Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides an update on the capital works undertaken on site, sets out the progress made since GLL stepped in with the operational management of Ghyll Head and provides context for the current operating environment.

The Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) which provided an update on the capital works undertaken on site, set out the progress made since Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) stepped in with the operational management of Ghyll Head and provided context for the current operating environment.

Key points and themes in the report included:

• Background information;
• Capital business case and implementation;
• Trading position and challenges; and
• Next steps.

The Committee was shown a video about the provision at Ghyll Head and the benefits for Manchester young people.

The Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People highlighted the investment which had been made into Ghyll Head to make it sustainable for the future.

The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, addressed the Committee as the Council’s Elected Member Representative on the Strategic Advisory Group.  He spoke positively about his own experiences at Ghyll Head.  He informed Members about the work that had taken place over recent years, including the development of the Outdoor Education Strategy, and he thanked those involved.  He highlighted the improvements in the infrastructure and the use of the space.  He reported that workforce recruitment was still a challenge but that GLL, MCRactive and Council officers were working to find innovative solutions and that this was continuing to be closely monitored.  He highlighted the financial challenges that schools were facing and the importance of working to source funding to help children from deprived wards to access Ghyll Head.  He praised the work of the Heads of the Centre, MCRactive, Council officers and Manchester Outdoor Education Trust (MOET) and the positive partnership with GLL.

Jeff Seneviratne, Chair of MOET, reported that, when he had last attended the Committee four years ago, the future of Ghyll Head had looked uncertain but that, while there remained challenges, the decisions made to invest in the centre had secured its future.  He welcomed the decision to involve MOET in the future of Ghyll Head and he highlighted the importance of ensuring that, rather than young people having a one-off trip to Ghyll Head, this should be part of a wider outdoor education.  He outlined some of the work taking place to achieve this including developing resources in and near the city, including accessible facilities, and workforce development for teachers and youth workers to help them to build on what young people learnt at Ghyll Head. 

Nicky Boothroyd from MCRactive informed the Committee that a research team at Sheffield Hallam University had been engaged to help develop a strategy focusing on participation and that work was also taking place to identify facilities within the city.

Members welcomed that Ghyll Head was a fantastic asset for the city and shared positive experiences of Ghyll Head and the benefits for children and young people. 

In response to a Member’s comments about leisure centres and digital exclusion, the Interim Lead for Leisure, Events and Specialist Markets offered to discuss this with the Member outside of the meeting.

In response to a Member’s comments, the Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People reported that the partnership with GLL on Ghyll Head had worked well, with priority being given to Manchester children, while attracting other users to make it sustainable, and with the Strategic Board having oversight.

A Member who was a Teacher Representative commented on the financial pressures on schools, the challenge of finding funding to take pupils to Ghyll Head and whether some of the funding provided to schools could be specifically designated for this purpose.  The Chair advised that individual schools had discretion over how they spent their own money and suggested the Member speak to senior leaders at the school.  The Interim Lead for Leisure, Events and Specialist Markets reported that she wanted to work with schools to get more groups to Ghyll Head.  She reported that funds such as Our Year Legacy Fund and the Our Year Social Fund had been used to help some groups to visit the centre and that discussions were taking place about other funding which could be used in future to help subsidise visits to Ghyll Head, as well as looking at ways to reduce other associated costs, such as transport to the Lake District.

The Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People reported that a Strategic Education Plan was being developed for the city and that the Council wanted to include a pledge in this that all Manchester children would have the opportunity to attend a residential.

A Member welcomed that energy consumption at Ghyll Head had reduced by 14%, while use of the site had increased.  In response to a question about other measures to reduce energy consumption, the Interim Lead for Leisure, Events and Specialist Markets reported that further improvements to energy efficiency would be part of the next phase of the development of Ghyll Head.  Nicky Boothroyd from MCRactive reported that solar panels had been considered as part of the refurbishment but, because Ghyll Head was within a national park, there were planning restrictions in place which would have made this difficult.  She reported that the refurbishment had included additional insulation, LED lights and light sensors, that the centre now used gas and electricity rather than oil and that GLL used an energy monitoring system.  She reported that, despite not being in Manchester, Ghyll Head was included in the Council’s zero carbon target.

In response to a Member’s questions about children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), Nicky Boothroyd from MCRactive reported that they worked closely with the Local Offer Board and highlighted some of the groups which used Ghyll Head.  She advised that the club at Debdale was accessible, that a group of SEND children from the Youth Zone in Harpurhey also accessed the provision every month and that a new accessible boat had just been delivered.

The Chair highlighted how Ghyll Head was now very accessible.  She reported that the centre was now used by families for edge of care provision, as well as by schools and was also available for commercial use.  She spoke of the benefits of visiting Ghyll Head for children who had never been outside their area of Manchester.

Jeff Seneviratne, Chair of MOET encouraged all Councillors to join MOET.  The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care agreed to circulate information on this.

Decision

To note the report.