Three Rivers District Council has an in-house leisure development team and contracts out the management of its leisure venues. The team works with a range of partners to meet strategic targets around increasing the health and wellbeing of local people, including those with additional needs, mental health issues and vulnerable young people.
Three Rivers District Council delivers its leisure development programme through an in-house service team of eight officers. The team works with partners across a range of projects, including leisure venues, schools, Hertfordshire Sport and Physical Activity Partnership, public health, parish councils, the voluntary and community sector (such as MIND), libraries and others. They also work with internal teams such as planning and housing.
The factors behind the council retaining an in-house leisure development team include finding it easier to respond to customer demand, to respond to changes in strategic priorities and to work with local councillors to enhance the local leisure offer. The total budget for the team is £467,150 and it has also received public health funding.
Councillors are supportive of the work the leisure development team delivers and will assist on projects wherever possible. There are two lead members (one covers leisure, community and wellbeing, the other covers health) who are fully briefed on work programmes and support a number of projects across the team. Formal processes are in place where recommendations for the department are presented to the Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Committee and debated by councillors.
Three Rivers contracts out the management of its leisure venues, which include three leisure centres and a public golf course. The new contract currently being developed for this partnership will include a sports development element, with the aim of it being complementary to the council team’s work programme.
Impact and outcomes
The leisure development team works with a number of vulnerable groups alongside mass participation activities such as Parkrun. This includes work to increase the health and wellbeing of those with additional needs, mental health issues and vulnerable children and their families. The council’s objectives for healthier communities are:
- develop and improve access to good quality housing
- create prosperity for all and access to opportunities
- support the most vulnerable people in the district
- provide a healthy and safe environment
- reduce health inequalities, promote healthy lifestyles and support learning and community organisations.
Performance indicator data for 2016/17, which demonstrates performance against the targets set within the council’s strategic plan, includes:
- just under 400,000 attendances by adults at leisure venues and activities
- over 200,000 attendances by young people at leisure venues and activities
- 100 per cent of older people taking part in an activity scheme for people in sheltered housing reported specific health benefits
- 193 new customers on the exercise referral programme
- children’s play activities rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
- 1,255 attendances by children from lowincome families at holiday play schemes
- 83 per cent of vulnerable children were satisfied with the leisure projects offered to them.
Looking to the future
Three Rivers District Council has a forward focus on innovation, best practice and increasing income generation. This includes sourcing external funding to enhance existing projects, working with partner organisations and continually assessing procedures to ensure value for money for the local community.
Examples where external funding has been/is being sourced include:
- Heritage Lottery Fund: funding application submitted for a large heritage project within Leavesden Country Park
- Sport England: funding to support the development of an all-weather pitch in partnership with Rickmansworth Hockey Club
- Sport England: funding to support the development of a watersports facility at Rickmansworth Aquadrome, in partnership with Bury Lake Young Mariners
- Sport England: funding to build a new 3G pitch and multi-use games area, in partnership with the YMCA, at Leavesden Country Park
- supporting local clubs to access funding from Sport England to develop facilities (for example Evergreen Football Club).
Councillor Chris Lloyd, Lead Member for Leisure, Community and Wellbeing, said: “The council is proud of its achievements and is committed to delivering quality leisure services that enhance the health and wellbeing of our communities.”
Key learning points
- Embrace innovation.
- Continually challenge and assess procedures to ensure best practice.
- Involve the local community at every stage: delivery must meet their needs.
- Maintain a high profile with stakeholders and make sure programmes are aligned to support the achievement of local, county, regional and national aims and objectives.
Contact
Charlotte Gomes
Leisure Development Manager
Three Rivers District Council
[email protected]