Agenda item

Report of the Head of Corporate Strategy and Performance.

The Committee received a report of the Head of Corporate Strategy and Performance relative to the City of London Corporation’s DRAFT Sport and Physical Activity Strategy for 2020-25.

A Member commented that there are not many City-specific assets and suggested that a  soft surface strip could be incorporated on pavements for runners.  He commented that this had been done successfully in other countries such as Abu Dhabi and paid for by corporations. The strip could also still be walked across by pedestrians and used for self-promotion. The Member added running was an inexpensive, inclusive sport and something which should be endorsed from a public health point of view.  It was felt that this idea was something that could be explored further through the Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee. Officers responded that there was nothing in the strategy that would prevent this idea being explored, but that ultimately it would come down to Members deciding if it was a priority and resources, as well as ensuring that it supported the Transport Strategy. 

A Member stated that he was nervous about the idea of creating a new Working Party around the Strategy, and said that if it were to proceed, it should have a defined term of no more than two years.  The Town Clerk reminded the Committee that a Governance Review was now underway and that all such bodies would need to be considered in the round as part of this. 

Another Member welcomed the progress made on the new draft of the strategy but noted that it contained references to continued investment and therefore asked that the organisation’s total spend on sport was detailed. Whilst he acknowledged that this information might be difficult to gather from across the organisation, he felt that, without this information, it would not be possible to understand if our investment was proportionate or to look at the matter more strategically. Officers responded that they had sought financial information from the four main contributing departments and that this information should be available when the next draft is shared. 

At this point, the Chair sought approval from the Committee to continue the meeting beyond two hours from the appointed time for the start of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order 40, and this was agreed.

Another Member added that we should not lose sight of the fact that there were benefits in kind that the organisation added.  Officers reported that there is an in-kind register and that this could be reviewed for sport and physical activity related in kind support with this information included within future drafts of the Strategy.

A Member highlighted that Open Spaces were referenced clearly in the report in terms of them being designed and maintained to encourage positive physical activity. However, she added that such descriptions should be considered carefully given that some of the City’s Open Spaces were being asked to identify savings and cut resources.  Officers assured the Committee that the wording within the Strategy had been reviewed carefully by the Director of Open Spaces and the Business Manager for that Department to ensure that no commitments were made in the strategy that could not be honoured going forward.

RESOLVED – That, having reviewed the draft version of the Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, Members endorse the document, subject to the comments made today being addressed.