Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member – Councillor Nia Jeffreys

To submit a report on the above.

1. To accept the report and to note the observations.
2. To write to the Health and Social Services Minister highlighting the work being carried out by Cwmni Byw’n Iach in respect of the National Exercise Referral Scheme and the need for additional finance to fund its operation in Gwynedd.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Operational Economy Matters, the Managing Director of Byw'n Iach and the Head of Economy and Community were welcomed to the meeting. 

The report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Operational Economy Matters was submitted inviting the committee to scrutinise the arrangements of Cyngor Gwynedd and Cwmni Byw'n Iach to provide leisure services in Gwynedd following the issue being placed on Cyngor Gwynedd's Corporate Risk Register due to the risk of Cwmni Byw'n Iach being unable to continue to provide services in Gwynedd leisure centres as a result of the side-effects of Covid-19 and the increase in the cost of living on their income

The Cabinet Member and Head of Economy and Community set out the context and thanked the officers for the report and to the Byw'n Iach Team and Council representatives on the Byw'n Iach Board for their work. The Managing Director of Byw'n Iach then detailed the company's performance during the year.
 

Members were then given an opportunity to ask questions and submit observations. 

Officers were asked to elaborate on the collaboration between Cwmni Byw'n Iach and Alliance Leisure to prioritise the plans to create additional income streams. In response, it was noted:- 

·         That Alliance Leisure was a specialist company that supported local authorities and commercial companies in the leisure field, and that the Council had also worked with them in the past.

·         That the main focus of discussions with the company over the past year has been focused on Bangor, largely due to the challenge facing the more traditional income streams to Byw'n Iach facilities in Bangor in light of competition from the private sector, and also the fact that Bangor was a very significant population centre.

·         The facilities in Bangor were not among the strongest, and there was a lack of dry side provision for sport. Also, the situation in Bangor was complicated due to the presence of the University and their respective facilities.

·         Bangor residents wished to see a broader offer, but currently holiday services could not be provided for children and young people in Bangor due to the lack of dry facilities, etc.

·         That there was a commercial opportunity in Bangor due to the size of the population, and that the discussions with Alliance Leisure were looking at two potential projects, one relating to a play facility as an extension to the existing building and the other looking at adapting the fitness offer in Bangor not to compete head-to-head with some of the private competitors, but rather to look more at the well-being sector, looking to collaborate more within the exercise referral programme, working with health partners and targeting older people and people interested in low intensity exercise.

·         Grant applications had been submitted to the Welsh Government for funding to make these schemes a reality and there were Lottery Fund applications also pending.

It was asked how Cwmni Byw'n Iach saw the risks in the future, i.e., in terms of the number of users reaching  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6