To receive a presentation on the Service Areas falling within the remit of the Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Minutes:
The Committee received a presentation from Damian Roberts, the Strategic Director for front Line Services, and Kelvin Mills, the Head of Communities and Major Projects, on the service areas falling within the remit of the Committee.
The Committee noted the Community Services Team structure and was advised that the team covered Community Partnerships including overseeing the service level agreements with a number of key partners including Citizens’ Advice Waverley, Farnham Maltings and the day centres in the borough. It also encompassed Economic Development working successfully with Enterprise First and the four chambers of commerce to support local business, and Community Safety delivering the key priorities of the Safer Waverley Partnership and working with the Joint Enforcement Team. The team was also instrumental in the current refurbishment and extension of the Farnham Memorial Hall and the transfer of the Community Meals Service.
The Committee noted that the Arts and Cultural Services team worked with partners to support the development and commissioning of arts and cultural projects to meet the needs of communities. They attracted external funding to deliver a wide range of community arts projects and directly delivered services from Godalming Museum, the Borough Hall and Farnham Memorial Hall (currently closed for refurbishment). The Farnham Museum was run for Waverley under a Service Level Agreement with Farnham Maltings
The Careline team looked after the careline emergency call systems and telecare for nearly 1900 clients – telecare was additional monitoring equipment linked either to a careline or a hand-held pager which included smoke detectors, bed and chair sensors and pill dispensers – which helped enable residents to live independently in their own home. The service operated 24/7, 365 days of the year.Waverley Training Services were a not for profit arm of Waverley offering training and apprenticeships in a range of subjects including business admin, customer service, management, IT and Social Digital Media. They worked with students in their workplace as well as in a classroom setting at their centre in Farnham.
The Leisure Services team managed the contract for Waverley’s five leisure centres. They worked to develop access to leisure in the borough through participatory events such as Waverley’s team in the Surrey Youth Games, Sport Relief Mile, annual skate events and through partnership working with local sports councils and schools. They were also responsible for promoting an active lifestyle through the development of health and wellbeing activities. The Greenspaces team covered the management of Waverley’s Parks and Countryside. They had achieved Green Flag status for 4 sites in the borough and were working with the National Trust to develop a visitor centre at Frensham Great Pond. They also looked after the play areas and skate parks, trees on Waverley owned land and managed the contract for grounds maintenance across the borough.
The Committee noted that the key aims of the Team, noted in the service plan 2017/18 were:
· To successfully complete the Memorial Hall refurbishment creating:
o a new multi-use community facility for Farnham;
o a new home for the Gostrey Centre; and
o a new home for Waverley Training Services.
· To increase Waverley Training Services provision to offer increased apprenticeship opportunities and help young adults into employment or further education.
· Increased use of Waverley’s Careline service to help more vulnerable adults in our community.
· Maximise the usage and offering provided by our Leisure Centres ensuring that residents are happy with the service and facilities offered by Waverley.
· Regeneration of East Street area of Farnham through delivery of the Brightwells Scheme.
The Committee thanked the officers for a highly informative presentation about their service area.