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THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
REPORT
Meeting:
GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
File # ;i,' ~.
Res. # m-5ri- 9 ~
By-Law #
Date:
JULY 20, 1992
Report #:
('~-'n -q? File #:
Subject:
NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD - FUTURE
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and
Administration Committee recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report No. CS-30-92 be received;
2. THAT the Newcastle Community Services Advisory Board be
disbanded;
3. THAT applicants for appointment to the Newcastle Community
services Advisory Board be thanked for their interest and
advised of Council's decision;
4. THAT letters be sent to the current members of the Board
thanking them for their contribution and commitment to the
Town of Newcastle; and,
5. THAT the current members of the Newcastle Community Services
Advisory Board be advised of Council's decision;
1.0 BACKGROUND:
1.1 At the meeting of January 13, 1992 Council passed the
following resolution:
"THAT the appointments to the Newcastle Community Services
Advisory Board be referred back to Staff to determine those
individuals presently serving on the Board; and
"THAT the Director of Community Services review the matter \
with respect to the future of the Newcastle Community Services
Advisory Board and recommend on re-appointment of
individuals."
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2.0 HISTORY OF THE N.C.S.A.B.:
2.1 The N.C.S.A.B. was created through the Culture & Recreation
Master Plan of 1983. The concept behind the initiation of
this Board was intended to enhance the communication, co-
ordination and planning associated with the Town's leisure
delivery system. The Board, originally called the Newcastle
Community Services Planning Board (N.C.S.P.B.), was proposed
to provide a linkage between the community (individuals and
groups) and Municipal Administration.
2.2 The 1983 Master Plan, recommended the incorporation and
adoption, by Council, of this body. The Consultant(s)
proposed six (6) principles that would constitute the
N.C.S.P.B.'s operational mandate. They were:
1. To make a strong commitment to community-wide leisure
resources planning;
2. To serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and the
discussion of problems with the goal of eliminating
existing feelings of "parochial" favouritism;
3. To develop an understanding of hierarchial servicing
structures related to both local and Town-wide leisure
needs;
4. To serve as the principal strategic decision-making body
related to the provision and development of future
recreation resources and to make recommendations to Town
Council in this regard where necessary;
5. To develop an understanding of municipal budgeting
procedures and an appreciation of the finite nature of
Town finances; and
6. To act as a liaison between the first (community
groups/associations) and the third (Council and the
Community Services Department) tiers of the local
delivery system and to assist in the dissipation of
knowledge and information related to the recreational
planning process.
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2.3 Further to the establishment of the operational mandate, the
Consultant(s) went on to outline their view of the
N.C.S.P.B.'s responsibilities. These were presented as:
1. Achievement of principles, goals, obj ecti ves and
recommendations of the Town of Newcastle's Culture and
Recreation Master Plan;
2. continual liaison with both local and town-wide tier one
groups, clubs and associations in order that their needs
and interests may be incorporated in the planning
process;
3. Providing information to tlile Town Planning Department
and/or Council related to the selection of developer land
dedications or the cash-in-lieu option for future
subdivision development within the Town;
4. Providing assistance to the Municipality in the planning
and acquisition of lands for park and open space purposes
within the Town;
5. Providing information and analysis upon which future
recreation programs and resources will be base; the
identification of capital needs and the submission of
development proposals to the Town Council in regards to
major projects, detailing project - need and intent,
location and features, potential funding sources and
cost-sharing provisions, and the role of the Town in the
project; and
6. The submission and discussion of budgets for all
operating and capital items in co-operation with the
local Hall Boards, Athletic Boards, Arena Boards and Park
Associations; the identification of sources of funding
assistance; and, the submission of funding applications
either autonomously or with the Town.
After citing this intensive list of responsibilities, the
Consul tant (s) recommended that the N. C. s. P. B. ' s success in
aChieving these be measured at the completion of the Culture
and Recreation Master Plan's planning period (1983 - 1987).
3.0 1991 RECREATION/LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN:
3.1 The Community services Department initiated the process to
revise and update the 1983 Culture and Recreation Master Plan
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in early 1990. The purpose of this study was to review the
status of recreation and leisure services in the Town of
Newcastle; to identify and assess future opportunities and
constraints; and, to make recommendations regarding the most
effective ways to provide for the recreation/leisure needs of
the future population. In the Terms of Reference for this
comprehensive study there was specific reference to the
function of the Newcastle community services Advisory Board.
It directed the Consultants to: ". . . review and recommend
changes, if necessary, to the mandate, role and administrative
structure of the Community services Department, the Newcastle
Communi ty services Advisory Board...". (Terms of Reference;
page 7; Section III Leisure Services Delivery Systems Item #1)
3.2 In order to complete the task as outlined the Consultants met
with the members of the Newcastle Community services Advisory
Board, other community organizations and the staff of the
Communi ty Services Department. This consultation process
enabled the study team to collect information and gain insight
into the community's perception of the Board. From their
research, the Consultants made the following observations:
· from the review of the operational mandate and
responsibilities it appeared that the N.C.S.A.B. was
expected to perform all of the functions of the community
services Department;
· input from Board Members and community groups that dealt
wi th the Board, indicated that despite their considerable
talents and efforts only a small portion of the stated
mandate was achievable;
· the N.C.S.A.B. was able to achieve in the function of
serving as a review body for applicants in the Municipal
Grant Program (responsibility 7);
. the Board had limited success in achieving success in the
role of liaison for tier one community groups, clubs and
associations (responsibility 2);
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.
other responsibilities were deemed a duplication
either Council's decisions (responsibilities 1, 3,
or staff duties (responsibilities 4, 5, 6, 8, 9);
of
10)
· Hall Boards did not indicate a positive perception of the
Board especially as it relates to their role in the
Municipal Grant program; and
· the general public expressed no perception or opinion
related to the Board and its function - this suggests
that the general public is not aware of the Boards
existence or function.
3.3 Using the information collected the Consultants presented
three possible options for the future disposition of the
N.C.S.A.B. Briefly, they are:
1. Retain current Board structure but with a new mandate -
setting realistic and achievable goals;
2. Reduce the size of the Board and include explicit Council
membership - enhance communications to and from Council
with mandate being more focused on policy and universal
access to programs and services; or
3. Phase out the N.C.S.A.B. - this centralized Board would
be replaced by "communi ty communications
representatives."
The Master Plan study team recommends option #3 as the
preferred strategy.
4.0 CONCLUSIONS:
4.1 This report has reviewed the Newcastle Community Services
Advisory Board from its inauguration, through the 1983 Culture
and Recreation Master Plan, to its current day status.
Regardless of their final disposition, we must acknowledge the
tremendous contribution that the members of the N.C.S.A.B.,
both past and present, have made to the growth and development
of the Community services Department and the Town of Newcastle
during their tenure.
4.2 There is no doubt that the current Newcastle Community
Services Advisory Board has reached a cross-road in its
operations. The current mandate requires a level of expertise
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and involvement that is beyond the scope of even the most
effective volunteer board. As a result, it is no surprise
that the new Recreation Leisure Services Master Plan has put
forth the recommendation to "phase out" (disband) this
Council-appointed body. The current members of the N.C.S.A.B.
are aware of the recommendation contained in the Master Plan
and, in anticipation of Council addressing this, the Board has
passed a resolution to meet only at the call of the Chair or
until such time that the recommendation is dealt with by
Council and the Community services Department.
4.3 On Wednesday May 13, 1992 a meeting of the N.C.S.A.B. was
called to discuss the contents of this report and the
recommendations that have been put forward. The minutes of
this meeting have been previously circulated to Members of
Council for their review and information. At this meeting,
the following motion was made:
"THAT the current members of the Newcastle community
Services Advisory Board support the Recreation Leisure
Master Plan recommendation and the Community Services
Department in the disbandment of the Board."
Following a lengthy discussion, during which each member was
given the opportunity to make comment on the motion, a
recorded vote was taken. The outcome of this vote was to
defeat the motion and, as a result, not support the
disbandment of the Board.
4.4 As the Town continues to grow there will be increased pressure
on the Community Services Department to provide services and
programs to the community. staff require a mechanism/process
through which the community can express their thoughts, ideas
and suggestions. This is currently being undertaken through
a concerted community development approach to working with our
local organizations and their representatives. using this
approach, Community services staff are involved in regular,
ongoing communications and consultations with many of the key
organizations operating within the Town.
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5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS:
5.1 It is the recommendation of the community Services Department
that the Newcastle community Services Advisory Board be
discontinued. The mandate of this Board does not provide
clear direction as to how this Board should function in
concert with the mandate of the Community services Department.
5.2 It is further recommended that Department staff continue work
in the area of community development to ensure that the
necessary public/community consultation process is not by-
passed. In doing so, the Community services Department staff
are available to provide organizational support through
regular consultation and liaison activities with key groups.
5.3 As to the Municipal Grant program, it is recommended that the
Community services Department be directed to plan and
recommend a process that will ensure the effective and
consistent administration of this program. This plan would
then be presented for approval at a subsequent meeting of
Council.
5.4 As a result of reviewing this report and the ultimate
disbandment of the Board, some members of the N.C.S.A.B.
expressed a willingness to offer their volunteer services in
some capacity. It may be appropriate for those interested
members to participate in the Municipal Volunteer Recognition
program in concert with the newly formed Selection
Committee. A future report will be presented to Council with
the intent of utilizing those interested members in the
planning and implementation of the Volunteer Recognition
program.
Respectfully submitted,
)
Recommended for presentation
to the Committ
.um~~
P. Caruana, Director
rtment of Community services
Officer
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