Agenda item

Oral update – the Head of Corporate Strategy & Performance to be heard.

The Board received an oral update from the Head of Corporate Strategy & Performance concerning the Sports and Physical Activity Strategy.

Members were provided with a pre-Covid recap that an ambition statement went to the Policy & Resources Committee in February and Officers made a commitment to review the existing provision and undertake stakeholder research and a commercial valuation of assets. This was paused in March as a result of the first lockdown as critical services and resources were redeployed. The Officer Group restarted work in September and were meeting regularly to review work under the new Covid context.

It was noted that three delivery areas were supporting this work and updates were provided: 1) DCCS were working on a capital bid in December; 2) Open Spaces - toilets and playgrounds at the Corporation’s Open Spaces remained open to the public but everything else was shut; 3) Sports Business Engagement - the UK Active National Summit will be held online and colleagues were encouraged to register for the virtual conference.

It was noted that public consultation was taking place to explore the future of activity in the City as a worker destination. This was separate from the Square Mile Running track consultation being led by a Member and Officers confirmed a running track is not currently planned and all parties would be consulted on any proposals.

Members were provided with headlines from the Sport England report which included £9.5 billion in physical and mental health impact generated, 285k jobs supported and an overall impact of £13.8 billion. This highlighted the importance of the partnerships working together. It was also confirmed that Officers were responding to the current Sport England consultation.

Members voiced concern regarding the effect of Covid on the high number of indoor private gyms in the City which were now in peril. A Member felt that this would not be easily resolved as gyms relied heavily on workers in the City and footfall was unlikely to increase anytime soon. It was confirmed that business closures were being seen and Officers were reviewing how the stoppage to business support by the Government was contributing to these closures.

In response to a query concerning potential obstacles faced by the BAME community in accessing sport and physical activity and the subsequent impact on health inequalities, Officers stated that different groups faced different obstacles which would be investigated by the joint City and Hackney Health Inequalities Steering Group and wider research was being undertaken to address the barriers.