Issue - meetings

[To consider a report on the Draft Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020-2021 to 2023-2024]. 

The Finance Business Partner, presented the report and explained the changes to the content to whole budget approach.  The Finance Business Partner highlighted the specific budget proposals relating to the remit of the Panel and invited Panel members to comment.  The Panel’s comments would be included in a report to Scrutiny Board and then onto Cabinet.

The Panel queried the rationale for the proposed review of the WV Active Business Model to reducing reliance on agency staff.  The Director of Public Health explained that the plan was to offer employees more financial stability, by shifting to employees from sessional work to permanent employment.  The change would help to grow the quality of the workforce and offer a career path.  The change would also help to improve the quality of the service and respond to increased growth in membership of WV Active from 5,000 to 10,000 during the last few years. The Director of Public Health commented on the importance of getting customer feedback about their experiences and making changes to the offer with the aim of improving the overall quality.

The Director of Public Health commented on the vision for using other settings such as parks and open spaces to respond to increasing public interest in wanting different opportunities and settings to improve their health and fitness.

The Cabinet Member for City Environment, commented on the progress made to improve the fitness and leisure offer and the success of initiatives aimed at increasing the number of WV Active members. The Cabinet Member outlined the vision for the future of the current offer and actively looking for opportunities to host sporting events such as Judo Championships at local venues such as Aldersley Leisure.  The ambition was to attract investment that could develop a velodrome in Wolverhampton for hosting national competitions and make it attractive location for countries attending the Commonwealth Games wanting a base for their preparation.  The Cabinet Member outlined ideas for developing the offer at local parks.

The Director for City Environment added that work was being done to look for opportunities to promote Wolverhampton as potential location for activities linked to the Commonwealth Games in 2021 and to raise its profile.  The Panel discussed the importance of the canal network as part of the improved leisure offer and the benefits of past investment in attracting more interest and suggested that this should also be part of the vision for the future leisure offer in Wolverhampton.  The Director of Public Health commented on the analysis done to understand the reasons why people stop attending events and activities.  This had been completed through feedback and surveys to better understand the reasons.  There was a focus on improving the quality of the offer.  The Panel discussed if the proposals would lead to a reduction in the number of people offering sessions. The Panel were reassured that the aim was to maximise the number of instructors and continue to improve the leisure offer.

Resolved: The Panel agreed to note the report.