OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMISSION – 11 JULY 2007

COUNCILLOR BERYL MECROW, EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR LEISURE & CULTURE

KEY PORTFOLIO ROLE FOR LEISURE AND CULTURE IN

1. Start to deliver Leisure & Culture aspects of the new Corporate Plan 2. Providing guidance to Officers in the delivery of key priorities of Service Plans 2007/8 3. Promoting Crawley and our substantial Leisure and Culture portfolio by attending special events, openings and promotional opportunities 4. Presenting Leisure & Culture reports at the Executive and answering Member and Public queries on all aspects of the services provided.

COMMUNITY LEISURE

1. Leisure Centres and Active Crawley 2. 3. Community Centres

Achievements against 2006/07 key objectives

1. Over 1 million visitors to K2 in first year of operation, visits to K2 and up by over 100% compared with the previous year. 2. K2 visited by Health Minister and Chair of Sport England and considerable interest by other Local Authorities on how project conceived. Positive articles in the Leisure press. 3. Joint working with PCT to extend the Exercise Recommendation Scheme with over 100 participants successfully completing the programme. Successful application to the Big Lottery Fund enabling expansion of the Healthy Walks programme. 4. Sport England Active People Survey – CBC No.1 in country for satisfaction levels with sport and leisure opportunities 5. Quest award re-accredited for Bewbush Leisure Centre and Sports Development. 6. Committed to Excellence Quality Accreditation for Community Services Admin team 7. Working with WSCC to increase from 56% in 2005 to 72% in 2006 the percentage of school children receiving at least 2 hours PE and School sport per week.

2007/08 Service Plan Key Objectives

1. New Skatepark for extreme sports opening late summer in Southgate Park 2. Value for money review of Broadfield stadium 3. I am Lead Member on Bewbush Neighbourhood Regeneration Project and plans for replacement of Bewbush Leisure Centre 4. Implement recommendations of Best Value Review of Sport & Recreation 5. Develop potential for promoting the Town through Olympic 2012 partnership bid for training camp and Games (cross port-folio) 6. Develop Active Crawley Strategy and Community Sports Network 7. Work with WSCC on improving current PE provision of 72% to achieve the national target of 80% and increase numbers on sports development courses 8. Further develop Exercise Recommendation Scheme and Healthy Walks Programme. 9. Popular 10K and Fun Run returning in July sponsored by St Catherine’s Hospice 10. Complete a web-based database of Crawley sport and recreation contacts, organisations and activities 11. In partnership with Portfolio Holder for Continuous Improvement, implement outcome of Cleaning Services Review 12. Implement recommendations for future management of K2 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

1. Play Service 2. Unsupervised playgrounds 3. Liaison with WSCC on Youth Services/Youth Council 4. Section 11 (Safeguarding) of the Children’s Act 2004

Achievements Against 2006/07

1. Working with WSCC to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the provision of extended school and community-based after-school clubs. 2. Millpond Adventure Playground gained an “Outstanding” Ofsted accreditation 3. Revamped the ‘Jungle’ - Creasys Drive Broadfield Adventure Playground and opening of ‘Pirates’Adventure Cove’ - Waterlea’s revamped Adventure Playground

2007/08 Service Plan Key Objectives

1. Produce Implementation Proposal for Play Strategy (joined up children’s services) 2. Work with WSCC on two new children’s centres in Langley Green and Southgate, planned to add to the two current Children’s Centres in Broadfield and Bewbush. 3. Implement outcome of Cleaning Services Review 4. Deliver ‘60 days of Play’ to celebrate Crawley’s 60th Anniversary 5. Develop programme for renovation of outdoor play areas and restructure management arrangements

PARKS

1. Parks, Gardens, Playing Fields, Open Spaces, Allotments 2. Land held for recreational and open space purposes 3. Park and Nature Centre 4. Trees, Nature conservation

Achievements against 2006/07

1. Green Flag awarded for 2. ‘Friends of Goffs Park’ scheme developed and park improvement started 3. Green Zone at Tilgate Park completed 4. Tree Audit commenced 5. Titmus Lake restored with landscaping, pathway and seating 6. Green Spaces Strategy adopted

2007/08 Service Plan Key Objectives

1. Undertake further customer survey work at Tilgate and Goffs Park to help prepare for Green Flag application and to improve customer service 2. Implement actions from the Green Space Strategy, including preparation of Management Plan for Milton Mount and Southgate Park and new signage (cross- portfolio) 3. Review the pitch and putt management and maintenance at Goffs Park 4. Implementation of Tilgate Park access road capital project 5. Work with Community Services Division to improve co-ordination of services to outdoor sports users and develop opportunities for self management 6. Undertake a review of parks and open spaces charges, and subsidy level 7. Proposed Scrutiny Review of Allotment service 8. 60 Days of volunteering including Bewbush Water Garden/Let’s FACE It! 9. West Green Bowls self management THEATRE & ARTS

1. Hawth Theatre 2. Community Arts 3. Promotions and Entertainments 4. Public Art and Bandstand 5. Museums and Art galleries 6. Libraries liaison 7. Catering

Achievements against 2006/07

1. Hawth annual throughput up over 5% at 195,000 with record Pantomime attendances up 46% on previous year. A total of 226,800 people engaged in events and activities staged by the Arts Service 2. Arts Chartermark retained. 3. Savings Review identified savings to be realised in the next two years. 4. Nearly 30% of tickets sold are now online bookings, a significant increase 5. New bus service to the Hawth designed around performances and ending times 6. Arts Council for S East Grant of £99,976 to support “Going Global” – an initiative for BME arts programming 7. Youth Arts Forum established to inform youth arts development, since renamed Vision in Youth Collective’ (ViYC) 8. Work with young people e.g. Jump Crawley project, Youth Community Theatre Group, Vision in Youth Collective 9. Meeting room development programme 10. Kitchen development phase 2 completed 11. Main theatre seating refurbished

2007/08 Service Plan Key Objectives

1. Implement outcomes of the Service Review 2. Formulate and implement a programme of events for Crawley New Town 60th Anniversary celebrations 3. Delivery of Social Inclusion, Diversity and Equalities Action Plan 4. Broadwalk East Community Artwork project linked to 60 years of Crawley to be installed as a focal point in the redevelopment scheme 5. Work with partners to develop Heritage Policy (cross-portfolio) incorporating Museum Strategy and Development Plan and engaging with WCCC on Library development and Public art 6. Complete Museum storage project 7. Input into Working Groups on Town Centre North project 8. Implement outcome of Cleaning Services review 9. Implement new marketing plan for Hawth meetings, seminars, conferences, new advertising policy for hirers, update website 10. Develop links with initiatives identified in Services for Children and Young People Review Action Plan. 11. Work with partners on an oral history project to create a local history archive for the Town 12. Phase II of “Making a Mark” project with particular focus on Broadfield Community 13. Continue partnership with Crawley Irish Festival and Crawley Festival 14. Devise and implement new marketing plan for Hawth Catering and Tilgate Walled Garden Café COMMUNITY WARDENS

1. Dealing with Anti-social Behaviour 2. Enforcement of litter and fly-tipping 3. Tackling abandoned cars 4. Operational aspects of dealing with Travellers

Achievements against 2006/07 key objectives

1. Liaison with local Police Community Support Officers patrolling troublesome areas in the town and providing public reassurance has proven to be a success. 2. 94 fixed penalty notices issued for littering and dog fouling using new powers provided under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005. 3. As part of ‘Operation Crackdown’ on abandoned vehicles, they are dealing with 93% of such reported vehicles within 24 hours with 87% being removed within 24 hours of receiving the go-ahead from Sussex Police. 4. Successful in catching fly-tippers at recycling sites.

2007/08 Service Plan Key Objectives

1. With additional financial resources provided, develop the role of Wardens, provide more service coverage and enforcement under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005. 2. Seeking Police accreditation

Councillor Beryl MeCrow Executive Member for Leisure & Culture