Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of City Development on the Leeds 2012 Olympic Project.

The Director of City Development submitted a report on the Leeds 2012 Olympic Project. 

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

a)  Leeds 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Project – Draft Projects Management Structure

b)  Terms of Reference, Leeds 2012 Olympics Project Board

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:-

Councillor J Procter, Executive Board Member for Leisure

Jean Dent, Director of City Development

Richard Mond, Chief Recreation Officer, City Development

Peter Smith, Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, City Development

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

·  clarification of progress in relation to implementing the Sporting Legacy action plan as developed by the Leeds 2012 Olympic Legacy  Framework

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games responded and informed the meeting that the action plan was now available on the website,www.leedsgold.co.uk.)

·   clarification of the mechanisms in place to encourage teams to come

  to Leeds as the base for their preparations for London 2012

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games responded and circulated a copy of a brochure entitled ‘Gateway to Gold – Leeds Olympic and Paralympic training facilities’ produced by the Yorkshire Committee for the 2012 Games for the information/comment of the meeting. The Board noted and welcomed that to date formal agreements were now signed off with Serbia (all sports) and the Netherlands for swimming)

·   the need for the Leeds 2012 Olympics Project to promote and

       encourage teams to train in Leeds using any advantages the city had

      such as direct access routes between Leeds and London and direct

      flights to Schipol etc

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games  responded and confirmed that the Leeds 2012 Olympics Project Board  were currently promoting the city to a number of countries and highlighting the advantages of a base for London 2012 in Leeds. They were also promoting Leeds to Commonwealth countries as a possible base for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and for other major events in the UK and Europe)

·    clarification of the type of detail that what would be contained in other 

glossy brochures offering training facilities for the London 2012 Olympic Games in other core cities i.e. Sheffield and Manchester

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games responded that the main differences would be their use of facilities that were used to host major international sports events with large spectator numbers)

·  clarification of the ‘The Inspire Programme Initiative’ and Leeds projects within the Cultural Olympiad

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games responded and stated that the Inspire Programme recognised specific projects set up to help engage people with the London Games. Projects can be awarded the Inspired By mark that uses the London 2012 brand. The Project Manager also outlined the success of ‘Leeds Canvas’, a project where visual and performing arts groups will work together and ‘Don’t Just Sit There’ which aims to tackle issues arising from sedentary lifestyles. Both have received regional funding from the Legacy Trust)

·    the need for the Board to be supplied with a copy of the Performance

Indicators agreed by the Leeds 2012 Olympics Project Board used to measure progress and the overall success of the project and to also  receive a update on progress in approximately three to six months time

(The Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games responded and agreed to forward a copy of the Performance Indicators to the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser for dissemination to Board Members and to also prepare a progress report to the Board in three to six months time)

·    clarification of the approximate number of countries that Leeds was

  hoping to attract in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games

  (The Executive Member for Leisure responded and confirmed that this

  was a complex issue with much more work to be undertaken in the

coming months ahead. The Project Officer for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games referred to the huge interest expressed in relation to the facilities available in the Leeds Aquatics Centre at the John Charles  Centre for Sport. It was hoped that 500 athletes would be staying in Leeds for 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games)

RESOLVED –

a)  That the content of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That, in conjunction with the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser, the Project Manager for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games be requested to forward a copy of the Performance Indicators agreed by the Leeds 2012 Project Board used to measure progress and the overall success of the project for dissemination to Board Members for their information/retention.

c)  That a further progress report on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games be submitted to this Board in three to six months time.

(Councillor M Lobley left the meeting at 11.55am during discussions of the above item)

(Councillor T Murray left the meeting at 12 noon during discussions of the above meeting)