Recreation and Heritage Annual Report 2004/5

Our Objectives

Mission

`To improve quality of life by providing the best possible access to recreational and heritage services and assets together with developing skills and interests to ensure the better use of these valuable resources'.

Values

· Access - delivering services that are physically, intellectually and financially accessible to an increasing user base

· Inclusion - combating isolation, stimulating aspirations and providing services to all Hampshire residents, including those who are vulnerable or at risk of being excluded through poverty or other limiting social circumstances.

· Stewardship - looking after and conserving Hampshire's cultural and environmental assets

· Sense of place - protecting local individuality and heritage and encouraging a sense of ownership and belonging within communities

· Learning opportunities - enabling lifelong learning, supporting the national curriculum and contributing to educational attainment

· Customer focus - finding out more about our users and listening to what they want, to ensure we deliver even better services in the future

· Increased participation - increasing the base of users who enjoy and benefit from our services

· Economic prosperity - contributing to the economic sustainability and knowledge economy of Hampshire; developing cultural tourism.

Our approach

The Recreation and Heritage Department has an offering which is both rich and diverse. What unites the department's services is the fact our customers choose whether or not to use us. It is therefore of utmost importance that we offer quality, innovation and excellent customer care to ensure only the best service for the 21^st century consumer.

The Recreation and Heritage Department is currently working towards Charter Mark status. Hampshire Record Office already has Charter Mark and they are helping and guiding colleagues to achieve the accreditation for the whole department, designed to ensure consistency in customer care, rather than uniformity across our services.

Professional marketing and promotion are also key to our position in the market place, allowing us to compete for precious leisure time on equal terms with commercial operators. An example of this is the new branding and communications strategy which has been developed for libraries and discovery centres which is instrumental in bringing more people through the doors.

We believe passionately that everyone should have equal opportunity to access our services. In order to better understand The Hampshire community, we carry out extensive research into who does and does not use us and their reason for doing so. Armed with this information, we continually strive to deliver our services to a larger audience and to appeal to a broader range of users.

We seek to create good working relationships with both external partners and other Hampshire County Council departments to deliver the core aims of the council to the best of our ability and to the highest possible standard.

Finally a key to achieving this is our focus on staff development. By allowing opportunities for staff to fulfil their potential and achieve their goals, and by recognising that their needs may change, we create a flexible and progressive atmosphere from which to operate. We also have a strong belief that front line staff should be empowered to take decisions concerning customers, after all they know them better than anyone.

Introduction from Councillor Mrs Snaith

I am delighted to be able to introduce this Annual Report as Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage. It also provides me with an excellent opportunity to thank my friend and colleague John Waddington, under whose leadership many of the achievements detailed in this report occurred. John took an active role in the Recreation and Heritage department from its creation in 2001 until his retirement in May 2005, and his enthusiasm and dedication were instrumental in the department's success.

The year 2004/5 saw the results of reorganisation and restructuring within services make a real difference. Changes to the budget released real new funds to support our work. We also saw timely investment in infrastructure such as the development of Gosport Discovery Centre, the extension to the facilities at Beaulieu Development Centre and the extensive programme of library refurbishment. Not to mention national recognition of the excellent way in which we run our services with the awarding of Cultural Pathfinder status and the selection of the Museum Service as lead partner in the South East for the Renaissance project, which will release much needed financial resources to develop museums.

I feel extremely lucky to have what I consider to be the best job in the County Council, and I am really looking forward to the coming year. We've got the new Cultural Strategy to develop, the challenge of the new Culture block of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment and we need to look at how we can help achieve the objectives led by the creation of the Children's and Adult Services Departments. There is a lot to do but I look forward to working with you all in the coming year.

Finally without the huge effort our staff make in ensuring our services remain accessible and enjoyable, none of what we do is possible. This report is a huge credit to Yinnon Ezra, Director of Recreation and Heritage and the staff of the department. On behalf of the Council, "Thank You".

Councillor Margaret Snaith

Executive Member, Recreation and Heritage

Welcome

It is not uncommon for annual reports to become a bit repetitive and self congratulatory. And, we are also often accused in local government of presenting our activities, policies and actions in a way which is just plain dull. This Annual Report however tries to give the reader a glimpse of the vibrancy, diversity and, to adopt a word Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Thornber uses to describe the Department, the "buzz" in everything we try to do. It is this that is drawing more people to use and experience our services, particularly those who in the past were not natural customers.

The need to expand, re-invent and broaden the base of use is central to our whole ethos, but this relentless drive to reach out is challenging us everywhere. How do we modernise libraries and widen their appeal without alienating traditional users? How do we broaden access and enjoyment of the countryside, museums and archives without damaging the collections and environment we seek to protect? And how do we widen the appeal within the Arts while also continuing to drive up the quality and excellence of work and experience? None of this is easy, nor can it be dealt with as a quick fix, so we have adopted research, consultation and constant testing as the only sensible way to proceed. This process of "Transformation" is now firmly imbedded within the Department as we recognise change is central to keeping our services fresh, relevant, innovative and enjoyable.

I used the word "enjoyable" above quite deliberately - we have pioneered many innovations within local communities with sometimes life changing results - but when a local business man who operates a £35 million new technology business from Basingstoke says that the main reason for him locating in Hampshire was the, "lovely walking opportunities in the countryside", enjoyment suddenly means jobs!

My final comment while I hopefully still retain your attention is to thank both our Executive Members Cllr John Waddington and Cllr Margaret Snaith for their support and insight; all the Members of the Policy Review Committee who challenge, probe and encourage; colleagues in the Corporate Departments of the Council without whom many of the developments outlined would not have been possible and our staff at every level who often work beyond their contracts to provide services for our users that delight and inspire.

I hope you enjoy reading further!

Yinnon Ezra

Director, Recreation and Heritage

1. Making our services more accessible

Hampshire's variety of recreational facilities and rich cultural heritage are enjoyed by many people. In 2004-5 we once again aimed to make these facilities more accessible and to encourage more people to use them.

The Museums and Archives Service was restructured, to introduce flexibility and reduce paperwork. Curators have more time to focus on the important task of bringing exhibitions and collections to life in an interactive, imaginative and informative way. Touring exhibitions like the phenomenally successful `Marvellous Meals' and the loan of historic items to schools are examples of how we brought our collections closer to the public.

We also began a review of the arts service, which is ongoing. This has led to restructuring and the appointment of a new head of service, Janet Mein. The aim is to create a more collaborative, outward looking and innovative service that is responsive to the needs of its customers. It will lead to more of the arts services that people want, and to resources being used more effectively.

Hampshire Record Office went global in 2004-5. Over 500,000 items can now be accessed by people all over the world via the HRO's online catalogue. The catalogue gives instant access to details of Hampshire records going back nearly 1,000 years and includes documents such as school and church records, letters, diaries and local government papers. The website received 1,185,597 hits in the period 2004/5, representing a marked increase on the previous year.

Staff and volunteers worked hard to put more than 10,000 historic images online through the Hampshire Photographic Project. Photographs from the 1850s to the 1990s, from over 30 collections, are now available via the HRO online catalogue. Images include home and family life, working conditions, the countryside, and community and leisure activities.

Gosport Discovery Centre, the first in a new generation of libraries, opened in March 2005 to a blaze of publicity, with over 40,000 people visiting in the first month. The £2 million Hampshire scheme includes library services, a gallery, museum, local history centre, performance space and community and learning facilities all under one roof and signals an exciting new direction for library and cultural services. Visitor figures for April 2005 (the first full month of opening) were up by more than 20,000 on April 2004.

The MORI satisfaction surveys reported library users were happy with the service provided. However, in response to demand from customers charges for under 18s were dropped, charges for requests were reduced and borrowing times were extended to four weeks. Nineteen libraries also increased their opening hours for the convenience of customers- some for up to nine hours more per week.

The Hamble River Bus set sail for its second successful year. The bus links Manor Farm Country Park with the Hamble Valley and the Strawberry Trail, a walking route between Hamble and Botley. An alternative to the car, the bus provides visitors with information about local attractions and wildlife.

The Tile Barn Outdoor Centre embarked on a new scheme - to help six young men from Staunton Park in Havant make a smooth transition back to mainstream schooling. The innovative project, begun in early 2005, set the young men a series of tough outdoor challenges designed to boost their self esteem, develop new skills, and increase respect for others. The centre is building on this successful experience so more vulnerable young people can benefit.

Days out became more exciting with the publication of a bright new family guide to Hampshire's military history and attractions, `Defence of the Realm'. Nationally, around 800,000 visitors also took part in the Heritage Open Days weekend in September 2004. Over 100 Hampshire sites and 10 Recreation and Heritage sites opened their doors to the public for a series of lively and illuminating free events, including Chilcomb House where staff organised tours of the county's museum stores.

2. Investing in the future

We believe it's important to invest in the future. 2004-5 saw major developments that will enable more people to enjoy Hampshire's recreation and heritage facilities for many years to come.

Investment in our libraries has already reaped rewards in terms of increased visitor numbers, new people joining and more items borrowed. Alton library saw an increase of 200% in new memberships in the six months following its re-opening in a prestigious new building in September 2004, and a 32% increase in visitors during the same period. The new library, designed by Hampshire County Council architects, won a RIBA award for its bright, open-plan, attractive design while its fusion of traditional and contemporary style has proved a hit with local people.

Similar successes have been achieved following refurbishments in other libraries. Chandler's Ford's refurbished library reopened just before Christmas and saw more than 450 new borrowers join in the following three months, as well as a 48% increase in visitors in February. Farnborough library welcomed 370 new members and 18,000 visitors in the month after it re-opened while Yateley and Fleet libraries saw similar increases following their refurbishments in 2004.

The improved facilities have proved popular with library users and local communities. Odiham library, for example, became part of The Bridewell, a one-stop shop for community services, and now includes a refurbished library, new IT facilities, meeting rooms and a local information point.

Tile Barn Outdoor Centre near Brockenhurst now boasts a new purpose built accommodation block, known as the Bunkhouse. The block, opened in September 2004, transformed the outdoor centre into an all year round, all weather facility and has accommodation for 34 young people and four members of staff as well as kitchen facilities, new toilets and rooms with disabled access.

Approval was also given during the year for a new residential block at Calshot Activities Centre in the New Forest. Due to be opened in October 2005, the new 60-bed block has stunning views across the Solent and is the first new accommodation to be built at the centre for 60 years.

The future of sports in the county was put on a firmer footing with the production of the Sport Hampshire & IOW Business Plan 2005-9. With the backing of all local authorities in the county and substantial core funding from the Regional Sports Board, the plan sets out a long term strategy for the development of 31 approved sports, and includes coaching schemes, club organisation, training schemes and progression. Hosted by Hampshire County Council, Sport Hampshire & IOW aims to increase participation in sport for people of all ages and is one of a network of sports partnerships around the country.

3. Events, exhibitions and festivals

Events and exhibitions are a great way to attract new visitors, bring back previous visitors and stimulate history and culture within local communities and allowing people of all ages to learn about Hampshire's cultural heritage in an enjoyable way.

Visitors' comments proved the popularity of Marvellous Meals, a touring exhibition about the history of food and healthy living. Set in a 1950s cartoon kitchen and featuring a wealth of fascinating interactive features - including a huge bag of chocolate buttons and an unzipping giant banana - the exhibition continued its tour of museums around the county and attracted numerous repeat visits. Passion for Pattern, another touring exhibition about the history of textiles and patterns from the psychedelic to the sumptuous, was also well received and included outreach work in the community as well as popular workshops with children and artists.

Hampshire Record Office capitalised on a surge of interest in family history following the BBC's `Who do you think you are?' series by staging its own family history workshops. Lunchtime, daytime and evening workshops covered old handwriting, family history for beginners and Latin. There was also an exhibition in the Record Office foyer about former Winchester student Victor Manley, who travelled extensively in Europe, India and the Middle East during the First World War and recorded fascinating insights about the people and cultures he encountered.

The Wessex Children's Book Fair, in its ninth year, attracted thousands of visitors to the Winchester Guildhall in November and inspired many young people to read more books. Top writers and illustrators, including Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, Colin McNaughton and Nick Butterworth gave talks and signed books, ensuring that the fair was a sell out success.

The second performance by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Victoria Country Park was also a hit. It attracted around 4,000 people to the open air event and was covered live by BBC Radio Solent. Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet and Bizet's Carmen Suite were among the pieces performed, alongside a dazzling show from the Hampshire Youth Dance Company and a spectacular firework and laser display.

D-Day veterans from HMS Cricket, a World War Two secret military training base, gathered at the former site of the base at Manor Farm Country Park near Bursledon in June to commemorate all those who had worked at the camp. A memorial, in the shape of a D-Day landing craft, was dedicated by Countess Mountbatten of Burma and a collection of memorabilia, records and memories from HMS Cricket veterans was gathered by country park staff and the Botley Local History Society. The collections form the basis of a permanent exhibition at the park and an archive record of the veterans' contribution to D-Day.

In November 2004 Calshot Activities Centre, in conjunction with Social Services, hosted Event 4, a day of outdoor activities, sports and arts for Children Looked After. Up to 100 young people and their families from across the county took part.

4. Working with communities and volunteers

Part of our role involves working in partnership with local community and voluntary groups, who provide valuable services in local areas. Many of our achievements would be impossible without the dedication and hard work of our numerous volunteers.

Community leadership can be daunting, so the Community Team developed a flexible modular training course for volunteer trustees of Community Associations and Village Hall Committees. Four modules have been developed so far, covering the legal responsibilities, duties and liabilities involved. The Trustee Development Modules are led by experienced tutors and Horndean Community Association was the first to take them up.

Collaboration with the Ashcroft Arts Centre in Fareham saw an exciting range of outreach classes launched at the Gosport Discovery Centre. The ten week classes are building up a loyal following and include French, Spanish, Tai Chi and Pilates for adults and street dance and youth theatre for younger visitors.

Hampshire County Council was one of several partners involved in a lively four day programme of activities at the Phoenix Centre in Andover in February. The Pilgrims' Way River Way Community Association provided taster sessions in circus skills, theatre, storytelling, cartoon workshops and street dance for the young and meditation, tenancy issues, healthy walks and computing for adults, to encourage local people to find out more about their centre and take an interest in its development. Collaboration between partners was seen as one of the major successes.

Joint working between arts and social services has led to a successful programme of events bringing more cheer, enjoyment and stimulation to elderly residents in the county's 26 residential homes and day centres. Over 1400 workshops and 700 performances took place.

Hog the Limelight, the County's rural touring arts scheme took over 130 events into over 60 village communities during the year and 55 arts events into Hampshire libraries, with each venue choosing its own programme from a wide variety of activities, including clown therapy, music therapy, arts, crafts, fitness, music and movement, reminiscence, puppets, jazz, musical theatre, opera, variety and flamenco.

In Eastleigh local library staff continue to meet regularly with members from a drop in centre for Asian elders to help promote the cultural welfare needs of the Asian community. The library service development team assisted with a `Taste of Bollywood' event at the centre in June 2004 and is introducing more newspapers in Asian languages, library visits for Asian elders, and more talking books in Hindi and Punjabi.

The charity Making Space worked with Hampshire County Council and Havant Borough Council on a crafts outreach project, the Leigh Park Crafts Initiative, in the Leigh Park area of Havant. Residents gave an overwhelming `thumbs up' to the project, which saw residents of all ages enjoy workshops and holiday sessions in ceramics, jewellery making and textiles. A purpose built education, crafts and business centre is due for completion in 2006.

Local people were invited to have a say on improved access to the countryside in the Forest of Eversley and the Forest of Bere contributing to a draft Countryside Access Plan for those areas. The plans are based on research with a wide variety of countryside users, including farmers, walkers, horse riders, cyclists and local residents.

Hampshire Countryside Access Forum hosted a seminar on improving countryside paths, attended by representatives from 100 parish councils in the county. As a result, council officers and Forum members have developed a new grants scheme to help landowners and parish councils improve access to countryside sites.

Volunteers working through the Hampshire Paths Partnership tackled access head on by replacing 22 stiles across the county with kissing gates. These make it easier for less able walkers, wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs to enjoy country walks. Volunteers play an essential role in the delivery of Recreation and Heritage's services and their hard work and dedication is appreciated by staff and visitors alike.

Hampshire Paths Partnership and local partners have developed four new way marked walks in Ringwood. The Healthy Walks Initiative aims to encourage local people to take regular exercise.

5. Children and young people

New activities have been added to our programme for children and young people to create more opportunities for learning and participation.

Tap dancing, `Lads on the Move', contemporary dance and Forest Youth Theatre were among the regular classes held for young people aged 4-19 at the Forest Arts Centre in New Milton. The varied ongoing programme now provides weekly dance, arts and drama activities and is supplemented with additional workshops in the school holidays. The classes have proved very popular and new interests are being added in response to demand from young people.

`Battle of the Bands' grows from strength to strength and was hosted by Tower Arts Centre in Winchester this year, with a sell-out final at the Theatre Royal in February. Over 1200 young people took part in this rock and pop competition with many new young bands given the chance to showcase their musical talents.

Another 4,000 children took part in the summer reading scheme, the Reading Rollercoaster, which aimed to encourage more children and young people to join libraries and read books. With 20,000 children signing up to read at least six books each in 52 libraries across the county, the scheme was a roaring success.

Over 28,000 children from 2 to 16 enjoyed a wide variety of school and family workshops at SEARCH, Milestones - Hampshire's Museum of Living History, and other Community Museums from Havant to Aldershot. Topics varied from everyday science, such as Exploding Custard! to "60 Years On", social history sessions marking the end of WWII.

Over 40,000 young people also took part in educational and leisure activities at Hampshire's outdoor centres in 2004-5. From rock climbing and mountain biking to assault courses and kayaking, the activities at Tile Barn, Beaulieu Development Centre and Calshot Activities Centre in the New Forest and the Hampshire Mountain Centre in the Brecon Beacons introduced many young people to new skills, new challenges and new opportunities. "We want children to see that they can achieve things in ways they never thought possible," said a Calshot instructor. "We want to promote confidence and self esteem. We want every child to know that they are special and the world would be a lesser place without them."

Young people had the chance to represent their local authority in a wide range of sports at the Hampshire Youth Games, organised in association with Network Rail, Sport England and the Hampshire and IOW Sports Partnership (now Sport Hampshire & IOW). Incorporating the Hampshire Mini Games for 7-11 year olds and the Hampshire Parallel Games for young people with physical or learning disabilities, the events took place in Southampton and Aldershot throughout the summer and introduced over 4,800 young people - including many more with physical or learning disabilities - to the excitement of competing in a variety of sports.

Staff from Westbury Manor museum at Fareham and Hampshire Record Office worked with three primary schools in the Fareham area to deliver a creative writing project, Write on Fareham, using archives and museum objects to inspire the 96 pupils taking part.

6. Valuing older people

Older people have a valuable contribution to make to the community and to our understanding of our heritage. We have worked with other council departments to help improve older people's well being and quality of life and make it easier for all members of the community to access our services.

Residents in older people's homes were encouraged to take a trip down memory lane through Reminiscence boxes put together by staff at SEARCH, the Museums Service education centre in Gosport and at Hampshire Record Office. The boxes contained an eclectic mix of objects, including clothing, gadgets, jewellery, photographs and brochures and were grouped into themes such as `seaside holidays', `royal events' and `nights out'. Along with the Hog the Limelight activities in residential homes, the project aimed to improve quality of life for older people by encouraging them to talk about the past and their personal histories.

The first Silver Surfers week, in May 2004, proved that you don't have to be young to go online. Library and community support staff helped to organise free interactive sessions on using email and the internet for elderly people in libraries and community centres and a dedicated Silver Surfers website was set up with access to online forums and further information. The week highlighted the many advantages of the internet for the elderly, from contacting old friends abroad to researching family history online.

Book clubs have taken off in the last few years, so the library service launched a similar scheme for visually impaired people. Book lovers in New Milton, Basingstoke, Alton, Petersfield, West End, Farnborough and Eastleigh can now follow in the footsteps of those in Winchester and enjoy listening to spoken books on cassette or CD and discussing them through the new clubs.

`Supernova' software, which can enlarge pages and read them out loud, has been installed on the People's Network, Hampshire's free network of computers with internet access, to improve access for the disabled. The Home Library Service continues to expand so that books can be delivered to more housebound people.

Busy people sometimes need a helping hand, so the library service launched an online book club to make it easier to read books. The online reading group at www.hants.gov.uk/library/turnthepage allows people to share their thoughts about books and reading at a time that suits them and invites them to take part in an electronic discussion on the Book of the Month. The website provides a summary of books each month and has information on reading groups in Hampshire, useful sites, booklists and links to the library catalogue.

7. Partnerships, recognition and awards

Some of our projects have attracted attention from national organisations and the media for their innovation, quality and accessibility. We are proud that our services are leading the way on behalf of the people of Hampshire.

Hampshire County Council was chosen by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Local Government Association partnership earlier this year to be part of a two year Cultural Pathfinder Programme. The aim of the programme is to show how culture can help deliver better services to communities. Hampshire was chosen because of its Discovery Centre concept, which aims to transform libraries into vibrant centres offering learning, cultural and library services to local communities. One of only 13 local authorities chosen, Hampshire will share best practice with other authorities and experiment with new ways of using culture and sport to enhance community life.

The Minister for Media and Heritage, Lord McIntosh, joined Hampshire County Council Leader Councillor Ken Thornber to open Gosport Discovery Centre in March. The scheme, which combines museum, gallery, library, learning and community services in a lively, welcoming and attractive space, welcomed nearly 3,000 excited visitors on its first day and attracted a favourable wave of media attention, including an article in The Guardian. Visitor figures for the former library more than doubled in the first few weeks with the new café, events programme, free internet access and young people's facilities proving popular.

As the lead partner of a hub of core museums in the South East, Hampshire's Museums Service is to benefit from extra funding over the next three years from a scheme designed to revitalise museums across the country. The `Renaissance' scheme aims to help museums attract new visitors into regional museums and improve services to schools and new audiences.

In October 2004 the Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield became the first country park to receive a prestigious `Green Flag' national award for being sustainable and environmentally friendly. The park is now an official `Eco Centre' featuring recycled materials in some of its construction, water saving devices in its day to day running and a reed bed natural treatment system to deal with waste from its toilets.

Some of our websites achieved national and international recognition. An interactive website forming part of the County Council's Museums and Archives website takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the history of the countryside, and was a finalist in the `Best of the Web' award in 2004 at a Museums and Web conference in Virginia, USA. The Milestones website was also commended in the Jodi Mattes awards, given to websites which make cultural and learning resources accessible to disabled people, for being one of the first to provide video clips with British Sign Language. Visit www.hants.gov.uk/museums and www.milestones-museum.co.uk to see what inspired the judges.

Calshot Activities Centre was one of 15 centres across the country inspected by OFSTED for a report on outdoor education. The report, published in September, found the quality of teaching in outdoor education centres good and students' attitudes and behaviour good and often exemplary. It concluded that outdoor education helps pupils develop physical skills in new and challenging situations and builds important social skills such as teamwork and leadership.

RECREATION AND HERITAGE HITS THE HEADLINES

From publicising events to keeping people informed about key policy decisions - media coverage plays an important role in raising awareness of Recreation and Heritage services.

There has certainly been plenty to tell people about in 2004/5, with 260 press releases issued about the department and its services - more than one in four of all County Council releases.

Whether it's work to improve the county's rights of way network or enabling older people to enjoy arts performances in residential homes - media coverage has helped demonstrate how Recreation and Heritage services improve quality of life for Hampshire residents and deliver across the Cabinet priorities.

Improvements to the county's libraries and plans for discovery centres were two of the major stories - and keeping the media up to date with plans helped to keep Hampshire residents informed about the changes and why they are necessary.

Quirky human (and animal) interest stories have proved one of the greatest successes, with an unusual visitor at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve - a Chilean flamingo - making quite a splash in the local and national press, as well as two TV appearances!

This year has also seen the beginning of an ongoing partnership with BBC South, with a number of joint projects lined up for the year ahead - including Radio Solent broadcasts from libraries and countryside site events.

With exciting developments and projects underway across the department, Recreation and Heritage is set to continue to make its mark in the media.

(pictures will show selection of the years key press cuttings)

Policy Review Committee

I have served on the Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee for a number of years and I was delighted to become its Chairman in May 2005. I would like to place on record my thanks to my predecessor, Mike Geddes, who chaired the Committee during the year under review in this report.

The Committee's formal role is to assist in policy development, to scrutinise policy implementation and the decisions of the Executive Member and to conduct best value reviews. The Committee meets formally six times a year, but member involvement with the wide range of Recreation and Heritage services is fostered through informal briefings and familiarisation visits.

The Committee had another busy year. We have had lively debates on a wide range of issues in which members have been able to exercise their policy development and scrutiny roles to the full. I would like to highlight a couple of examples.

We have continued to use the seminar format, which allows members to give more detailed consideration to underlying principles than is possible within the constraints of a formal meeting. This year we followed up our review of charging policy with a detailed examination of the types of concession available at Recreation and Heritage sites. As a result we have developed a comprehensive policy aimed at improving access to our services.

We also set up a member panel to look in detail at library provision in Hampshire. This operated in "select committee" mode and took evidence from organisations and individuals outside the County Council. I am very keen to continue to explore new ways of enabling members to contribute effectively on all policy issues.

And, of course, in March members of the Committee were thrilled to see the opening of Hampshire's first Discovery Centre in Gosport - a major milestone in our drive to improve our services.

There is a very full programme of work for 2005/06. This includes a continuing review of Arts policy and a further look at new approaches to providing modern library and information services. I look forward to the Committee playing its part in ensuring that the exciting developments being planned for our services make a significant impact on the quality of life in the county.

Councillor Keith Chapman

Chairman, Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee

Financial Summary

Performance

The Recreation and Heritage services are actively pursuing the key aims of the Cultural Strategy. In 2004/05 we have achieved a steady increase and broadening of the user base of our services. The MORI residents survey shows that satisfaction with our services is also growing.

Halting and reversing the long term decline in the use of public libraries is a key objective for the Department. Library visits fell last year largely due to the major refurbishment schemes that required the operation of reduced temporary services at a number of key sites. Early indications are that the new and improved facilities are beginning to bring more customers back into the libraries. The opening of Gosport Discovery Centre in March 2005 marks a key milestone and visits to and usage of the Discovery Centre have surpassed expectations. The national significance of this programme is recognised in the award of Cultural Pathfinder status.

MORI Resident's Survey 2004/5 - the users of the Recreation and Heritage services have indicated that they are more satisfied than ever with our services with the net satisfaction rate of users rising from 69% in 1999 to 77% in 2004/5 and also rising from 46% to 58% for all the residents of Hampshire.