Content

8.
 

Parks Tennis Procurement and
Hillsborough Activity Hub
 

8.1

The committee considered a
report of the Executive Director for Operational Services seeking
to gain approval for any associated disposals of land which
may be necessary, and for officers to be authorised to obtain any
consents or approvals required and to be further authorised to
publish any notices required under the Local Government Act 1972
and the Charities Act 2011;
 
To gain approval for the proposed City Council
funding contribution of up to £180,000 (of prudential
borrowing) towards the development of the Activity Hub at
Hillsborough Park; and the allocation of Section 106 funds of up to
£183,000 for the development of the multi-use games facilities
at Hillsborough Park, as described in the report.
 

8.2

RESOLVED: That the Charity Trustees
Sub-Committee:-
 

1.       Note the contents of
the report
2.       Note the legal
advice received that before any disposal goes ahead the Trustees
should be satisfied that based on financial reports and having
heard any objections of the public if the proposed disposal is on
balance in the best interests of the trust.
3.       Authorise the giving
of notices under the Local Government Act 1972 and the Charities
Act 2011 prior to the disposal of any of the properties required
for the delivery of the project
4.       Subject to the
process envisaged by 3 above, to approve the grant of leases of the
properties referred to in the body of the report to the preferred
supplier on the terms set out in the Appendices to this report
after consideration of the contents of the Qualified
Surveyor’s Report and satisfying itself that the proposed
terms are the best that can be reasonably obtained in the
circumstances.
5.       Subject to the
process envisaged by 3 above, approve the award of the contract to
the preferred supplier
6.       Subject to the
process envisaged by 3 above, approve the use of the Prudential
Borrowing and Section 106 money to support the project.
 
(NOTE: The
result of the vote on the resolution was FOR - 4 Members; AGAINST -
0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 1 Members)

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

Continued management of
Sheffield’s parks tennis programme, alongside a
sustainable business model,
providing appropriate opportunities to generate income, provides
financial security to parks tennis programme into the future.
Without this, the programme faces a financially challenging
future.

8.3.2

Hillsborough Park is a site
which lies within an area identified as within the top
30%
IMD, and therefore the
provision of quality sport and recreational facilities will have a
real benefit to communities with identified health inequalities. It
is designated as a
‘City Park’ which
reflects the fact that residents travel to the park from across the
city and further afield; and hence the benefits will also have city
wide reach.

8.3.3

The deteriorating conditions of
the existing tennis and multi-use games area
provision are not
‘city’ standard. Improvements to these recreational
facilities will
support the parks Green Flag
aspirations. The provision of an exciting and high-quality facility
of this nature will raise the standard of the park, increase
its
attractiveness as a destination
site and encourage and attract users of all ages and
abilities from various
communities to engage in sport and physical activities.

8.3.4

Data and evaluation will form
an important component of this project to capture
benefits, outputs and outcomes
particularly focused around a reduction in health
inequalities. See Appendix 13
for the latest performance insight.

8.3.5

The social return on investment
of the current parks tennis programme was recently
valued by Sheffield Hallam
University at over £191,000, this includes;
• £51,000 Health
Outcomes
• £95,000 personal
wellbeing
• £45,000 community
development

8.3.6

We would expect this value and
therefore benefits gained, to increase considerably
with the introduction of the
Activity Hub at Hillsborough Park and additional courts at
Hollinsend and Ecclesfield Parks.

8.3.7

The council recognises that
leisure provision both indoors and outdoors is critical
post pandemic, with many people
requiring rehabilitation after suffering long-COVID, or diminished
mental health caused by lockdown.

8.3.8

The health and wellbeing of
residents is a priority, and it is clear the services
delivered by facilities such as
this play a vital role both now and in the future. It is
therefore critical that long
term sustainable plans are put in place to maintain and
grow these
facilities.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

Do nothing

8.4.2

Parks and Countryside’s
have reviewed the option of continuing as is, with the existing
parks tennis programme model exclusive of an Activity Hub. It has
been concluded that continuing in this way, now with the added
pressures that the Council is facing as a result of the pandemic,
would make the model financially challenging for the future. It
would also mean the loss of the opportunity to improve the sports
and recreational facilities in this currently underused area of the
Park. In addition the health and wellbeing gains that would be
gained through the introduction of the hub and the improvement of
the recreational and sports facilities would be reduced.

8.4.3

For the tennis sites that form
part of the ‘spokes’ of this proposal, the do nothing
option would put the future viability and quality of these
facilities at risk, as the current model does not adequately
account for the financing of future infrastructure renewal
needs.