Agenda and minutes

None.

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting of Cabinet.

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting of 18 November 2020 were approved as a correct record.

Report of the Corporate Director Communities.

NOTE - Notice of this key decision was not included in the Schedule of Executive Decisions until 12 November 2020. As the decision must be taken by such a date that it would be impracticable to defer the decision for 28 calendar days, it will be taken in accordance with paragraph 16 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules at Part 4 of the Council's Constitution (General Exception).

On 19 November 2020, the Chief Executive informed the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in writing of the matter on which the decision was to be taken. This included the reason why compliance with the requirement to provide at least 28 calendar days’ notice was not practicable - that reason being the urgency for a decision on additional funding for the YMCA.

When Cabinet takes the decision, at least three clear working days will have elapsed since the Chief Executive complied with the requirements of the General Exception rule. Public Document Pack Copies of that notice have been made available to the public at the offices of the Council.

The Corporate Director Communities submitted a report asking Cabinet to approve a further contract variation with the Fylde Coast YMCA by way of additional funding of £340,165 in 2020/21 in order to ensure that they could continue to provide a leisure service provision in Wyre. This was additional to the £636,345 for Fylde Coast YMCA agreed previously.

Six non-executive councillors (Cllrs Beavers, Fail, Le Marinel, Raynor, Swales and Webster) and the six members of the Executive addressed the meeting in relation to the recommendations contained in the report.

Decision

Cabinet approved an additional subsidy of £340,165 in 2020/21 for Fylde Coast YMCA to enable the reopening of fitness gyms and classes at Thornton and Garstang leisure centres and the reopening of Garstang pool to trial public appetite for a return to swimming once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Fleetwood and Poulton leisure centres were to be kept under monthly review with a view to reopening and would be reopened as soon as it was viable to do so.

Cabinet also approved the undertaking of a procurement exercise at a cost of £30,000 to bring in external support to help with the development of a longer term strategy for sustainable leisure provision in Wyre and delegated authority for this commission to the Corporate Director Communities.