Agenda item

To receive a response to questions and suggestions from Town Board Members regarding Dewsbury Sports Centre.

Contact: Joanne Bartholomew, Service Director for Development.

RESOLVED- That the Response to questions and suggestions from Town Board Members regarding Dewsbury Sports Centre be noted.

The Board received a report responding to questions and suggestions from Town Board Members regarding Dewsbury Sports Centre (DSC). Joanne Bartholomew, Service Director of Development, advised that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had been contacted to confirm details of the Town Boards funding, along with the future Neighbourhood Plan funding.  

Richard Thorpe, MHCLG informed the Board that funding had been allocated in 2021 and approved based on plans submitted at that time. The programme was ending, and Government was moving forward to a devolved approach to local growth funding. The Board noted that the project adjustment request process had been put in place to accommodate the transfer of funds between projects where there had been viability issues. MHCLG did not advocate cancelling projects and bringing in new activity, as the programme was in the final stages. Plan for Neighbourhoods’ intention was small scale capital, £2 million a year, with 25% revenue.

The Board advised that they welcomed any success in securing funding from Central Government for a new Sports Centre in Dewsbury.

Iqbal Mohamed MP advised the Board that he had met with the Minister of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport following a request for funding to secure Dewsbury Sports Centre. Although no decision had been made, Mr Mohamed felt it was unlikely in the context of the new governments’ current financial restraints that funding would be found.

Mr Mohamed, MP made a presentation to the Board on Dewsbury Sports Centre that included:

• Background and Development of the Sports Centre
• Impact on the Community
• Survey Timeline and Closure Controversy
• Survey Recommendations
• Possible Council Actions
• Options 1 and 2 from the Cabinet report.
• Recommendations.

Jim Griffiths, Chief Superintendent, West Yorkshire Police informed the Board that there was no evidence of increased crime, either by gangs or in anti-social behaviour relating to the closure of Dewsbury Sports Centre.

Mr Mohamed recommended that the Board resolve the following:

1)    That the Board requests access to all the relevant documents relating to the Sports Centre from Kirklees Council.

2)    That the Board facilitates and funds a full intrusive structural survey of the wet side by obtaining three independent quotes from suppliers and selecting a surveyor independent of Kirklees Council.

3)    That the Board receive the intrusive survey report which would include updated repair and reopening costs based on the findings, and requests that the Board take a vote at a future meeting to repurpose the required funds from existing projects to repair and reopen DSC.

David Shepherd, Executive Director for Place, advised the Board that due process had been followed by Kirklees Council. 

The recommendation was not seconded by Board Members, as it was noted that Dewsbury Sports Centre was not an asset of the Board, and it was the decision of Kirklees Council to close the sports centre.

During discussion, the Board reiterated its response to the Sports Centre which included:

• An Understanding from MHCLG that there was not the flexibility or amount needed within the Dewsbury Town Board or Neighbourhood Board funding to reopen the Dewsbury Sports Centre.
• Recognising the need for Board Members to help manage the expectations of the public in terms of the funds available to Dewsbury Town/Neighbourhood Board and the restrictions on how it could be spent.
• Acknowledging there were passionate feelings about the need for a Sports centre in Dewsbury from the public.

• Supporting any requests for funding from Central Government for a sports centre in Dewsbury.
• Considering and contributing to the strategic needs assessment Kirklees Council was undertaking to explore approaches to address health, wellbeing, and social needs of the Dewsbury population, which was out to tender and would be commissioned shortly.
• Discussing ways in which the Board could support the outcomes of the strategic needs assessment.

Mr Mohamed commented on other funded projects where assets were owned by the Council such as the Market and felt that the area covered by the Town Board Fund was limited.  Mr Mohamed also commented that he felt information regarding the Town Deal Fund boundary was incorrect due to previously being advised that Dewsbury Sports Centre was outside of the boundary, and he felt that decisions made by the Board were based on the incorrect information.

RESOLVED –

That the report be noted.