No apologies for absence were received.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 2 February 2021 were signed by the Chair.

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox declared an other interest in agenda item 6. Gravesham Community Leisure Limited and Item 7. The Grand - Update on Delivery as he is a Council appointee on Gravesham Community Leisure Limited (GCLL) and The Gr@nd CIC.

Cllr Peter Scollard declared an other interest in agenda item 6. Gravesham Community Leisure Limited as he is a Council appointee on Gravesham Community Leisure Limited (GCLL).

The Committee received a presentation from Catherine Herbert, Head of Development and Research, Cement Fields on England's Creative Coast/Estuary 2021, a large scale arts festival that is taking place on 22 May 2021 to 13 June 2021

The presentation can be viewed on the link below:

https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/documents/b13450/Presentation%20-%20Estuary%202021%20Monday%2015-Mar-2021%2019.30%20Community%20Leisure%20Cabinet%20Committee.pdf?T=9

Following questions from the Committee; the Head of Development and Research, Cement Fields highlighted the following:

• Accessibility is crucial and critical to the festival. This event was planned for September 2020 and the organisers are wedded to making sure it happens this year in order to provide positive and creative ways to explore the local area.
• The festival would like to engage all of Gravesham and the organisers will work hard to make sure that’s the case. There is also a big programme of events in Ebbsfleet, Swanscombe and Greenhithe.

The Committee noted the presentation and thanked Catherine Herbert, Head of Development and Research, Cement Fields for attending the meeting.

The Committee received a presentation from Rob Swain, Managing Director of GCLL on the impact of the pandemic on the leisure centres in the borough and the GCLL Roadmap to recovery.

The presentation can be viewed on the link below:

https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/documents/b13451/Presentation%20-%20Gravesham%20Community%20Leisure%20Limited%20Monday%2015-Mar-2021%2019.30%20Community%20Leisure%20C.pdf?T=9

Following questions from the Committee; the Managing Director of GCLL highlighted the following:

• GCLL has received great financial support from GBC. GCLL is looking forward to working with GBC on a partnership message around building confidence with people an promoting the benefits of being healthy and happy.
• GCLL is committed to continuing its important focus on people with disabilities in the Borough. GCLL value the disability community and swimming is a great facility that disabled people love to enjoy. The membership scheme for people with disabilities will continue, the key issues moving forward are restrictions and building confidence in people to return.
• GCLL have restarted the swimming academy at the Cygnets Leisure Centre after going through a huge restriction process to facilitate 1200 weekly swimming lessons. Hopefully GCLL will return to its full 2500 swimming lessons as soon as restrictions allow.

The Committee noted the presentation and commended Rob Swain, Managing Director of GCLL and all his staff on their fantastic efforts during the pandemic.

The Committee received a presentation from Liz Read, Operational Manager of The Gr@nd on what has been delivered by the team at the Healthy Living Centre during the pandemic.

The presentation can be viewed on the link below:

https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/documents/b13452/Presentation%20-%20The%20Grnd%20-%20Update%20on%20Delivery%20Monday%2015-Mar-2021%2019.30%20Community%20Leisure%20Cabine.pdf?T=9

Following questions from the Committee; the Operational Manager of The Gr@nd highlighted the following:

• The work of the Gr@nd has been very important in maintaining contact and engaging people during the pandemic. The feedback that has been received suggests that people are desperate to be together again.
• The Gr@nd worked in partnership with the Gurdwara to explain to people how the vaccine worked; the outcome was a great success.
• The Gr@nd is looking forward to celebrating its 20^th Birthday in 2021 and welcoming the return of Gifted Young Generation(GYG)

The Committee thanked Liz Read, Operational Manager of The Gr@nd for an informative presentation and commended the fantastic work The Gr@nd had achieved during the pandemic by adapting the way they deliver their services.

The Leisure & Resilience Manager and Assistant Director (Communities) updated Members on the current development of a Sport, Leisure & Active Recreation Strategy and highlighted the following:

• The Sport, Leisure & Active Recreation Strategy will set out the Council’s aims, objectives and priorities for developing sports opportunities and facilities in the borough, and using sport and active recreation to develop and promote healthy lifestyles.
• The council’s overall vision is ‘to have a Sport, Leisure and Recreation offer

that works with and encourages all local residents, visitors, organisations,

businesses and communities to adopt a regular active and healthier

lifestyle. Utilising the full range of provision, planned and available indoor

and outdoor sports, leisure, play and recreational spaces and organisations

while removing barriers to participation and inequalities’.

• Key outcomes within the strategy will be;

-       Reduced health inequalities and increase participation levels

-       A network of accessible, flexible and sustainable facilities

-       To provide a programme of activities and interventions that will be

attractive to all

• Further refinement will be made to the Sport, Leisure & Active Recreation Strategy

over the next few months, which will also coincide with the publication of the

Strategic Framework document for Kent & Medway, as well as updates via the

Feasibility Study for future leisure centre provision. Sports and leisure

organisations will also have the opportunity to be consulted on the draft strategy

once published via the council’s website and social media channels and via email

databases where held.

The Committee were requested to make known its views on the report and in particular the

main priorities, aims and objectives listed within the report so that the strategy can be

formalised further.

Following questions from the Committee; the Leisure & Resilience Manager and Assistant Director (Communities) highlighted the following:

• GBC are engaged with the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation regarding plans for the landmark leisure facilities planned within the garden city
• The Saxon Shore Way has not been specifically identified in this particular strategy but it should be picked up as an informal development activity e.g walking and cycling.
• In regard to external funding; the Council are looking at The National Leisure Recovery Fund, Section 106 funding, and potential additional Sport England Funding
• The use of informal space and access to open space are very important in relation to the strategy.
• Upgrading playgrounds sits under another directorate (and associated committee)  but the strategy will ensure there is some synergy. There is a committed programme for playground improvements over the next few years.
• Inactivity and obesity levels generally follow areas of deprivation; Gravesham has some historic areas that fall into this category along with some areas around Dartford, Thanet and Swale etc.
• The Council will look to address inequalities and how to target certain groups by considering other ways to engage people and encourage them to be active.

The Committee noted the report and looked forward to considering a refined version of the strategy at a future meeting.

The Strategic Manager (Community Safety Unit) advised Members that the report had been provided to the Committee in order that Members have an opportunity to be directly

consulted on the draft Community Safety Strategy 2021-24 that has been prepared by the

Council’s Community Safety Unit (CSU) on behalf of the recently established Gravesham

Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

The draft Strategy will be considered by the CSP’s statutory partners at its meeting later this month and subject to approval will provide the foundation for the direction of multi-agency community safety activity in the Borough over the next three years.

Progress made in the delivery of the Strategy will also be reported to the Council’s Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee in April.

Following questions from the Committee; Strategic Manager (Community Safety Unit), highlighted the following:

• Natalie Brown, Lead Safeguarding Officer is putting together a Safeguarding training programme that will be delivered to Members.
• Pelham Ward does experience high levels of certain offences due to the fact that the town centre falls within this ward so offences relating to shoplifting, irresponsible drinking of alcohol etc. are included in the statistics. The train station is also in this ward which adds to the crime statistics. An area based action group has been setup as an operational sub-group of the new CSP and so could potentially look into this area.
• In regard to community engagement; the Council has done good work in past with faith groups and will look to continue to do so.
• The Kent Surrey and Sussex Community Rehabilitation Company (KSSCRC) has historically managed Community Payback and tended to deal with middle/low level offenders. Probation deal with the more serious/higher risk offenders. Probation and KSSCRC both need to be represented on the partnership.
• The Community Safety Public Consultation Survey was not available in different languages but this is something that we would want to consider in future surveys. The Council does need to look at how to communicate with newer migrants to the area and looking at different ways of engaging to become as inclusive as possible.
• The Council does work with the Police in relation to rough sleepers. A lot of people sleeping rough do become alcohol / drug dependent which makes them reluctant to go to the Police but the Council is helping to build up that trust.

The Committee commended the Strategic Manager (Community Safety Unit) and her team on the fantastic work in this area.

The Assistant Director (Communities) provided Members of the Community & Leisure Cabinet Committee with an update against how the Council has responded to the COVID Pandemic, both in terms of specific activities in response to the Pandemic and how the Council has managed to maintain service delivery across Council services.

The Assistant Director (Communities) highlighted that, as well as maintaining services during the pandemic the Council has also brought forward additional areas work, including the Cultural Strategy and Environmental Enforcement work.

The Chair payed tribute to the work that has been done, especially in the areas of Sport and Leisure and Community Safety.

The Chair agreed to look into whether providing Council correspondence in a wide variety of languages is achievable to ensure the Council reaches as many people as possible.

The Committee noted the report.