Issue - meetings

To present the Task Group’s Final Report for consideration (report of the South Holland Centre Task Group enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the South Holland Centre (SHC) Task Group which presented the Task Group’s final report for consideration.

The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor B Alcock introduced the report and noted a small error on page 23 of the report which stated that there was 5 members of the Task Group – there had been 6 members with one co-optee. He advised that the Task Group had been set up after the Centre had been closed for a long time due to the Covid pandemic, had no manager in post and an audience that was nervous to return to the venue following Covid. At the present time, the Centre was back in business. Councillor Alcock apologised for the delay in bringing the Task Group’s report to Cabinet and stated that this had been due to the sudden loss of the food and drink provision within the Centre in April.

Councillor Alcock advised that the Task Group had felt the facility had a wider role to play in the wellbeing of the district. He stressed the importance of the cultural role the Centre played, which gave a challenge in terms of how to improve the reach of the Centre.

He added that there had been encouraging signs that new ideas were available across the partnership and the feedback received from external professionals was positive.

The facility may not be able to avoid some public financial support, but the aim should be to continue to minimise the subsidy required.

Councillor Alcock advised that the five main recommendations of the Task Group would help to move the Centre forward and the sub-recommendations clarified in more detail as to how those main recommendations could be implemented.

He thanked all of the Task Group members and officers who had provided information and support to the group to assist with their work.

The following points were raised by those present:

• Members thanked the Task Group for their comprehensive report and for the time taken to produce the report.
• The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities highlighted the following points:
  • Some of the conclusions made within the report had already been addressed and work had been ongoing at the Centre since it’s re-opening.
  • The staffing restructure agreed at Council in July 2021 was needed as the previous model was unsustainable - a new Manager had been appointed in December 2021, and the new structure and the team was working well in a challenging environment.
  • There had been a phased re-opening of the Centre in an uncertain Covid recovery period and the Manager was investigating commercial opportunities in light of rising utility costs and the increased cost of living for residents, which could impact on their ability to visit the Centre.
  • Function Hall hire had increased in recent weeks, and it was pleasing that audience numbers for films and shows were also starting to increase.
  • Plans for the Centre were flexible and box office opening hours had been extended  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6