To agree the minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on 1 October 2024, as a correct record.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the People & Places Advisory Committee held on 10 December 2024, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any interest not already registered.

There were no additional declarations of interest.

There were none.

The Portfolio Holder provided an update on areas within her portfolio. The update included information on the cost of living, including the Government’s Winter Fuel Allowance and pension credit for those eligible. The Portfolio Holder set out that the Council had publicly expressed its opposition to restricting the Winter Fuel Allowance and the impact it would have on vulnerable pensioners in the District. The Revenues and Benefits team had identified 146 customers who could potentially be entitled to Pension Credit and then the Winter Fuel Allowance, which they would have got in the past but would not under the new scheme.  These customers had been written to advising how to apply for pension credit.

The Council’s HERO team has promoted Pension Credit through the Here to Help leaflet, which was shared with food banks. The Council’s monthly Housing and Communities Hub held at Argyle Road in November and December encouraged the uptake of Pension Credit via both the Government and Kent County Council’s promotional campaigns. Details of how to claim had been shared with Sevenoaks District councillors, town and parish councils, Voluntary Sector Forum and partnership groups in early November.

The Silver Sunday programme was coming to an end, she thanked Abbi Caine and the Team for the great initiatives delivered. Community Grant applications had been received and appraised and would go through the Advisory Committee and Cabinet process before the successful applicants received funding in April 2025. The Community Mobilisation Officer was working on Smoke Free spaces, using funding received from KCC to deliver this and she, along with the Public Realm Commissioner, Cllr Esler would be judging a poster competition. Further projects were being undertaken by the Better Together Programme including Let’s Cook events, and Head in the Game sessions. The Let’s Cook courses were aimed to support households on low incomes and adults with learning disabilities to cook healthily on a budget.

The West Kent Domestic Abuse Conference with Tonbridge & Malling & Tunbridge Wells Boroughs was held on Thursday 28 November as part of White Ribbon Week, with around 70 participants attending.  The 2024 theme and was Diversity.  Throughout the White Ribbon ‘16 Days of Action against domestic abuse’, a variety of social media posts and other activities were carried out. Members were shown a video of the Council’s support for White Ribbon.

There were none.

Members were advised that the item would be deferred to a future meeting due to the Chief Executive Officer being unable to attend the meeting.

The Community Projects & Funding Officer, presented the report which provided an update on the performance from April 2024 to September 2024 for the interim leisure operator contract relating to the Edenbridge and Sevenoaks Leisure Centres and Lullingstone Park Golf Course.

Ther report showed positive performance throughout the period which had built upon the positive data from the previous year. Everyone Active gave a presentation regarding their achievements to date, with each of the sites including Membership numbers, swimming lessons and class numbers. The General Manager at Edenbridge advised that 98% of previous staff returned to work with Everyone Active and this helped to continue with the familiarity and gain the public’s trust with being a community-based centre. Maintenance continued to be an issue with the age of the centre but this was to be expected and a new floor, decoration and gym refurbishment had taken place. Additional maintenance was managed as best as possible. Staffing issues had been addressed, through working with Lifetime Academy helping to bring forward apprenticeships and develop staff.

Everyone Active highlighted their other successes across the Leisure Centres and golf course and expressed that use of the golf course was increasing.

Members expressed thanks to Everyone Active for their presentation and for the work which they have been undertaken. Members expressed the need for Everyone Active to promote all the excellent work they had done and initiatives they provided. It was positive to see the centres continuing to grow. Members took the opportunity to ask questions of Everyone Active. The Committee was advised that when NHS health checks took place, its members were advised in advance of the date they would be attending and the NHS undertook a follow up check and would sign post to relevant services if needed. Questions were also raised regarding referrals for Physiotherapy.

Although Membership numbers were increasing Members were advised there was room for gym memberships to increase but there were a number of other facilities open to Members including exercise classes and golf. Follow up phone calls did take place to find out why memberships were cancelled or exercise classes not attended so that continuous improvement could take place and enable insights into anything that could be done better. Members asked further questions in regards to swim teachers and other staff resources.

Resolved: That it be recommended to Cabinet that Everyone Active’s performance in providing leisure facilities and services for the community and visitors of Sevenoaks District for the period April to September 2024, be noted.

Resolved: That, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting, 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)).

The report set out that the Council’s leisure facilities at Edenbridge, Sevenoaks and Lullingstone Park Golf Course are currently operated by an external operator Everyone Active, through a two-year interim contract management arrangement, approved by Full Council in April 2023. The interim contract ends on 1 May 2025. The new contract would be for five years, with the option to extend for a further two years.

A procurement process had been undertaken in line with the Procurement Strategy as set out at Appendix 1 of the report, and Officers also considered the findings of the audit of the Sencio contract management undertaken in May 2024.

The Sports England standard contract had been used, which was the industry standard and was adapted to reflect local needs. In addition to setting up an officer project group to manage the procurement process, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for People and Places and Cabinet Member for Finance and Investments, the Council utilised two specialist consultants to act as a “critical friend” - legal consultant, Trowers and Hamlin and leisure consultant, Max Associates. The intention was to utilise the knowledge and experience of Council officers and keep costs to a minimum; but to also seek specialist advice and guidance when and where required.

The project team prepared the tender specification which was developed in consultation with all Members as part of engagement events held on 14 and 15 May 2024 as set out in Appendix 2 of the report. The tender specification was launched through an invitation to prospective bidders to engage in a competitive dialogue tender process.

The procurement route used involved a series of structed phases of dialogue with bidders (Appendix 3). Following each phases the Council refined and clarified its specification and contact documents and bidders were asked to submit initial, interim or final tenders setting out how their proposed service delivery model would fulfil the Council’s requirements.

Following the submission of tenders, a tender assessment panel was established to evaluate the tenders and a thorough evaluation process was undertaken noting three core elements which each had a weighting value and score in reviewing the tenders. Having carried out a robust and compliant process and carefully evaluated the tender, the evaluation panel concluded that Everyone Active overall scored high against the procurement criteria. The  contract costs to the council were set out within the financial implications. The Officer highlighted other key areas for Members to note which could result in further efficiencies.

Members took the opportunity to discuss the report and ask questions of clarification.

Members expressed their thanks for the comprehensive report and requested their thanks be recorded to Sarah Robson (Chief Officer), Kathryn Bone  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

The Head of Finance presented the report which set out updates to the 2025/26 budget process within the existing framework of the 10-year budget and savings plan.  The position in the report set out an annual budget gap of £297,000 but recognised that this was likely to change as more information became available and options for further savings may be required.

Informed by the latest information from Government and discussions from Cabinet, it was proposed that the Council once again set a balanced 10-year budget.

As part of the feedback received last year, all Members had been invited to make suggestions which related to the relevant Advisory Committee and would be set out in Appendix K. The appendix would form the basis to report to Cabinet all suggestions that were received even if not taken forward by the Advisory Committee.

The report presented growth items that had been identified which needed to be considered, and requested further suggestions from the Advisory Committee and from members attending the meeting, before finalising the budget for 2025/26. 

The Committee considered the proposal set out in Appendix H, which was a growth item relating to the Leisure Contract.

Members gave further consideration to additional suggestions for savings which had been suggested and required consideration by the Committee. Those which were relevant to this Advisory Committee were as follows:

·         Grants to organisations, combine with CIL funding to save on admin.

The Chief Officer, People & Places advised that there were differences with the community grant scheme and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). She advised that the Community Grants scheme was for revenue funding for the voluntary sector with small grass root projects, whereas CIL was for infrastructure and capital projects. It was not thought that combining the two would generate a saving.

Members considered the suggestion and heard from the Chairman of the CIL Spending Board.

Other suggestions which were put forward but were not relevant to the Advisory Committee included: increasing the number of solar panels on Council Assets which was also suggested at other Advisory Committees.  Other suggestions also included collecting rainwater which would create additional shading. Non flushing toilets were also suggested for the ladies which would go to Cabinet but were not part of the Advisory Committee.

Public Sector Equality Duty

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

Resolved: That it be recommend to Cabinet that

a) the growth proposals (SCIA 16) identified in Appendices G&H to the report applicable to this Advisory Committee, be considered; and that

b)  no further income or growth proposals were supported relevant to this Advisory Committee.

The work plan was noted.