Issue - meetings

Community Centres

Meeting: 22/07/2021 - Executive (Item 18)

18 Community Centres

Portfolio Holder for Community Partnerships.

Supporting documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that the Executive:

 

1.    Approve Option 1 and agree that the community centres in Banstead, Woodhatch and Horley will be operated by the Council as multi-use community centres.

 

2.    Agree that a programme of work commences to deliver multi-use community centres.

 

3.    Agree to the allocation of £15k from Corporate Plan Delivery Fund Reserve in 2021/22 to deliver re-branding and marketing for the centres.

 

4.    Note the development of a budget growth proposal of £71k for new staff resource through service & financial planning for 2022/23 onwards to deliver and sustain this change.

 

5.    Agree that the oversight of this change and decisions on the operating model and service offer should be delegated to the Head of Community Partnerships in consultation with the Executive Member for Community Partnerships.

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Community Partnerships, Councillor Ashford, introduced the report by explaining that the Council had an opportunity to develop the Council’s three Community Centres into vibrant, multi-use centres, which offered something for all residents.

 

Councillor Ashford explained:

·       Results from surveys showed there was huge interest in the centre and ambition for the future.

·       There was the potential to widen the services the centres provide, as well as develop close working with a wide range of partners.

·       The Council needed operational and developmental leadership to deliver and sustain the new approach, and to change the image of the centres to reach out to the wider community.

 

In response to questions from Visiting Members, it was confirmed that:

·       The Executive Member would consider a request from the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny for the formation of Key Performance Indicators in relation to usage, which would be reported back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·       Consideration would be given to the pricing model and potential membership models or a loyalty and discount scheme

·       Expansion beyond the three centres would be considered at a later date, once the proposed changes are established

 

 

RESOLVED that the Executive:

 

1.    Approve Option 1 and agree that the community centres in Banstead, Woodhatch and Horley will be operated by the Council as multi-use community centres.

 

2.    Agree that a programme of work commences to deliver multi-use community centres.

 

3.    Agree to the allocation of £15k from Corporate Plan Delivery Fund Reserve in 2021/22 to deliver re-branding and marketing for the centres.

 

4.    Note the development of a budget growth proposal of £71k for new staff resource through service & financial planning for 2022/23 onwards to deliver and sustain this change.

 

5.    Agree that the oversight of this change and decisions on the operating model and service offer should be delegated to the Head of Community Partnerships in consultation with the Executive Member for Community Partnerships.


Meeting: 15/07/2021 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 17)

17 Community Centres

To note the proposals for the three Community Centres in Banstead, Woodhatch and Horley and make any observations for consideration by the Executive.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report on the transformation of the three community centres in Banstead, Horley and Woodhatch.

Councillor Ashford, Executive Member and Portfolio Holder for Community Partnerships, gave an introduction and overview to the report which set out progress made and public surveys that had been carried out. It found that the community centres operated in an outdated over-50s club model with the Council’s approach needing to be refreshed. The new multi-use community centres will continue to welcome existing users but plan to offer services for more residents of different age groups. The COVID-19 pandemic had severely curtailed service delivery from the centres, although some services have continued to be delivered. More than 1200 residents had responded to the survey regarding the proposed changes and there was huge interest from people who wanted a place to meet and connect with others. Community development teams could also use the centres to support people. A food club had been set up in Woodhatch and Horley, and a new programme was being developed in Horley to support under-fives. A dementia support group was being set up in Horley.

The plan was to bolster the team and develop leadership and market the changes with a local promotion and engagement campaign. The programme was seeking an additional budget growth proposal of £71k for new staff resource through service and financial planning for 2022/23 onwards to deliver and sustain the planned changes. The programme was also bidding for £15k from the Corporate Plan Delivery Fund Reserve in 2021/22 to deliver re-branding and marketing for the centres.

Councillor Ashford thanked officers, particularly Head of Community Partnerships, Justine Chatfield, and Transformation Manager, Isabel Wootton, for their work and commitment to the project.  Councillor Ashford asked for the Committee to note the proposals and make any observations for the Executive to consider.

Members welcomed the report and update and made the following observations and comments:

Learning and development – Members asked if this was for the staff and volunteers or for the residents themselves? It was confirmed that this was for staff and volunteers and there was an opportunity to increase this learning and development with the Council and other partner organisations.

Future look of the community centres – Members asked what good would look like in regard to the community centres in two years’ time. This would not be a ‘once size fits all’ approach and services would develop differently in the three local community centres, driven by what local people wanted to see. There were opportunities to expand services later in the day and at weekends and to make use of these spaces throughout the week. The plan was to engage with a wider age range of residents and more diverse communities with different activities organised for different groups.

Engaging with local schools – Members wanted to know more about engagement with local schools to find out what services could be provided and extend the care given within schools where families needed additional support. If communities wanted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17