Agenda item

To consider the Aspire Annual Performance Report 2016/17.

46.1    The Chair welcomed the Chief Executive and Director of Business and Deputy Chief Executive and of the Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust to the meeting.

46.2 The Chief Executive and Director of Business jointly delivered a presentation to the Committee, highlighting the key achievements in 2016/17, noting that the key focus was to increase and widen sports participation within the local community and help local residents live healthy and active lives.

46.3    Councillor Hilton stated that the lack of statistical data provided within the annual report did not allow the Committee to accurately judge the trust’s performance against its contractual obligations and requested that this information, together with a statement of accounts and profit and loss accounts be circulated to the Committee. He also asked for information on the success of local elite athletes and the provision provided for such individuals.  It was agreed that this information would be provided and would be considered before the Committee determined whether to scrutinise the potential to extend the existing contract with Aspire.

46.4    The Chief Executive advised that the annual report provided an overview of the operational activities in the previous year and agreed that a revised format could be provided in future, if required by the Committee.  He reported that whilst the successes of elite athletes was welcomed and encouraged, the Trust’s primary focus was to encourage participation in the whole community.

46.5    In response to Councillor Wilson’s query of how the Trust were intending to manage the delivery of services following the removal of the management fee in next financial year, The Chief Executive reported that the Trust were on track to deliver a modest surplus. He explained that trends were being monitored closely and acknowledged the increasing market competition. He advised that the Trust could potentially have to consider using portions of the reserve, emphasising that as a Charity, the goal was to continually re-invest into the community.

46.6    Councillor Pullen acknowledged that it was difficult to asses the value added and benefit of the joint work the Trust undertook with partners and stakeholders and the savings that this achieved. He went on to question what action the Trust was taking to combat the increasing competition in the personal health and fitness sector.

46.7    The Chief Executive acknowledged that Trust would struggle to match the price of other competitors but advised that they had held their share of the market in this sector. He reported that the Trust were focussing on their unique selling points, such as the family membership, the ladies only gym,toning suite and on site swimming pool

46.8    In response to Councillor Finnegan’s query of how the Trust were working with the Together Trust and individuals with complex physical and mental health needs, the Chief Executive advised that Community Wellbeing Trainers worked with these individuals to develop individual training programmes and offered subsidised membership in an effort to promote a change in lifestyle. He reported that staff were highly trained and only  recently dealt with an individual who had experienced multiple strokes whilst in one of the pools.

46.9    In response to a query from Councillor H. Norman, the Director of Business advised that the Trust did offer complementary membership for elite athletes.

46.10  In response to Councillor H. Norman’s query regarding benchmarking, the Chief Executive explained that due to the extremely competitive nature of the market, other organisations were reluctant to share data to make such comparisons.

46.11  Councillor Patel welcomed the successes of the Trust and focus on increasing community participation.

46.12 In response to a query from Councillor Smith regarding using reserved to balance the budget, the Chief Executive advised that the reserves were always intended for re-investment into the organisation and the organisation was not in a short  or medium term risk. He went on to explain that the organisation were currently working on delivering a innovative and unique product, which they were highly confident would deliver a positive income for the Trust.

46.13RESOLVED that:

1.    The Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust’s 2016/17 Statement of Accounts and accompanying Profit and Loss Account be shared with the Committee.

2.    Information on the success of local elite athletes and provisions for such be circulated to the Committee.

3.    The Annual Report 2016/17 be noted.