Item 15 - WDLT Business Plan 2023-24
West Dunbartonshire Council · 1 November 2023
Back to Corporate Services Committee — 1 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture & Facilities Corporate Services Committee: 1 November 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Business Plan 2023/24 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Business Plan for 2023/24. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended Committee: • approves the report and the 2023/24 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Business Plan; • formally agree the WDLT management fee as set out in this report, the sum having already been included in the Council’s 2023/24 revenue budget. 3. Background 3.1 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust (the Trust) is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. In addition to being regulated by the Companies Act (2006), the company is also subject to the charities regulator in Scotland, OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator). 3.2 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust was incorporated as a company in December 2011 and started trading on 5th April 2012. 3.3 There are nine members of the company who serve as trustees comprising of three (3) West Dunbartonshire Councillors (Partner Trustees), an Employee Representative Trustee and five (5) Independent Trustees. The board of Trustees (who are also directors of West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust for the purposes of company law) has control of the company subject to providing and operating the services in accordance with the Legal Agreement reached with West Dunbartonshire Council and provides strategic direction to the General Manager and his Management Team. 3.4 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust is responsible for the strategic and operational management of West Dunbartonshire Council’s Sport and Leisure Facilities, Community Facilities, Sports Development, Active Schools, Outdoor Recreation facilities and for event delivery on behalf of the Council. ITEM 15
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3.5 In order to ensure that the Council meets its obligations to provide adequate provision of facilities for the residents of the area for recreational, sporting, cultural and social activities in terms of Section 14 of the Local Government and Planning (Scotland) Act 1982, there is a Services Agreement in place between the Council and the Leisure Trust. The Trust is paid a management fee for delivery of the services through an annual funding commitment. 3.6 The Services Agreement states that the Leisure Trust should bring a draft Business Plan forward that illustrates the resources which WDLT intends to use to deliver its services. It should also include information on the expected expenditure required to provide those services, and the amount of funding required from the Council in the form of the management fee. This report and the accompanying Business Plan (Appendix 1) fulfils this requirement. 3.7 This report is presented to Committee on behalf of WDLT by the Chief Officer for Citizen, Culture, and Facilities (CCF) who up until September was the senior officer responsible for monitoring WDLT activity on behalf of the Council. The responsibility has now passed to the Chief Education Officer following a restructure of the senior team. 3.8 The 2022/23 Management fee was £4,479,466 and incorporated a £200,000 one-off saving to the Council as part of the use of reserves. 4. Main Issues 4.1 At the Council budget setting meeting on 1 March, as part of a suite or required savings to offset a financial gap of over £21million, it was agreed to reduce the management fee provided by the Council to the Leisure Trust by 10%, a reduction of £447,946. 4.2 A further reduction has been applied as a result of the Community Facilities review. The review is ongoing, with two of seven properties let to community groups and work progressing to conclude processes with other groups. As a result five facilities continue to operate and therefore the anticipated saving will not be achieved in full and additional funds will be required to cover the operational costs of the facilities until the process is concluded. 4.3 A number of budget savings have been implemented within the accounts to achieve the current anticipated budget expenditure; including the savings from the recently completed Active Schools and Sports Development restructure. However, the Trust is required to provide another one-off use of £870,776 of reserves to close the budget gap. 4.4 The use of reserves will result in a break even position for 2023/24 subject to additional funding being provided for the community facilities which remain open Projected Trust costs 2023/24 £ Operating and Expenditure Costs 9,025,837
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Total Projected Costs 9,025,837 Projected Trust income Draft Management Fee 4,071,721 Income (Customer Receipts) 3,712,000 Income (3rd Party Funding & Misc) 371,340 Total Projected Income 8,155,061 Gap £870,776 4.5 The Leisure Trust proposes to deliver the following in the coming year as per the Business Plan at Appendix 1: 4.6 Sport & Leisure The strategic and operational management of the Council’s three wet and dry leisure centres, Vale of Leven Swimming Pool; the Meadow Centre; and Clydebank Leisure Centre. 4.7 Community Services The strategic and operational management of the Council’s Community Facilities (currently 12) depending on the outcome of the Council’s review of Community Facilities; Theatre; outdoor Grass Pitches (18); Synthetic Pitches (3); outdoor Bowling Greens (2); and the new Athletics Track in Posties Park, Dumbarton. Working with the Council to ensure the successful commissioning and operation of the new Athletics Track at Postie’s Park, Dumbarton. 4.8 Sports Development Sports Development team is focused on widening opportunities for all residents to participate in sport. This is achieved via the provision of community and school sports programmes, club and coach development initiatives and the delivery of various mass participation sports events across the area. With the opening of the new Athletic Track at Posties Park the Trust will work with athletic clubs to generate usage and programme opportunities for residents to participate in athletics. 4.9 Active Schools Active Schools team aim to provide more and higher quality opportunities for children and young people to take part in sport and physical activity before, during lunchtime and after school. Following review of statistical information across all 32 authorities, the overall performance has dropped to a level whereby West Dunbartonshire sits in the bottom ranges of local authorities. Therefore, the revised model will work closely with the Council’s Education department to investigate how best to increase pupil physical activity participation in Active Schools programmes, including the use of more digital platforms. To monitor this, additional Key Performance Indicators have been introduced and will be reported on a quarterly basis to the Board of Directors and the Council’s Partnership Officer.
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4.10 Major Outdoor Events The Trust will continue to deliver an annual programme of outdoor events for the Council. This events calendar includes the Scottish Pipe Band Championships; Loch Lomond Highland Games; and a West Dunbartonshire Firework Display. In addition to delivering outdoor events for the Council, the Trust also manages and delivers the Run Loch Lomond 10k & 5k Road Races. 4.11 Key Performance Indicators To allow the Council monitor Trust service delivery during the year a number of Key Performance Indicators are set and reported on. The agreed suite for the 2023/24 is included in the Business Plan. New performance indicators include measurement of uptake of free gym and swim access for young people during school holiday periods, Introduced to support families with the cost of living. To date in 2023, the figures are as follows: Spring 2023 Summer 2023 Facility Free Swims Free Gym Totals Free Swims Free Gym Gym Inductio ns Totals Clydebank Leisure Centre 239 203 442 2,376 1,791 134 4,301 Meadow Centre 617 187 804 4,899 1,531 74 6,504 Vale Pool 159 62 221 740 672 48 1,460 Totals 1,015 452 1,467 8,015 3,994 256 12,265 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications for the Council arising from this report 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 As outlined in this report and the Business Plan, the Trust’s proposed service delivery would allow for a management fee from the Council to the Leisure Trust of £4,071,721 in 2023/24. 6.2 There are no procurement implications from this report 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There is a risk that the other community facilities proposed for review do not progress as planned and therefore additional funding is required to offset this cost the Trust. The Partnership Officer continues to work closely with colleagues in Assets to progress the planned review.
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8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 An EIA was undertaken on the 2023/24 Business Plan. This identified the Plan would have a positive impact and benefits to the local area. The Business Plan has a stated commitment to equality and inclusion. Participation is lower for some groups, women, disabled people and BAME People, so explicit note of the centrality of equalities can help inform planning and practice. WDLT will continue to prioritise this in the coming year and beyond. 9. Consultation 9.1 Consultation on this report has taken place with WDLT management, Finance, Procurement, Legal and Assets. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 This report supports the following Strategic Plan objectives: • Our Communities ‘Resilient and Thriving’ Amanda Graham Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture & Facilities 11 October 2023 ________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Amanda Graham, Chief Officer - Citizen, Culture & Facilities Email: amanda.graham@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: WDLT Business Plan 2023/24 Appendix 2: EIA for the WDLT Business Plan 2023/24 Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All