DISTRICT COUNCIL

Council

Date of Meeting: 21 November 2006 Part I Report From: Councillor Peter Thornton Agenda 18 (7) Communities and Well Being Item No: Portfolio Holder Report Title: Executive Report

CLIENT ISSUES The following matters have arisen with my Portfolio:-

• Two Ladies Multi-Activity Clubs have been set up as part of South Lakeland’s Women and Girls project Both Clubs are being delivered by Lakes Leisure.

• As there are currently no opportunities for girls to participate in netball outside of the school curriculum, a Girls U13 Netball Club has been set up in which is run in partnership with the English Netball Association

• Multi Sport Mania ran over the summer holidays again this year. The rural summer sports scheme ran in Broughton, and Grange Over Sands with 78 children attending. Unfortunately no scheme ran in due to lack of numbers.

• Healthy Lifestyle Day went ahead on Saturday 2nd September, Lakes Leisure, SLDC Environmental Protection, Morecambe Bay PCT, COPS Team and SLDC Sport and Recreation team provided the public with information on healthy eating, hygiene, exercise, drug and alcohol awareness, also conducted a hand washing experiment, rowing challenge and on the stop blood pressure checks. Also 115 questionnaires have been completed to analyse sport and physical activity participation.

• South Lakeland's athletic development group has been set up, partnership between Athletics, Kendal Amateur Athletic Club, South Lakeland District Council and the South Lakeland School Sport Partnership. The purpose of the group is to promote junior participation within athletics and to promote links between the four organisations. A development plan has been written and funding received to deliver the plan.

• Camerata at the Coro

SLDC Arts & Events was successful in securing a grant of £32,000 to enable the continuation of the partnership with Manchester Camerata to present a series of 10 concerts at the Coro from 2006-2008. The current series was launched in October featuring the internationally acclaimed concert pianist Pierre Laurent Aimard with further concerts in November January February and March.

• Kendal International Street Arts Festival

Following a report commissioned by SLDC which made a strong argument for Kendal having the potential to hold a significant street arts event throughout the town, SLDC has been working in partnership with Kendal Arts International and Manchester International Arts as part of a strategic initiative to develop an international street arts festival for Kendal.

The festival will take place next September and showcase the best street arts from across Europe, putting Kendal on the national and international street arts map. Planning is now underway. A successful bid has been made to Vision for £50,000 towards the festival and SLDC has committed £5,000 towards the initiative through the joint Arts Council/SLDC Local arts strategic partnership fund. A bid has also been made to the Arts Council's grants funding for the arts scheme, with further funding to be secured from other sources to realise the ambition.

• Highlights Rural Touring

SLDC continues to work in partnership with Highlights, and has provided additional funding to expand the very successful and valued rural touring scheme to include more rural communities in South Lakeland. The communities of Broughton, Coniston, Arnside, Staveley, Brigsteer, Sedbergh, and Kirkby Lonsdale all receive high quality, professional, entertaining, and exciting events for all ages and the opportunity for a great night out on their own doorstep in their own community venues this Autumn, Winter and Spring.

• Music From a Foreign Land

SLDC supported the second music from a Foreign Land mini fest promoted by Lake District Summer Music at the Coronation Hall on the 2, 3 & 4 November featuring the rhythm, sounds and voices of Africa. The highlight of the festival was the community project which brought together over 150 children's and adult voices from across South Lakeland to perform alongside 'Mbawula'. Local children from Dallam, Queen Elizabeth, and Victoria High schools, along with local adults, took part and performed as the South Lakeland Township choir in the Voices of Africa concert to an audience of 500.

MEETINGS/TRAINING ATTENDED • Emergency Planning Meeting • IDEA Meeting – Political priorities / Service realities • 2 meetings re Berners Pool • 2 meetings re SLL re-negotiations • Meeting to discuss the formation of a Sports and Physical Activity Alliance (SPAA) in South Lakeland • With Citizens Advice Bureau, to discuss the range of their work in South Lakeland • At Beezon Fields Skatepark to discuss refurbishment • Several meetings, informal and informal, of Cabinet • Kendal Business against Crime

Date: 20/11/2006 Version No: Amended by: 2 REGIONAL/NATIONAL/OTHER ISSUES

• SLDC attended the inaugural meeting of the South Lakeland Sports and Physical Activity Alliance. This consists of a group of local delivery agents having a shared vision and common goals for delivering sport and physical activity. SLDC has agreed to lead this organisation in the short term. • The situation at Berners Pool continues to be unresolved. However we will shortly be receiving an extensive condition survey which should inform our future decisions on this matter.

LOOKING FORWARD In the coming weeks, work will include:-

• Continuing negotiations with South Lakes Leisure, as we discuss their increasing role in our delivery of Sport and Leisure in South Lakeland • The second meeting of the South Lakeland SPAA • Meetings with officers to discuss the impact of the Government White paper upon our emerging Community Engagement Strategy

Date: 20/11/2006 Version No: Amended by: 3