Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 13

13 May 2004

Financial Support to Independent Outdoor Centres - 2004/05

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Stuart Nundy Ext: 5015

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That partnership funding be approved for the following independent Outdoor Centres and organisations in 2004/05.

Centre Amount

£

Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre, Ringwood 6,000

Countryside Education Trust, Beaulieu 44,287

Privett Centre, Privett, near Petersfield 26,652

Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Centre, Bursledon 12,384

British Red Cross, Hampshire Branch) 3,806

Gilbert White Field Study Centre, Selborne 34,029

TOTAL 127,158

2. Reason

2.1 To enable Outdoor Educational and Recreational provision in Hampshire to develop and operate in support of the Corporate Strategy, specifically the aim relating to `Maximising Life Opportunities'.

3. Other options considered and rejected

- Rejecting partnership funding applications

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted. - None

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: (signature) Date: (date of decision)

................................. ................................

Councillor J. Waddington

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 13

13 May 2004

Financial Support to Independent Outdoor Centres - 2004/05

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Stuart Nundy Ext: 5015

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this report is to consider applications for partnership funding for the year 2004/05 from five outdoor centres and one other establishment that are voluntary organisations and have charitable or trust status.

2. Background

2.1 The organisations under consideration all received grants from the Recreation and Heritage Department in 2003/04 to assist them with essential revenue costs. This support enabled them to deliver programmes to young people and adults resident in Hampshire. Support totalling £123,530 in 2003/04 was as follows:

£

Centre Amount

£

Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre, Ringwood 5,253

Countryside Education Trust, Beaulieu 43,207

Privett Centre, Privett, near Petersfield 26,075

Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Centre, Bursledon 12,082

British Red Cross, Hampshire Branch 3,714

Gilbert White Field Study Centre, Selborne 33,199

2.2 In early 2004 the Outdoor Activities Officer carried out a series of visits to these organisations in order to assess their current work with respect to Corporative Objectives. In addition, an independent inspection of teaching and safety management was carried out at the Gilbert White Field Study Centre by the Inspector for Outdoor Education. Senior officer visits to The Countryside Education Trust were made by the Director of Recreation and Heritage, and to the Avon Tyrell Centre by the Head of Sports, Community and Outdoor Centres.

2.3 Each organisation is working with significant numbers of Hampshire people. In total, over 20,000 Hampshire residents (young people and adults) were involved in day and residential activities provided by the organisations in 2003/04

2.4 Each organisation is aware that the County Council wishes to work within a partnership arrangement, and that financial assistance from 2003/04 would be assessed in terms of the providers contribution towards the corporate objectives of the County Council. Each organisation now reports briefly on those corporate objectives to which it particularly contributes. In addition, each organisation is encouraged to attend the newly formed `Hampshire Outdoor Forum' (chaired by the County Inspector for Outdoor Education and the Outdoor Activities Officer) where common issues relating to good practice in outdoor learning, its delivery and safety, are discussed. All organisations (apart from the Red Cross) now attend these meetings.

2.5 Apart from local members (see below), Councillor Ray Ellis (Recreation and Heritage lead member, Outdoor Centres) has seen the report, and has made the following comment:

"My view is that this comparatively small sum of money could reap large dividends in the provision of facilities for the youth of Hampshire and I support making these grants. As usual I should expect that there will be the usual monitoring and a move to high cost effectiveness".

3. Applications for partnership funding in 2004/05

3.1 Avon Tyrrell

3.1.1 Avon Tyrrell is the National Activity and Residential Centre for Youth Clubs UK, an organisation that provides outdoor education and environmental opportunities for school students and adults across Hampshire. The application is based on the needs of their environmental centre. Last years grant was used to obtain equipment for a nursery garden and to help fund activities during the summer holidays for young people from low income backgrounds. In addition, classroom facilities were improved with the addition of better toilet facilities.

3.1.2 This year the centre would like to obtain computer software for use with groups and to obtain more equipment for use in their nursery garden.

3.1.3 With regard to corporate objectives, Avon Tyrrell works with a variety of groups from `hard to reach' backgrounds, including Hampshire Youth groups, local play schemes and a number of `young offenders' groups. They contribute to `maximising life opportunities' for these young people, and deliver an environmental message consistent with aims within `Stewardship of the environment'

3.1.4 Last year the centre provided day sessions for 1,016 young people and 521 adults from Hampshire. However, they are increasingly working with residential school groups from Hampshire, with a total of 15 Hampshire schools, representing 543 children, attending in 2003/04. This compares to a base of no residential Hampshire groups for environmental work in 2000/2001. The extra costs associated with these groups is currently being absorbed by the centre, but they are keen to continue working with these schools and others. They have therefore requested a small increase to their partnership funding above inflation. Funding of £6,000 is recommended for 2004/05, which represents an increase of 2.5% for inflation, plus an additional amount of just over 11% to assist with their increasing work with Hampshire schools

3.1.5 The member for Ringwood, Councillor Waddington, has seen the report and endorses the recommendation for Avon Tyrrell.

3.2 The Countryside Education Trust (CET)

3.2.1 CET at Beaulieu offers environmental education and access to the countryside for students and adults from Hampshire. It operates the CET Study Centre in Hartford Wood, and the residential Out of Town Centre in Beaulieu. The grant has been used previously to support the salaries of the education officers and Trust administrator.

3.2.2 The trust is keen to expand its work with hard to reach groups, and has begun to target schools and youth groups in many of Hampshire's more deprived locations. To facilitate this they have applied for additional grant aid from a number of children's charities to enable them to reduce the direct cost to young people. The centre also works extensively with local community groups on the Waterside area of the New Forest, offering pre-school and other school clubs, evening activities for young people and a range of holiday and half term events for both adults and children.

3.2.3 At a recent meeting between the Centre Manager and the Director of Recreation and Heritage, the idea of working with older citizens from the community was also raised, and met with enthusiasm. The centre is positively working to `Maximise life opportunities' and also contributes to `Stewardship of the environment' through its work in the New Forest.

3.2.4 In the past year 5066 young people and 2917 adults from Hampshire attended the centre. Funding of £44,287 (including inflation at 2.5%) is recommended for 2004/05.

3.2.5 The member for Brockenhurst, Councillor Thornber, has seen the report and noted its contents.

3.2 The Privett Centre

3.3.1 The centre, situated in the Meon Valley, is a self catering residential establishment based in a disused primary school listed building. The Privett Centre Trust is a registered charity. It targets young people with special needs especially from the Basingstoke area. Its aims are to advance education by providing such students with a secure base and facilities to learn outside their `normal' learning environment. The centre really does `maximise life opportunities' for these young people.

3.3.2 The grant was used to balance the revenue account in 2003/04. The Management Committee state that this years grant would be used to improve the facilities for students of all ages, especially those with special educational needs. In the past year 907 young people and adults from Hampshire attended days at the Centre.

3.3.3 It should be noted that the building is rented from the County Council at £9,500 per annum, plus building maintenance of £868. However, for 2004-05, the Centre management have successfully agreed a `rent holiday' with the County Council to enable them to carry out and pay for essential building work to improve the quality of the centre and its services to Hampshire schools and youth groups.

3.3.4 Following the development of a new business plan in early 2002, the centre set itself a new strategic direction which, whilst still focused upon special schools and their youngsters, has also deliberately marketed the facility to many of the small schools and youth groups who need to work with similar youngsters in a `safe' environment. Consequently, the number of users has increased. In addition, the business plan saw a deliberate effort to raise further direct income by increasing the extremely low fees (£10 per group per night in 2002) to £100 per group per night (in 2003-04), and to £150 per group in 2004-05. Whilst such an increase may seem rather large, it has not affected group usage, but has substantially increased centre income. However, the small scale of the centre, and the nature of its target market always mean that the centre operates at the margins of its budget. Without partnership funding from the County Council it would undoubtedly close with consequent harm to the very vulnerable young people who currently access its facilities.

3.3.5 A grant of £26,652 (inc. 2.5% against inflation) is recommended for 2004-05

3.3.6 The member for Petersfield, Councillor West, has seen the report and made the following comments:

"I am very pleased that a "rent holiday" has been agreed so that the facilities can be upgraded. This is essential to make the Centre more "user friendly" and thereby increase occupancy. It is a beautiful setting, with plenty of walks in the vicinity. I fully support the proposed grant".

3.4 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Activities Centre

3.4.1 The centre, situated within the County Council's Manor Farm Country Park at Bursledon, aims to provide challenging and motivating outdoor educational and recreational activities for people of all ages with disabilities. The grant was used last year to support the revenue account. The centre was attended by 5,481disabled people from Hampshire for day sessions last year - an increase of 16% over the figures for the previous year.

3.4.2 It should be noted that immediately before Christmas 2000 it came to the attention of the senior members of the Centre's Executive Committee, that the establishment was in a very serious financial position, with an estimated trading deficit up to March 2001 of £21,577. As a consequence, the Executive embarked upon a fundraising operation and, at the insistence of the County Council, developed a business plan to take the centre forward in a sustainable manner.

3.4.3 That plan has now operated for three years. The centre has not had a repetition of the financial concerns of 2000/01 and, although finance is tight, it is seen as operating effectively. An indication of this is that the Partnership Funding contribution to the overall centre budget fell from 17.5% to 12.5% in 2002/03, and last year (03/04) fell further to just 8.8% of total turnover. The centre is also looking ahead to new capital developments utilising additional grants currently being considered by charitable bodies involved with disability access. However, officers will remain in contact with the Executive Committee, and the Outdoor Activities Officer will have quarterly meetings with the Centre Manager and Trust Secretary to assess the budgetary situation over 2004 -05. Councillor Colin Davidovitz also sits on the Trust's committee on behalf of the County Council.

3.4.4 A grant of £12,384 (including inflation at 2.5%) is recommended for 2004/05.

3.4.5 The member for Eastleigh, Councillor House, has seen the report, and supports the recommendations. He did however, make the following comment:

"Looking at the detailed figures and what in many cases is updating of historic spending patterns, there is a case for a more fundamental review of the level of support given to these facilities (not prejudged into up or down!), to look at what the County objectively should be putting in from a mix of educational value, and general countryside/recreation benefit. But not an easy issue".

3.5 Gilbert White's House and Oates Museum, Selborne

3.5.1 This establishment provides a Field Studies education service for the young people of Hampshire. The unit is a `day use' centre and integrates it's work with the National Curriculum. The trust maintains the museum and house with material relating to Gilbert White and Frank and Lawrence Oates. The centre has a `strategic fit' within the Outdoor Service strategy by providing outdoor educational opportunities to Mid and North Hampshire where provision is currently sparse.

3.5.2 The trust has completed a major expansion to the Field Studies provision, converting a Tithe Barn into classroom and lecture space, extending the number of both children and adults able to use the facility. Partnership funding would be used to directly maintain the education service. In the past year a total of 2,530 young people from Hampshire, including some 200 youngsters from special schools, attended for day field study work.

3.5.3 Centre staff also support the educational work of the museum, producing materials and resources for educational use, and enhancing visits to the museum by school groups. In addition, the centre has a primary mission to look after the environment in which it is based, and the centre is careful to ensure that all activities are sustainable and contribute to corporate objectives with regard to the environment of Hampshire.

3.5.4 In November 2003 a report was commissioned from the Inspector for Outdoor Education, with a brief to assess the quality of teaching and safety management at the centre. The final report, based on a day of observation involving a primary school's visit to the centre, noted a small number of minor issues relating to some specific operational systems but was, in general, happy with the work of the centre. The writer noted that "... the staff ... are very committed and enthusiastic about the environment in which they work and the value of fieldwork. They are well prepared and have a deep understanding of their work area". He further recognised the "... strength of the work that is done at Selborne".

3.5.5 A grant of £34,029 (including inflation at 2.5 %) is recommended for 2004/05.

3.5.6 The member for Medstead and Selborne, Councillor Scott, has seen the report and supports its recommendations.

3.6 British Red Cross, Hampshire Branch

3.6.1 With its headquarters in Winchester, the Hampshire Branch has over 10,000 volunteers active in the community delivering services to the vulnerable in crises. Over 6,000 young people and 1,000 adults from Hampshire were involved in Red Cross training last year.

3.6.2 They used last years grant to purchase much needed equipment for use in training the teaching of first aid, including audio visual aid equipment. For this year they intend to recruit and train more volunteers, and require additional equipment and materials for a training resource library. The new volunteers will include more youth workers who are intended to go into schools and youth organisations in order to teach first aid.

3.6.3 A grant of £3,806 (including 2.5% inflation) is recommended for 2004/05.

3.6.4 This application is county-wide and it would therefore be impractical to consult all Members involved

Recommendation

That approval is given to the above grant recommendations.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE LOCATION

Detailed grant application forms County Outdoor Activities

Service, Mottisfont Court