Issue - meetings

(1)       Members received a summary of the progress relating to the 13 “Towards 2010” targets on which the Communities Directorate takes the lead.  It also provided information on other targets in the “Towards 2010” document to which Communities Directorate contributes.

(2)       Following the Lead officers’ brief presentations on their targets, Members of the Committee were given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions which were as follows:

(3)       Target 22:  Establish a biennial Kent Youth Games and support Kent sportsmen and women to compete in the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.

            (Mr C Hespe was present to answer questions on targets 22 and 47)

·        What is the difference in the biennial Youth Games and the Kent School Games?

(They are the same).

·        The target reads 150 schools are to participate in the Games, how many schools are there in Kent?

·        Why were only a quarter of Kent schools participating?

·        How many participants are there in the disability Games and how many are in the mainstream schools?

(400 children are participating.  There are 18 special schools and 6 designated units from mainstream schools.  Mr Hespe advised that this was a minimum target set.  The first finals of the Games would be held in 2008 by which time considerably more than 150 schools would be taking part).

·        A request was made for a more detailed plan of the targets set relating to 2012 to include:  what other authorities were doing, whether this was limited by funds and how did Kent compare?

(4)       Target 47:  Create and launch initiatives that facilitate more competitive sport in schools, support after school sports clubs, and sponsor more inter-school competitions and holiday sports programmes.

             (This was a joint target with the Children, Families and Education Directorate)

·        “ASK” to be written in full “Advisory Service Kent”.

·        What is the proportion of primary and secondary schools?

(The Games are separate for primary and secondary schools.  Primary school teachers were not qualified in physical education).

(5)       Target 23: Facilitate and enhance the development of Kent Youth Theatre activities.

            (Mrs S Staples, Lead Officer, was present to answer questions)

·        What age range does this apply to?  and How do you contact organisations?

(There was not a specific age range so as not to exclude anyone.  Contact was made to those people and organisations who we knew of and those who had heard about us on the grapevine).

(6)       Target 25:  Promote Kent as a centre of the arts, encouraging the development of a network of music and cultural venues across the County. 

            (Mrs S Staples, Lead Officer, was present to answer questions)

·        There was no measurable indicator for this target.

·        Gravesend was not mentioned in this target.

·        A request was made for a report on the reorganisation of the Arts Development Unit to include staffing.

·        A suggestion was made that hard to reach groups could be contacted through small theatre groups and for an exchange of any help with encouraging people to train.

·        Information was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46