Minutes:
5.1 Councillor Barrie Hargrove, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Parks & Leisure, updated the committee on the communications plan to publicise the free swim and gym pilot scheme. He confirmed that the roll-out date for the full scheme was June 2016. Councillor Hargrove reported on the digital advertising campaign which included use of Spotify, Twitter, banner advertising on websites, Instagram and Snapchat. In addition, there would be email blasts to newsletter subscribers on school mailing lists and the Community Sports manager had recently presented details of the scheme to one hundred GPs.
5.2 Members of the committee highlighted the following areas of concern:
- how to attract younger people and BME and low income audiences
- capturing as much data as possible about users of leisure centres
- the pilot should be as much about getting the message out about the full offer to come as about trialling the scheme
- publicising the scheme to staff who might have friends or relatives who could make use of the pilot
5.3 Councillor Hargrove agreed that it was important for the council to become smarter in communication as it moved towards the full offer in 2016. There were a range of barriers to use of leisure facilities which included health, time and self-efficacy. It was essential for the council to gather data about demand and the capacity of its leisure centres and for its aspirations to be built into a new contract with the leisure provider. Cards issued to users would collect relevant data.
5.4 Members of the committee wondered how they could get involved in publicising the pilot scheme. They also wondered whether officers were working closely with Public Health. Councillor Hargrove responded that in his ward a leaflet was being produced to highlight free swim and gym and that a similar approach could be taken up in other wards. He reported that Public Health was very much involved and had good connections with CCGs and hospitals. In April 2016, referrals from GPs would be invited. Councillor Hargrove confirmed that posters would be available for display in libraries and community areas and that these could also be used in hospitals and doctors’ surgeries.