Access to public sports facilities

23.04.18

4 Deputy S.G. Luce of the Minister for Infrastructure regarding access to public

sports facilities (OQ.73/2023)

Given the imbalance in the provision of public sports facilities between the east and west of the Island, will the Minister explain when this will be addressed and whether it will be through the delivery of a sports and well-being hub at Le Rocquier or another suitable site so that Islanders in the east have better and fairer access to public sports facilities to maintain their physical and mental well-being?

Deputy T. Binet of St. Saviour (The Minister for Infrastructure):

If the Deputy will allow, I think that Deputy Stephenson would like to answer that, as the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure with special responsibility for sports facilities.

Deputy S.G. Luce :

Sorry, Sir, I have spoken to the Minister about it, I presumed it would be his Assistant Minister. I do not see that Deputy Stephenson has any delegated responsibility for Infrastructure.

The Deputy Bailiff :

Is that right, that you are not the Assistant Minister?

Deputy L. Stephenson of St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter I do have delegated responsibility.

The Deputy Bailiff :

All right. In that case you can answer the question.

Deputy L. Stephenson : Thank you very much.

Deputy T. Binet :

Thank you.

Deputy L. Stephenson (Assistant Minister for Infrastructure - rapporteur):

Through the Inspiring Active Places project team and in partnership with C.Y.P.E.S. (Children, Young People, Education and Skills), we are continuing to develop a number of possible enhancements to sports facilities in the east of the Island. A phased approach to developing a sports and well-being hub at La Rocquier is now being considered to ensure the scale of the project can be managed within the capital resources of the Government. The focus will be to provide a new sports centre and synthetic pitch which meets the needs of the school but is also available outside of school times for community use. Enhancements are also being considered at FB Fields to make the site more accessible and appealing to the local community, while enhancing the sports facilities available.

1. Deputy S.G. Luce :

I thank the Assistant Minister for her answer and apologise again. Can I ask her, she did not mention swimming but it is a huge number of people on this Island struggling to access swimming in public baths, is there any provision going to be made at La Rocquier for public swimming facilities?

Deputy L. Stephenson :

I thank the Deputy for his question. The school itself does not require a pool and, therefore, it is unlikely to include one at this stage but there is the potential with a phased approach to perhaps consider the addition of a pool at the site in the future.

2. Deputy R.J. Ward :

May I ask the Assistant Minister with responsibility, looking at the plans that were just mentioned, can I ask what is different about those plans that already existed at La Rocquier because they seem very similar to me? Also, what is the timescale for delivery of those facilities?

[11:00]

Deputy L. Stephenson :

The difference in the proposed way forward currently is that it would be a staged approach, rather than one large community well-being hub with 2 very distinct sides; one that would serve the community, one that would serve the school. This would be primarily focused on the school and then outside of school hours for community access. It would be smaller in scale, which would also mean cheaper and, in my view, more realistic in the current climate and more deliverable. With the second part of the question the scoping work is currently underway and I would expect that we will have some more information as we build up to the Government Plan process on budgets and timescales in the coming months. I would say that it is a real priority that the school has a timescale that it can work to and we need to really focus on delivering for the needs of this school, which really does require attention.

3. Deputy R.J. Ward :

Can I confirm that the facility will be smaller but on the same sort of plan? What has happened to the previous plans on which money was spent? In terms of a timescale, I will ask again, so we can look for it in this year’s Government Plan to fund but what is the timescale for delivery of the facility, given that it was already in place to be delivered within a timeframe in the last iteration of this plan?

Deputy L. Stephenson :

The previous plans that were in place were very high-level outlying plans that put a figure of something around about £71 million on the scale of the facility. When I say that they will be smaller, it will be smaller and more deliverable in that aspect, given that times have changed since those outlying numbers and plans were put together. With regard to timescale, I can only say that the work now trying to scope out exactly how that can happen and when it can be delivered will be put together, and I can come back to the Deputy as soon as we know more. But I would expect that we start to move forward as part of the Government Plan process and get some funding in place to start filling out those plans and providing more detail.

Deputy R.J. Ward :

Can I just confirm there is not an actual date available at the moment?

The Deputy Bailiff :

The Minister has given her answer, I think. Yes, any other questions?

4. Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St. Martin :

Could I please ask the Assistant Minister to seriously look at the delivery of a pool and other facilities for the east of the Island and focus on the needs and well-being of those who live in the eastern Parishes and east of St. Helier ? Because our needs are just as great as the needs of the west of the Island, where all the sporting facilities seem to be and we do not even have our eastern cycle track yet.

Deputy L. Stephenson :

I very much take on board the Constable’s points that are well made there. It is recognised and conversations are constantly being had as these discussions continue about the need to provide facilities in the east of the Island. Just to pick up on the last point about cycle provision, I think a number of the projects we are currently looking at, including at FB Fields, will help to link together some of the cycle opportunities that there are. I am very attuned to the points made, as are officers and those working on the projects.

5. Deputy L.V. Feltham :

Given the comments made by the Assistant Minister today, could she confirm what direction, if any, she has given officers with regard to sports facilities on the east of the Island?

Deputy L. Stephenson :

As I say, officers are working with and colleagues in C.Y.P.E.S., specifically on the La Rocquier project. The Minister for Children and Education and I visited the school a few months ago and have worked together to bring a group of people together to provide some clarity and drive on this. The direction has been that the school and its sports facilities need to be a priority.

6. Deputy L.V. Feltham :

I do not believe that was a full answer. What specific actions has the Assistant Minister asked for, if any, from her officers regarding these facilities?

Deputy L. Stephenson :

I will repeat it again and say that we have asked for the delivery of a project to provide much needed sports facilities for La Rocquier School in the east of the Island that can be used for the community as well.

7. Deputy S.G. Luce :

I must say I am a bit disappointed because my question was specifically about public sports facilities in the east of the Island and it has been dominated by the provision of educational sports facilities at La Rocquier School. Could the Minister just confirm again for us she is now proposing for La Rocquier a facility which will not be open to the public during school hours?

Deputy L. Stephenson :

That is the immediate priority with this project, the Deputy is correct. There is then the possibility to phase and provide further facilities in due course.