Decision details

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, that requested the Board to consider the relationship between increasing the cost of the local authority leisure facilities to residents and the potential impact on health inequalities in the borough. The Board was also asked to consider if it wished to subsidise leisure activities for certain groups in the borough. Options for how this could be implemented were outlined in the report together with a request from Halton Walking Football Club.  

          As health is the number one priority for Halton it was proposed that a temporary subsidy be put in place as stated in the report to allow existing groups to continue to be active but with the following recommendations.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    as being active is a key factor to promoting health and wellbeing in the borough the full subsidy amount should be allocated by contribution from Public Health;

2)    to ensure fairness and consistency all groups who meet the criteria as set out in the report will receive a standardised 50 per cent discount; and

3)    the Portfolio Holder for Employment Learning, Skills and Community Portfolio Holder be regularly updated on the status of discussions with the groups in receipt of the subsidy and the nature of support being provided by Sports Development. This ensures transparency and accountability whilst tracking progress toward the goal of enabling groups to become self-sustaining.