Councillors also agreed to establish a new Culture and Sport Business Unit at yesterday’s meeting of Full Council. This is about managing a group of customer-facing services in a more innovative way which will allow for faster decision-making while promoting good health and well-being for residents, with increased participation in services.
These services are:
• Cultural Services – libraries, arts, museums, aquarium
• Sport & Physical Activities Services
• Community halls (currently managed within Business Support Service)
• Sports pitches (currently managed within Infrastructure Services)
• Catering services (attached to leisure and cultural services, but not schools)
A new sub committee will be established to take this forward, comprising four councillors and four appointed external members.
The operation of the new Aberdeenshire Culture and Sport unit will be phased in from June with the expectation it will be fully running by October.
The cultural strategy aims over the next 10 years to make Aberdeenshire a place known for its distinctive culture; create ways for everyone to experience culture and encourage more people to visit museums, libraries and theatres; to provide opportunities for investment in towns and villages and entice tourists to visit Aberdeenshire.
The sport and physical activity strategy – also over the next 10 years – seeks to reduce obesity and improve mental health and wellbeing; focus on promoting diversity and inequalities by persuading everyone to use leisure centres, ski centres and sports facilities in Aberdeenshire; use sport and physical activity as a way of encouraging investment and economic regeneration in towns and villages and help young people learn new skills through volunteering, apprenticeships and learning.
The full reports considered by councillors can be found via http://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/
An archive of the debate can be watched here: https://aberdeenshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home