Agenda item

a)    Officer presentation

b)    Committee questioning and discussion

c)     Formation of comments and recommendations

Invitees:

-          Steve Ward – Chief Executive – Newport Live

-          Kevin Ward - Chairman – Newport Live

-          Tracey Brooks – Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

The Chief Executive presented an overview of the report, and a video presentation was shown to the Committee.

Members asked the following:

• The Committee praised the work undertaken by Aspire, and asked how children are referred. The Committee were advised that referrals to Aspire typically come from Llanwern, Lliswerry, and John Frost schools, in coordination with other Local Authority services. The programme's limitation to three schools was due to resource constraints, emphasising the importance of a dedicated team for supporting young persons.

• The Committee were advised that Newport Live incorporates the Welsh language into its operations, including promotional work and customer service. The Chief Executive advised that while most sports activities are conducted in English, the importance of delivering services in Welsh is recognised, with specific mention of swimming lessons being available in Welsh.

• The Committee discussed the distribution of Newport Live facilities, noting a lack in Newport West compared to the Central and East areas of the city. The Chairman explained that the facilities were inherited from the Council, with further details in the Council Sporting Report. It was emphasised that Newport Live's role extended beyond sports, significantly impacting the health of Newport citizens across the city.

• Concerns were raised about financial sustainability and the maintenance of infrastructure. The Chairman highlighted that the Capital Asset Management Strategy is a focus area for Newport Live. Despite challenges like inflation and increased living wage impacting costs, efforts were made to maintain concessionary rates. Efficiency savings were sought through methods other than redundancies, such as negotiation with suppliers. The Committee were also advised that while there were challenges, the partnership actively seeks diverse funding sources and is committed to maintaining and expanding its programmes to meet community needs.

• The Committee were advised that Newport Live actively collaborated with various sectors, including health, education, and local government, to maximise the impact of its programmes and initiatives.

• The Committee were advised that Newport Live's engagement with minority and LGBTQIA+ communities included hosting the Pride event and working with various groups that utilised both arts and sports facilities. Staff from diverse backgrounds contributed to this inclusive approach.

• The Committee enquired about the partnership's strategies for engaging with underrepresented groups. The Committee were advised that the partnership employed targeted outreach and tailored programmes to engage with underrepresented groups, ensuring that the benefits of its programmes reach all community members.

• The Committee were advised that Newport Live engaged with communities in Newport, a City of Sanctuary, through initiatives such as introducing refugees with water trauma to safe and enjoyable water activities. Referrals come from teams such as Positive Futures and link with Social Services and The Gap Wales.

• The Committee expressed a desire for more publicisation of Newport Live’s positive work and for inclusive programmes to be a key theme throughout Newport Live's plan. The Chief Executive confirmed that Newport Live works with a variety of external body initiatives to support this goal.

The Chair thanked officers for attending.

Conclusions

• The Committee expressed admiration for the presentation and the impactful work Newport Live is doing, especially in engaging with young people and addressing their needs effectively. The Committee particularly noted the passion and dedication demonstrated by staff involved in the Aspire Programme.

• The Committee recommended that the partnership more actively publicised the positive outcomes and work done by Newport Live, especially in engaging with diverse communities and supporting individuals from vulnerable backgrounds.

• The Committee wish to voice the importance in recognising the risk inherent in the assets and infrastructure and for the partnership to ensure their finance allocated to infrastructure is adequate.