Agenda item

Report of Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing

Purpose of report

Tonote theemerging evidence of the District Sports Studies findings. These will be used as an evidence base for the new Local Plan, and provide the basis of future sports facility developer contribution requests. It is not the intention that all the recommendations should be acted upon by the Council alone, and this report focuses on those where the Council can have an influence. The study models sport facility needs in Cherwell up to 2040.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To recognise the 2022 Sports Studies as influential strategic documents, and agrees they should be used to seek developer contributions / influence capital bids / seek external funding.

1.2       To agree that the documents are shared with partners to ensure wider understanding and influence.

1.3       To request that the documents are annually reviewed by officers, Sport England and National Governing Body representatives, and Members are kept abreast of key changes.

Resolved

(1)          That the 2022 Sports Studies be recognised as influential strategic documents and it be agreed they should be used to seek developer contributions / influence capital bids / seek external funding.

(2)          That it be agreed that the documents are shared with partners to ensure wider understanding and influence.

(3)          That officers, Sport England and National Governing Body representatives be requested to annually review the documents and Members be kept abreast of key changes.

The Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing submitted a report which presented theemerging evidence of the District Sports Studies findings. These will be used as an evidence base for the new Local Plan, and provide the basis of future sports facility developer contribution requests. It was not the intention that all the recommendations should be acted upon by the Council alone, and this report focussed on those where the Council could have an influence. The study modelled sport facility needs in Cherwell up to 2040.

Councillor Dallimore, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the comments of the Committee who had received a presentation of the item at their 11 October 2022 meeting.

Councillor Dallimore advised that the Committee had endorsed the recommendations had asked officers for clarification on the process regarding how a balanced weighting had been reached, given the varying requirements across the district. Clarification was also requested in relation to commercial facilities. Specific comments were made regarding: smaller sports clubs not being overlooked when discussions were taking place with developers for contributions, as participants frequently come from a wider area than the town/village the facility is located; the importance of suitable changing facilities for women and disabled people; and, the environmental impacts of 3G pitches.

At the discretion of the Chairman, Councillor Woodcock addressed Executive. Councillor Woodcock commended the Member Briefing session he had attended in relation to Banbury. Referring to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s comments, Councillor Woodcock highlighted that many small village sports clubs have a wider catchment area beyond  the village and can therefore have a bigger impact on the village.

In response to Councillor Woodcock’s comments regarding the development of a new ground for Banbury United, the Chairman explained that the council was facilitating meetings between the club and developers. The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities advised he was in regular contact with the Chairman of Banbury United.

Resolved

(1)          That the 2022 Sports Studies be recognised as influential strategic documents and it be agreed they should be used to seek developer contributions / influence capital bids / seek external funding.

(2)          That it be agreed that the documents are shared with partners to ensure wider understanding and influence.

(3)          That officers, Sport England and National Governing Body representatives be requested to annually review the documents and Members be kept abreast of key changes.

Reasons

The final Sports Study documents will be used to work with partners and other organisations on delivery models to improve and developsports facilities where needed, to ensuretheeffectiveprovisionofsport andleisure opportunitiesacross theDistrict. The main aim is to ensure that anetworkof sportsfacilitiesis inplace tocaterforthehealth and wellbeing of thecurrent andfuturepopulation. 

Alternative options

Option 1: To reject the findings of the Sports Studies, and to seek an alternative means of assessing current and future facility provision. This is not recommended, as it will be costly and will not meet Sport England assessment criteria, which is required for planning compliance and funding bids.