Minutes:
Phil Rogers, Head of Culture and Leisure, gave a verbal report on Cultural Service Development over the last three months.
There had been a huge increase in participants following work done by the Commercial and Promotional and Sports Development Teams who had put together a package of activities over the Summer, a series of which had been from both private and non-private sector community groups.
Sports Development
Mega Active Summer Programme
Atrracted 2941 young people aged 16 and under. 181 Black and Ethnic participants (majority of delivery in Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy areas).
Community Sports Coach Scheme
RMBC Community Coaches – Football Development worker is already making a huge impact
Delivery since July 2005 (majority in NRS Areas)
Over 1600 young people aged 5-19 involved in the scheme so far
107 disabled participants
50 BEM participants
United Multicultural Centre Community Coach
Delivery since April 2004 (Eastwood and Springwell Gardens area)
Over 1600 young people engaged
208 BEM participants
KimberworthPark Community Coach
Delivery since July 2005 (KimberworthPark area only)
Over 200 young people engaged in the programme
Space for Sports and Arts Project (Ferham, St. Ann’s, High Greave, Rawmarsh, Thurcroft)
Delivery of programmes at above sites to engage young people in sport/physical activity. Over 500 young people have participated in sports activities to date
Football Development
Several Football programmes have been delivered since April 2005.
Over 1200 young people have been engaged to date
Skills academy for Young People with disabilities
Partnership between RawmarshSports College and Community Coach Scheme, Multi-sport sessions
Current attendance over 25 young people on a weekly basis
Positive Parks Project Maltby (Multi-sports)
Whole project has attracted over 200 young people
Community Arts
Space for Sports and Arts (Arts) Half-term activities
Street dance – 25 participants over the 2 sessions
Halloween Fun – 81 participants over the 4 sessions (33 at Thurcroft)
Circus Skills – 19 over the 3 sessions
School Arts Network
The Schools Arts Network exists to promote art in schools and work with art teachers and activity co-ordinators. Open Minds Theatre Company developed a festival with 8 schools. One of the arts development officers has also developed a performance project with Swinton cluster. This now includes the management of the Helen Billington Fund which provides small grants to Rotherham schools for arts activities.
Libraries
15,000 children actively use Libraries in Rotherham and borrowed 208,508 children’s books in 2004/05.
The Library’s People’s Network provides free internet and e-mail to all residents of Rotherham. Sessions held develop skills and confidence in ICT. “Safe Surfing for Children and their Carers” won a national award in 2004.
The 2005 Children’s Book Festival presented a total of 98 sessions across Rotherham, 39 of which were events that were open to the general public. 28 authors, storytellers and poets and other artistes engaged with invited schools and public audiences in libraries across the borough. 15 sites received an author, storyteller or performer this year. These reached an audience of over 4000 people across Rotherham.
26 schools took part in the Rotherham Children’s Book Award and 7 schools delivered dramatic presentations of titles they had read.
Schools’ Music Service
The Ofsted inspection of the Music Service found it to be one of the best two music services in the country.
Green Spaces
The new children’s amusements were opened in Clifton Park in March 2005.
A children’s fireworks display was organised by the Friends of Clifton Park as part of this year’s bonfire and firework celebrations in November 2005. Estimated 10,000 people attended. Everyone had enjoyed the event.
Work is currently being undertaken to encourage schools/young people to take up allotment plots. Winterhill Comprehensive, Aston Comprehensive, Clifton Comprehensive and Dearne Valley College already have plots. The Multi-Cultural Centre also has a plot which is used by school aged children. In addition Wath Community Partnership and Rawmarsh and Parkgate Community Partnership are setting up allotment plots. Phoenix Enterprises also have allotment plots for training the young unemployed in horticulture. Mencap also have some plots.
An important factor to the success of allotment sites was the installation of secure fencing. Funding to fence two sites had been secured from the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Programme.
Junior Rangers have been working in Victoria Park, Rawmarsh to improve the look of the park by painting old railings, etc. This was featured on Calendar TV.
Urban Park Ranger Service is working alongside South YorkshireForest with their Wetland Wildflower Project. Rangers go into schools to deliver a set number of lessons aimed at improving the ground’s biodiversity and educating children about its importance. Schools taking part so are are Brinsworth Manor Junior, AbbeySchool, Rockingham J&I School and Maltby Redwood Juniors.
15,000 young people watched or participated in Living History at RotherValley CountryPark.
7500 junior football and cricket matches on borough council pitches.
15,000 young people learning watersports skills at RMBC’s country parks.
Audit Inspection
On the 13th March, 2006 there will be an inspection by the Audit Inspection under Corporate Performance Assessment on Cultural Services. This will be the first time this year nationally that Government has asked for a whole service block inspection. This will happen every year from now on.
A great deal of preparation work is underway ad Members of this Consortium would be contacted regarding their input and contribution.
Members present raised a number of questions which led to further information being given on:-
- the benefits for the Council resulting from a high score
- work since 2001 on taking Cultural Services forward
- schemes which were presently progressing well
- the amount of external funding to Rotherham over the past few years
Agreed:- That the verbal report be received.