Agenda item

Committee considered a report presented as a slide presentation by the Leisure Operations Manager in relation to the impact of Covid19 on Leisure Services.

From 23rd March 2020, the majority of leisure services staff were instructed to remain at home due to the enforced lockdown restrictions.  Some Leisure staff were able to work from home but staff such as coaches and lifeguards were not.

A Community Support Team was established via the Partnerships Team and leisure services staff were utilised to assist with 353 food parcel and 567 pharmacy deliveries. 

From 8^th June 70 Leisure staff were furloughed.  Currently around 6 staff were still on the furlough scheme and these were staff who carried out work on behalf of Public Health.  These staff would eventually move on to the Government’s Job Support scheme.

Further to school closures, delivery of physical activity and sports development was halted.  However, for the current academic year, 13 schools had agreed to take up the physical activity & sports development programme (in comparison to 18 last year).  Leisure staff were working with schools to attract more on to the scheme and offer confidence around the Covid procedures Leisure had in place.

Leisure staff had kept in touch with local sports clubs offering advice and assistance where applicable and also assisted individual clubs with return to sport following government lifting of restrictions.  However, community provision had ceased both in community settings and within the Go Active facility.  Recently, and following guidance from the FA, community Premier League Kicks sessions had commenced in Carr Vale and there were plans for a return of the Sports SPLASH school holiday programme at the Go Active Leisure Centre in October half term.

A Member queried if outdoor activities for schools were solely being focused on and if the school holiday programme in October half term would now be impacted on due to the current surge in cases.  The Leisure Operations Manager advised that Leisure staff were working with schools individually to deliver schools’ own risk assessments as well as Leisure having their own risk assessments.  All October sessions were proposed to be outdoors and guidance was still awaited.  However, this would only be for members of the Go Active facility due to track and trace purposes.

Extreme Wheels had secured funding from 4 Community Safety Partnerships to work on an alternative delivery model assisting to disperse gatherings and to offer guidance and advice to young adults.  Pleasley Vale Outdoor Activity Centre has remained closed, however, the Centre Manager had recently returned to work under the flexible furlough scheme to test the market for customers to return safely to the Centre.

The Go Active facility re-opened on 25^th July with a strict booking policy in order to comply with track and trace.  Maximum occupancy levels had to be reduced in order to comply with social distancing.  However, another part of the gym had recently opened up and screens were also being looked at to further increase occupancy/usage to 30 people at one time.  Sanitising of all equipment, including changing room lockers etc was carried out between sessions using a mist sprayer system. 

As indoor sports were not currently available, classes had been moved from the studios into the sports hall.  Swimming lessons re-commenced on Monday 7^th September.

Pre Covid, footfall was approximately 1000 per day.  Post Covid, this was approximately 350 per day and with the introduction of the swimming lessons programme, this was now around 500 visits per day.

In the last financial year, income for Go Active was around £100k per month.  The current financial situation was yet to be clarified as the majority of the facility staff were furloughed and the Government had recently announced that 75% of lost income could be claimed back.

Many positive comments had been made on social media in relation to how the leisure facilities had been organised for customer use in light of Covid.  A Member noted that she had also received good feedback in relation to the cleanliness of the sports facilities and also the Community Support Team who were professional and swift when she had used them. 

In response to a Member’s query regarding the Go Active café, the Leisure Operations Manager advised Committee that around £12.5k per month had been lost on the closing of the café, however, this would reopen on Monday 12^th October for take away service only.

A Member requested further advice from Extreme Wheels officers on how Parishes could look to re-open Parish Council owned skate parks where they existed, as advice from Skate England was that the setting need to be supervised.  The Leisure Operations Manager agreed to pass on the service request.

Members requested that the Leisure Operations Manager pass on their thanks and praise to Leisure staff for their work.

Moved by Councillor David Downes and seconded by Councillor Tom Munro

RESOLVED that the report be noted.