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09
Sept 2024
Consultation opens on leisure services in North Yorkshire
Residents in North Yorkshire are being asked to give their views as part of a consultation on leisure and wellbeing services being conducted by North Yorkshire Council.
The eight-week consultation opens today (September 9) and, according to a council press release, will "build a picture of physical activity across the county and understand what people take part in now, and what they would like to see available in the future".
The results will be used to develop community sport and leisure provision.
The move comes as the council has started bringing all five of its North Yorkshire local authority-owned leisure providers, including Brimhams Active in the Harrogate district, back in-house.
Its new Active North Yorkshire brand came into play at the start of the month when two of its leisure centres – in Selby and Tadcaster – were brought under the umbrella.
Facilities in the former Hambleton and Craven council areas will adopt the new Active North Yorkshire identity later this year.
Services currently provided by Brimhams Active in the Harrogate area and Richmondshire Leisure Trust will move by spring 2025.
The last phase, in 2027, will see the transfer of facilities and services currently provided by Everyone Active in the former Ryedale and Scarborough council areas.
The council, which operates 25 leisure sites and 16 pools, is also conducting a strategic leisure review, which has raised concerns about the future of Starbeck Baths after the recent multi-million pouns developments at leisure centres in Knaresborough and Harrogate.
Cllr Simon Myers, the council’s executive member for leisure, said::
Through this survey we hope to find out how people keep active, what is important about being active and any barriers they face.
We realise not everyone will use our centres to keep active so in order to build a full picture of physical activity in the community, it’s also important to find out about individual or team sports or activities like walking or cycling.
And for those who do use the centres we want to know about their experience there, the strengths and where they can improve. For those who don’t use them we want to know why. This will help us to develop our services for the future.
Working out at the newly named Active North Yorkshire Selby facility.
Cllr Myers said there could be greater need to help people with long-term health conditions, as well as demand for more specialist equipment, tailored health and wellbeing programmes or accessible facilities.
Centres may also be able to offer a broader range of support such as health checks, nutritional advice, or mental health services.
David Watson, chief executive of North Yorkshire Sport, a Bilton-based charity that works in partnership with the council, said:
It is vital that everyone finds a way to keep active and by completing this survey they can help shape future services provided by the council as they bring the county’s leisure operations in-house.
Targeting locally based activities and services will open up opportunities for more people of all ages and abilities, especially those in remote locations where travel to the larger hubs is an issue.
Chairman of Thirsk Hockey Club, James Laking, joins a training session at the town’s all-weather pitch.
The survey closes on November 4 and can be accessed here.
It is also possible to take part by picking up a paper copy from a local library, leisure centre or main local council office and return it in the envelope provided.
Alternatively, contact 0300 131 2 131 to request a survey - when prompted say ‘Let’s Talk’ - or by emailing LetsTalk@northyorks.gov.uk.
Accessible formats of the survey are available on request.
Officers will also be available to listen to views and answer questions in person at events across the county in September and October. A list of dates have not yet been revealed.
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