010 there had been no statutory requirement for the County Council to be provided with data from schools regarding their PE and sport curricular and extra-curricular activities. The letter did provide details regarding Entrust, a joint venture between the County Council and Capita, who had taken over the supporting schools to deliver physical activity. The letter also noted the changing relationship the County had with schools and its role as a strategic influencer. The Department of Education had recently made available £150 million per annum for the academic years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 to improve the provision of physical education and sport in primary schools, and would be received by all schools, even if they were academies. This funding equated to approximately £9,250 for a school with 250 pupils. The Health Scrutiny Committee Chair did not consider this a lot of money and there was concern about how the money would be spent. It was intended to invite Entrust, alongside other representatives such as a representative of the primary school head teachers to the meeting on 20 November. Prior to the meeting, information would be requested from Entrust, in order that Members would be able to consider the information prior to the meeting.

The Chair of the Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committee considered that there was an issue with activities in primary schools, in particular with swimming, where there were associated costs such as renting coaches to transport children to swimming lessons. In this respect, he did not consider £9,250 a lot of money, and felt that thought needed to be given as to what activities could be provided through the Council and schools. It was noted that there were activities in centres once a week and the question was raised as to what was provided for the rest of the week. Members noted that the youth centres would appear to close down during school holidays, when they were needed the most.

A formal invitation would be extended to both the Health and Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committee members.

RESOLVED:                        (a) That the information be received.

(b) That the Active and Cohesive Communities Scrutiny Committee attend the Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on 20 November 2013 in order to jointly consider Physical Activity in Schools.