Agenda item

Invitees:

-       Steve Ward - Chief Executive - Newport Live

-       Kevin Ward - Chairman - Newport Live

The Chief Executive and Chairman gave an overview of the report, and also presented a couple of short videos to the Committee to give extra context of the work that the Newport Live Partnership do.

Members asked the following:

·         The Committee thanked the presenters and congratulated Newport Live for their recent award.The Chief Executive commended the staff and acknowledged the exceptional community engagement efforts of the Riverfront. They emphasised the importance of recruiting individuals who can assist the public and mentioned the approval of an Olympic Training Camp. The Committee expressed gratitude for the variety of services offered.

·         The Committee enquired about the origin of tourism mentioned in the Music Tourism Report.The Chief Executive mentioned applying for double funding from the Arts Council of Wales to implement a larger arts development program. The Chairman highlighted that projects serve as community hubs and ongoing discussions are taking place to incorporate Newport Live's systems into prevention work.

·         The Committee asked about the reduced funding in the advertisement budget.The Chairman explained that more funds would have been spent on advertising following the easing of Covid restrictions, and the budget for advertising and marketing is flexible.

·         The Committee noted the correlation between mental and physical health and wondered about its impact on those utilising the services.The Chief Executive noted that while it's not scientifically possible to measure, anecdotal evidence exists. Some academic questions have been asked in relation to mental health in certain projects. The Chairman mentioned that data on those who undertake specific projects would be available.

·         The Committee noted that collecting data on mental health impact could lead to greater grant funding.The Chief Executive emphasised the positive impact Newport Live has on people's lives and the help provided by allowing them to run facilities.

·         The Committee queried if Newport Live has partners within the communities.The Chief Executive confirmed working with a variety of partners within the community.

·         The Committee enquired about the effect of the cost-of-living crisis on attendance.The Chief Executive advised that there has been an impact, with costs increasing by an average of 8%. Energy costs, the availability of swimming instructors, and demand for swimming pools present significant challenges.

·         The Committee asked about the record of participation of products by demographic group.The Chief Executive mentioned that products ask for demographic data, but it's not mandatory for individuals to provide it. There is a plan to target communities with lower uptake and gather intelligence with partners.

·         The Committee expressed the need for the general public to know more about Newport Live.The Chief Executive emphasised the focus on individual outcomes and the importance of staying competitive commercially. Diversifying the audience and getting into as many realms as possible are key points.

·         The Committee raised the possibility of women-only swimming lessons and activities.The Chief Executive agreed to bring women-only sessions to the new centre and highlighted the potential for programs that cater to diverse areas. Statistics and personal information would be needed to fully understand community needs and desires.

·         The Committee requested an updated list of partnerships.The Chief Executive explained that the next time they come to Scrutiny, they will include all new partners on the list.

The Chair thanked the Officers for their attendance.

Conclusions

·       The Committee expressed their gratitude to the invitees for attending, commended the positive report, and were highly impressed by the informative presentation. Members observed that the work between the partners was significant, revealing the effectiveness of the partnership in safeguarding children. Additionally, they expressed appreciation for the brief video clips that provided additional insight into the partners' work. The Committee also praised the Menopause Active Work, along with several other schemes, and wished to give their thanks to all staff involved.

·       The Committee recommended that the partnership explore ways of measuring the impact on the mental health of people who participate in activities. While there is currently no measure in place, Members commented that it may be advantageous to do so in order to gain further grants elsewhere.

·       Members suggest that the partnership look into further opportunities for Ladies Only activities, such as Swimming. It was also requested that this is looked into for the future work programming for the new leisure centre.

·       Members were pleased to learn that the Riverfront had achieved its highest figures. Members expressed interest in discovering the breakdown of these figures between tourism and local visitors. Members were also interested to see some information regarding demographics when Newport Live come to the committee next year - it was felt it would be good for the Committee to know if Newport Live are reaching all communities. 

• Comment was made that in some communities Cricket is a passion, but due to it being an expensive sport in terms of price of kit and equipment compared to other sports, we are seeing a major decline in cricket in the younger generation. Members asked how we can improve facilities/grounds and access to these activities, especially looking at the costs of hiring a cricket pitch for those independent teams who do not have their own pitches.