Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council
Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 6
15 November 2007
Funding Support to Southampton and Portsmouth Outdoor Activity
Centres from 2008/09
Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage
Contact: Stuart Nundy ext: 5015 e-mail: [email protected]
1. Summary
1.1 This report follows a decision of the Executive Member in 2007 to consider progressive changes to future funding levels to the Southampton and Portsmouth outdoor centres from April 2008. This report recommends a policy of an annual 10% reduction in funding to the Portsmouth and Southampton City outdoor centres, to be reviewed in three years. Funding released should be used to support necessary current and longer term development of the outdoor service, specifically the potential outdoor centre in Farnborough.
2. Recommendation
i. That a 10% reduction be applied annually to the support funding for the Portsmouth and Southampton outdoor centres.
ii. That the position be reviewed in three years.
iii. That the Outdoor Service direct support fund for individual young people continues to be made available to Hampshire young people attending the City outdoor centres, to be reviewed annually.
iv. That funding released be maintained within the budget of the Hampshire Outdoor Service in order to facilitate current programmes and future development of the potential outdoor centre in Farnborough.
3. Background
3.1 In February 2007 the decision was taken to reduce the direct outdoor centre funding from Hampshire County Council to Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils by a total of £30,000. This decision was taken in order to begin addressing the lack of parity between the proportion of support the County Council was giving to these centres as compared to its own directly managed centres.
3.2 As a consequence, in 2007/08, the proportion of direct subsidy for courses undertaken by Hampshire young people at these centres fell from 79% (Portsmouth) and 66% (Southampton) to 66% and 53% respectively. These figures are still significantly higher than the county council maintained outdoor activity centres.
3.3 It was recognised that larger, immediate reductions in funding could destabilise the centres. Therefore, officers were asked to produce a further report to consider future strategy and, in addition, linking this to the funding of a potential future `Northern' outdoor centre.
3.4 The reduction in the level of subsidy in 2007 required a fee increase to schools of approximately £2.00 per person per session. It was accepted that the proposed fee rise would disadvantage certain individual young people. To offset this impact, it was proposed that the outdoor service support fund, currently used for young people attending county council centres only, be opened to appropriate young people from the county attending the City outdoor centres. This was done, and to date four schools have availed themselves of the support. In addition, the centres themselves report very little negative feedback from schools, or fall off of county schools using the sites.
3.5 It is proposed that from April 2008 a policy of reducing support funding annually by 10% be implemented. This will necessitate an increase in fees to schools of approximately £1.00 per person per session. However, the final increase is determined by Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils. At the same time, the outdoor activity support fund should remain available to schools where children may be at severe disadvantage and be administered by the Outdoor Activities Officer.
3.6 A review of funding should take place after three years.
3.7 Funding released by this reduction should remain within the Outdoor Service budget to initially underpin the support fund, current outdoor service developments and, longer term, support the business plan and operation of the potential new outdoor centre being considered at Runways End, Farnborough.
4. Legal Implications
4.1 There is no statutory requirement upon Local Authorities to provide funding for outdoor centres.
5. Financial Implications
5.1 The base budget for support to the City Outdoor Centres is £120,200 in 2007/08. This is an integral part of the Outdoor Activities Service budget and is not a devolved element allocated to grants to voluntary bodies.
6. Impact Assessment
6.1 Race and equality impact has been considered in this proposal. No adverse impacts have been identified, especially in the context of direct funding support to individual young people as identified in 3 .7.
LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGY
Yes No
Hampshire safer and more secure for all _
Maximising well-being _
Enhancing our quality of place _
Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents
The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have 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
. Sport, Community & Outdoor Services
Mottisfont Court, Winchester