AT A MEETING of the RECREATION AND HERITAGE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on Thursday 10^th July 2003.

PRESENT:

Councillors: M.S. Geddes (Chairman); Mrs S.E. Allbright; J.V. Bryant; Mrs E.M. Byrom; K.G. Chapman; P.J. Chegwyn; J.E. Coles; E.F. Gale; B.T. Gurden; Jo Kelly; P.K. Mason; R.H. Price; K.P.J. Searle.

Councillor J. Waddington was also in attendance.

84 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should, normally at the time of the debate declare their interest, and having regards to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

85 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd May 2003 were confirmed by the Committee and signed by the Chairman.

86 TRAILBLAZERS

The Director of Recreation and Heritage introduced the Trailblazer concept which is a scheme entailing a cross department partnership between the Recreation & Heritage and Education Departments. It entails, inter alia, outdoor activities, field work, environmental education and use of key skills and an important element is accreditation of the work in question in which participants have to display their knowledge and work involving discovering, exploring and caring for the environment. The key themes are learning to learn, learning about yourself and aiming high and 60 schools are currently involved. Work is ongoing to extend the project to community groups and a youth service pilot scheme has been started up.

87 HAMPSHIRE OUTDOOR SERVICE - PARTNERSHIP RECOGNITION

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Recreation & Heritage (Item 7 in the Minute Book) on the Hampshire Outdoor Service. The report described the outcome of recent collaborative working between the Outdoor Education Unit (Education Department) and the Outdoor Activity Service (Recreation & Heritage Department). The former is responsible for guiding schools and youth groups to safe working and good risk management in the outdoors whilst the latter manages and maintains four outdoor centres at Calshot, Tile Barn, Beaulieu and Wales. Recent collaborative working between the two departments had taken place and, in the light of positive benefits arising from this collaboration, it was being proposed that "Hampshire Outdoor Service" be adopted as an umbrella identity which would permit a clarity of provision for outdoor learning in Hampshire, a pathway for the rational identification of current and future needs and development and a closer fit between training requirements and provision.

RESOLVED :

(i) That the increased collaboration between outdoor services within Education, Recreation and Heritage and other County Council departments be supported and encouraged.

(ii) That the use of the term "Hampshire Outdoor Service" be supported; this would encompass the processes and structures currently being put in place and designed to lead to greater development of outdoor learning opportunities in Hampshire, whilst recognising the requirement to ensure an appropriate distance between "regulation" and "provision/delivery" - a new Hampshire County Council "brand".

(iii) That this report and the support of the Committee be submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage for his consideration.

88 MONITORING OF SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Recreation & Heritage (Item 8 in the Minute Book) on the Recreation & Heritage Department's handling of suggestions and complaints in the year ending 31 March 2003. The figures did not represent a particularly high level of complaint with the majority relating to the library and information service (236) and it had to be borne in mind that over 7 million visits to libraries occurred during the year in question. 80% of complaints received were handled by service managers at the local level whilst 20% were referred to the Head of Service. The figures did not reflect all the complimentary comments which had been received.

RESOLVED :

That the information on the monitoring of suggestions, complaints and compliments contained in the report be noted and submitted for consideration to the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage.

89 MILESTONES EXECUTIVE GROUP

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Recreation & Heritage (Item 9 in the Minute Book) on the strategic management of Milestones and decisions of the meeting of the Milestones Executive Group held on 23^rd June 2003. At the meeting of 23^rd June 2003, it had been generally agreed that the role of the group should be formalised and that is should be responsible for providing strategic development to the management of Milestones, harmonising the needs of the partners and ensuring that Milestones supports their respective aims. The respective Executive Members should report to their Cabinets as necessary, especially in respect of the business plan and consequential revenue support and capital investment. A single joint management committee for museum issues in the Borough (covering Milestones and the Willis Museum), was being recommended. A comprehensive and detailed business plan for Milestones for 2003/04 had been considered and adopted.

Members expressed concerns that the interests of the Willis Museum and Basing House might suffer if excessive importance was placed on Milestones.

RESOLVED :

(i) That the report be noted

(ii) That the invitation to attend a joint meeting at Milestones with Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council to review progress on Milestones, the Willis Museum and Basing House and to discuss the Milestones business plan be welcomed and arranged.

90 FINAL ACCOUNTS 2002/03

The Committee considered the report of the County Treasurer and the Director of Recreation and Heritage (Item 10 in the Minute Book) on the Recreation & Heritage Service's spending in 2002/03. The recommendation in the report was that the final accounts be approved and that as per the County Council's policy, 50% of the under spend of £18,000 be carried forward to be added to the 2003/04 budget. It was also pointed out that the cumulative overspend of £344,000 on Milestones had been underwritten from balances with the expectation of a further contribution of £115,000 from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in 2003/04; thus the deficit would eventually be shared equally between the two partners.

RESOLVED :

That the final accounts for 2002/03 be noted and be submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage for his consideration.

91 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2003/04 - 2006/07

The Committee considered the report of the County Treasurer and the Director of Recreation & Heritage (Item 11 in the Minute Book) on changes in the Recreation & Heritage Capital Programme following a review by Cabinet of the overall County Council programme and the allocation of a further £4.8 million over 4 years to support the development of discovery centres. It summarised decisions taken so far this year on allocations to specific schemes and provided information about the programme of library refurbishments taking place alongside the discovery centre projects.

During discussion on the report, it was pointed out that the exact location of a Cultural Centre on the Carfax site adjacent to the Hampshire Records Office was still being considered and that more room for archives in the Office could be created by moving modern records elsewhere; the provision of a new library at the Locks Heath Centre was advocated and in response the Committee was advised that refurbishment was in the plan for 2004/05.


RESOLVED :

(i) That the increase in the Recreation & Heritage Capital Programme be welcomed.

(ii) That the actions being taken to progress discovery centre projects and the library refurbishment programme be supported and submitted for consideration to the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage.

92 EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED :

That, by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item.

93 WORKFORCE PLAN 2003/04

The Committee considered the confidential report of the Director of Recreation & Heritage on the Workforce Plan 2003/04.

RESOLVED :

That the Recreation & Heritage Workforce Plan for 2003/04 be supported and submitted for consideration by the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage.

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