Agenda item

Cllr Harden referred to his earlier comments in response to one of the questions, Members have already seen a draft version of this that came to committee a few months back.  Comments were taken on from public consultation and committee to re-write the draft, which is what is before committee tonight.  Cllr Harden handed over to officers to present.

 

L Roberts introduced herself as Assistant DirectorPeople, Performance and Innovation, having recently joined the organisation.  Stating that she joined with a lot of experience of developing strategies across services. One of the things that we looked at following feedback given at the previous scrutiny, was how we could make this more focused.  Expressing her belief that the way the document is produced does deliver on that. The objectives that are in there are pitched at a high level of strategy, where more detailed smart objectives would form part of an action plan.  Adding that the strategy was benchmarked against a number of other sports strategies.  The level of detail will be developed as we go through as the process here is to develop the overall strategy and then take forward detailed action plans. 

 

L Roberts introduced the report and explained how the strategy was revised. She was happy to take questions on the report. Linda also included that the current strategy is purely a proposal. She stated that the purpose of the scrutiny is to receive comments on that; it is then due to go to cabinet for further review.

 

L Roberts also set out the governance and performance monitoring plans.  The report does not set out budget as this will form part of the budget process for 2019/20 once the detailed action plan has been devised.

 

L Roberts invited questions.

 

The Chairman asked for clarification on the feedback required.

 

L Roberts advised, for clarity, that this is the proposed strategy which is here at scrutiny to receive comments it is then due to go to Cabinet for further review.  When reach detail about what we do and how we do it, they will be in action plans as opposed to being detailed in the strategy.

 

Cllr England asked; how is it possible for the public to understand what the strategy of the Council is for sports and activity when there is no scoping to this, no clear financial plan. 

 

L Roberts responded that the strategy is there to determine the outcomes that the Council is seeking to achieve. The budget is not yet set to develop specific action plans, that is the cycle.  The strategy is there at the moment to show what we want the outcomes to achieve.  She also assured that there has been consultation with local clubs and national bodies in the creation of the strategy. The specifics cannot be discussed until they have acquired formal approval to proceed with this strategy.

 

Cllr Imarni referred to the meeting in June where this was discussed, which was before L Roberts having joined the organisation, suggesting that L Roberts go over the minutes of the meeting as there were very specific things that the committee requested. 

 

Cllr Imarni then raised the points requested to be included as unable to identify them in the current strategy; 

• Specific direction of the strategy, the priorities for spending with any moneys that came in, a figure of exactly how much that would be and what percentage of additional engagement in sport we would get, adding that there is a little bit about that but nothing to say this is the pot of money we have and this is the priority for spending.
• Sports England and the FA funding as being key sums of money to be attracted into the Borough; committee specifically stated there was nothing in the draft that was seen in June that would show enabling access to this.  Cllr Imarni stated that she is not able to find this information in the new strategy that is being presented tonight. 
• Target groups in the original draft strategy, it was questioned that these did not reflect the makeup of Dacorum, were expecting to get something back that had more around that.

 

Cllr Imarni advised that her background is strategy, for the last 20 years, expressing her understanding that there are some levels of detail that are not appropriate for a starting point strategy.  Cllr Imarni still challenged that this strategy, without disrespect for officers that have worked on it, but it is not robust enough to be able to sign off that committee know exactly what priorities are and what will be done etc.

 

Cllr Harden reminded Members that he organised the Dacorum Get Set Go budget, so prior to any strategy existing, what we had was a Sports Policy in place.  The Council contributed £45k into a pot that we then went and gave a presentation to Sport England that released a further £300k.  We delivered a project over 3 years, 27 different activities, which helped 3,000 residents get involved with sport.  The idea of putting together a strategy to encourage Members to see where funding from that strategy is coming from and then being able to take that to National bodies is something that I am very keen on doing again.

 

Councillor Fethney observed that one thing he could not see in any of the documents is proposed outcome. He explained that, before any judgement is made, the members must be able to see the proposed outcome. He asked, “Do we know what our outcomes are?”

 

L Roberts referred to Section 6 of the strategy titled Outcomes.

 

Cllr England supported the made by Cllr Imarni, referring to the minutes of the June meeting, which he explained show that it was the assessment of his, and others, that there was no substance, no budget and no ownership. Since that meeting, he has acknowledged that the issue of ownership has been addressed with a forward to the document from Cllr Harden, although Cllr England stated he believes this should be a forward from Cllr Collins because the responsibility for the leisure contract, which is going to be the main vehicle by which any development happens in Borough will be through that contract.  Cllr England added his view that the ownership point was the least important issue to address.

 

Cllr England reiterated that what is wants is substance to the report.  He referred to the 1^st draft, which was 2,500 words and a number of nice pictures, making 12 pages.  Further observing this revised report is only 5 ½ pages and he is not happy with it.

 

He then discussed the two points that were not addressed in the current strategy, being the lack of substance or specifics on budget. He called the document random and unstructured. He claimed he found no direct reference to feedback from residents quoted in the strategy.

 

Cllr England expressed his dissatisfaction that feedback from consultation has not been added into the document, explaining that officers had given him assurance this would happen.  Cllr England referred to pages of consultation responses from residents he has seen that he would have expected to have seen in the strategy.

 

Cllr England expressed that the only figures in the report are those that say there will be 2,000 more physically active Dacorum residents and a 3% increase in membership number, commented that on the face of it that sounds quite good, but pointed out that the population of the Borough has grown by 1% a year and is likely to increase, therefore it is his interpretation that the objective can be achieved just by building homes and more people coming to live here.

 

L Roberts confirmed that she would re-visit the minutes of the June meeting. 

 

Councillor Pringle commented on the “overwhelming message” she perceived from the speakers of the meeting; that being disappointment at the “general lack of accountability and consultation with them (the public)”. She questioned whether there was a recognition of this dissatisfaction from the public.

 

Councillor Bassadone remarked on three “key issues” on page 39, specifically the last paragraph about how DBC will achieve the vision and  measure success of the outcomes, which it states will be developed in more detail in subsequent supporting annual action plans.   Asking; how long is that going to take?  She then asked where these plans will go and who will see them.

 

M Rawdon responded that it is covered in the report in that the plan is to come back to scrutiny on a 6 month basis to provide an update on the action plan and any progress.

 

The Chairman referred to the view of everybody, including the public, and clarified that the purpose of the report is to seek feedback from the committee on the strategy and that the recommendation of the report that Members note the report and provide feedback on the strategy and asked Councillor Harden to clarify that this is not the final draft?

 

Councillor Harden responded that the report is due to go to Cabinet next week and so it has come to committee today to hear  Members feedback on what they would like to be included on that, to be reported to Cabinet.

 

Councillor reiterated her earlier point, that the minutes of the June meeting which contains a list of things that were specifically requested that are not in this document, therefore she does not believe it should have come back tonight and she challenged that for that reason, it should not be going to Cabinet.

 

Councillor England proposed to move a motion that the report does not go to cabinet and that it is rejected and returned for a “complete re-write”.

 

The Chairman requested a seconder for Councillor England’s motion. Both Councillor Pringle and Councillor Fethney seconded. The chairman then opened the motion for discussion with the committee before it could be voted on. He encouraged councillors to pass any comments that they had.

 

Councillor Imarni emphasised on her earlier points that the strategy has not moved forward from June and as such she does not believe the document is ready to move forward to Cabinet.

 

A vote on the motion to prevent the document going to cabinet was passed. 5 councillors voted in favour. 5 voted against.

 

The Chairman announced that the final decision would then fall upon him.  Before making his casting vote, he clarified that committee has discussed the strategy and its development and that the main issues with the strategy raised were that more work needs to be done and the budget needs to be set.

 

The Chairman expressed his view, as a Councillor, that we have been on this policy for quite some time and it is important that it does move forward, but with the proviso that the officers look at the meeting minutes of the June meeting before we review it again in 6 months’ time.

The chairman exorcised his right to a casting vote and recommended that the report go to the cabinet and that the committee review its developments 6 months later.

 

Councillor England addressed the Chair and challenged the principal of a casting vote when it is irredeemable matter and that the safest course of action is to send the report back to be written properly before it goes to Cabinet.

 

The Chairman consulted with J Doyle and clarified that a casting vote is appropriate and that will come with a recommendation that the minutes of the June meeting are considered alongside the strategy going to Cabinet next week and are appended to the report.

 

The Chairman confirmed his casting vote that the strategy goes to Cabinet.

 

[Unrest from the public gallery]

 

Councillor Williams addressed the Chairman, confirming that according to the constitution he has exercised his right to have the casting vote and decide the matter will go to Cabinet next week.  In view of the comments of the committee and the concerns about the lack of reference to the action points of the June meeting, Councillor Williams gave his assurance to committee that he would ask officers to look at those issues ahead of the Cabinet meeting so that they can have an understanding of what is expected to be missing and an assurance that the issues the committee are not content with are reflected in the Cabinet’s recommendation.

 

Councillor Williams added that the budget cannot be in the strategy because such is the nature of financing that we do not know what our budget will be in 2 years’ time.  The purpose of having the strategy is to have polices and aspirations in place.

 

Councillor Pringle asked that it be noted in the minutes that there is “complete public dissent” to this decision in this room and reiterated the question she raised earlier, which is it recognised that there is considerable public disquiet about the entire methodology of decision making on this Council and asked for comments on how this could be avoided in the future.

 

It was raised as a the point of order, the Chairman voted in the initial vote and then placed a casting vote, which would appear the Chairman has had two votes.  The question was asked, is it not the case that the Chairman does not vote until there is a need for a vote to be decided and then he places his casting vote.

 

The Chairman confirmed that the casting vote was placed in accordance with the rules.

 

[Shouting out and unrest from the public gallery]

 

The Chairman advised the agenda would be moved on to the next agenda item, Item 8.

 

[There was a period of disruption and slow clapping from the public gallery causing a delay proceedings]

 

The Chairman moved back to the speakers on Item 8 (see item OS/126/18 – Public Participation).