Resolved: That Cllr Collins be appointed Chairman of the Advisory Committee for 2021/22.

(Cllr Collins in the Chair)

Resolved: That Cllr Perry Cole be appointed Vice Chairman of the Advisory Committee for 2021/22.

To agree the minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 2 March 2021, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the People & Places Advisory Committee held on 2 March 2021 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any interest not already registered.

There were no additional declarations of interest.

The actions were noted.

The Portfolio Holder expressed her thanks to Cllr Coleman who had been her deputy Portfolio Holder and wished her well in her new role, and congratulated Cllr Collins, and Cllr Perry Cole on their roles as Chairman and Vice Chairman of People & Places Advisory Committee.

The Portfolio Holder went on to share some service Highlights with Members including that the Place Campaign was developing well with Pillory Barn and a presentation would be given at Improvement and Innovation Advisory Committee, as the Place branding crossed both portfolios. Other service highlights included receiving funding for a Community Support Officer, and One You Plus Officer. The funding would also enable the Town Ambassadors to be in post until December 2021. Additional funding had also been received for other projects and a bid to support a NEETs project had successfully been put forward to the final round of the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Members were also updated with key work within the Community Safety Unit and the Communities Team including that it was hoped that the Community Fun days would still be able to go ahead in light of the extension of the Covid-19 restrictions. The Voluntary Sector Forum was going from strength to strength and a draft Town and Parish Council Charter was being worked on.  The Team was working with Compaid and West Kent Housing Association who were launching a digital trainer for digital inclusion.

The new White Oak Leisure Centre was on target for completion in January 2022, and ongoing work with Orchards Academy to help secure funding for improvement works was taking place. Following the public engagement for the public artwork in Bligh’s Meadow, the artwork, Seven Oaks, had been selected and should be in situ by the end of the year.

There were none.

The Health and Communities Manager presented the report which summarised the work of the Sevenoaks District Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) over the last financial year (2020/21). Against each of the priorities in the plan there were a number of key success measures. At the end of the third year (April 2020- March 20201) of the 2019 – 2022 Action Plan, 96% of key success measures in the plan were achieved, with 4% of measures not achieved, mostly due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Members discussed the Annual report, and asked questions of clarification. Members were advised that it was hoped to continue working with the volunteers and other support groups.

Members expressed their thanks to the Health and Communities Team, refuse collectors, and all the volunteers for their hard work through the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

The Health and Communities Manager presented the report, highlighting the work of the Community Safety Partnership throughout 2020-21. Members were advised that the Sevenoaks District Community Safety Partnership achieved 97% of actions in the action plan during 2020-21. The outstanding actions were in relation to training and visiting village fetes which were postponed due to COVID-19.

Members discussed the report and asked questions of clarification. In regards to questions raised the Health and Communities Manager advised that she would look at information on how many times data had been submitted to Police for investigations from the CSUs mobile CCTV camera to help with a meeting in Eynsford on 17 June, and the number of older people reporting domestic abuse into DAVSS.

Action 1: For Health and Communities Manager to provide information on how the CSU mobile CCTV camera help with investigation when images were captured.

Action 2: For Health and Communities Manager to request the number of older people reporting domestic abuse into DAVSS

In regards to questions surrounding work with Domestic Abuse Volunteers Support Service (DAVSS) the Health and Communities Manager would query what support was available for the volunteers.

Action 3: For Health and Communities Manager to find out the support available for DAVSS volunteers.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

The work plan was noted.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Officer for People & Places presented the report which provided an update on the work commissioned by the District Council and Sencio Community Leisure, and undertaken by Max Associates, an external leisure consultant, to review Sencio’s operating model, recovery plan and financial appraisal.

The work would enable Members to make an informed decision around future options for supporting Council owned leisure facilities.

The Leisure sector across the country had been massively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was expected this impact would be felt not only in the short term, but also for the medium to long term nationally.  Council’s across the country were working hard to keep supporting leisure providers and facilities during the Coronavirus crisis.

Despite the Council’s own finances being hit hard, the authority had supported Sencio with £376,950 in the past year with grants and paying its annual management fees up front. It also agreed to delay loan repayments from Sencio to the Council of £88,000 up to March 2021. Sencio had also benefited from a £235,000 grant from Sport England following a joint application with the Council and £144,362.29 from various business grants administrated by the Council. It had also been assisted through the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Despite receiving over £756,300 of public money, the trust was currently facing a budget shortfall of £2 million, which included a pre-Covid trading deficit

It was moved by the Chairman and it was

Resolved: That under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting when considering Appendices A, B, C and D of the report, on the grounds that likely disclosure of exempt information is involved as defined by Schedule 12A, paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Members considered and discussed the exempt information as set out in exempt appendices.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved: That

a)    The report and appendices be noted.

b)   taking into account the significant risk and recommendations summarised in section 6.4 of Max Associates report (Appendix A), no further financial support to Sencio, be considered;

c)    it be recommended to Cabinet that, in the event that Sencio ceases to trade, that members delegate authority to the Chief Officer – People & Places and Chief Officer – Finance & Trading to investigate an interim shorter term leisure operator for temporary leisure delivery to the community and enter into a contract subject to consultation with the Cabinet Member for People & Places and Cabinet Member for Finance & Investment.