Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to seek approval to undertake a review of the management arrangements for public leisure centres within BCP. 

BCP Council owns 8 leisure centres which are currently operated under four different models of management and a variety of lease and contractual arrangements.  The review would focus primarily on future arrangements at Ashdown, Poole (Dolphin), Rossmore and 2Riversmeet Leisure Centres, due to the length of existing arrangements at other sites.

The review would explore the options to generate capital investment to improve facilities and revenue savings for leisure, whilst providing a service that integrates with health and wellbeing through prevention at scale generating longer term savings elsewhere for the Council.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)          a review of the management arrangements for public leisure centres within BCP be supported;

(b)          the allocation of £20k from existing service revenue budgets to procure a specialist leisure consultant to support the review be approved; and

(c)          it was noted that current agreements may need to be extended until future management arrangements are approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Tourism, Leisure and Communities

Reason

Following LGR there is an opportunity to review the current arrangements for the management of leisure centres with the aims of:

·      Improving the offer to local people by providing consistencies in facility provision & service standards

·      Making the services more accessible and transparent

·      Standardising building and maintenance responsibilities

·      Reducing BCP subsidies and liabilities

·      Streamlining management arrangements

·      Enabling continued investment

The Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Leisure and Communities presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'F' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet approval was sought to undertake a review of the management arrangements for the public leisure centres within BCP.

In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder advised that the purpose of the review was to ensure there was equal access to leisure centre services across BCP. In relation to this Members were advised that BCP Council owns 8 leisure centres which are currently operated under four different models of management and a variety of lease and contractual arrangements. Further to this Members were advised that the review would focus primarily on future arrangements at Ashdown, Poole (Dophin), Rossmore and 2Riversmeet Leisure Centres, due to the length of existing arrangements at other sites, and it was intended that the review would explore the options to generate capital investment to improve facilities and revenue savings for leisure, whilst providing a service that integrates with health and wellbeing through prevention at scale generating longer term savings elsewhere for the Council.

A Councillor present at the meeting addressed Cabinet stressing the importance of taking into account the cost of parking at each of the sites, particularly in relation to 2Riversmeet.

Cabinet members spoke in support of the report, both in terms of the potential efficiencies which could be achieved and the importance of integration with health and wellbeing.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)          a review of the management arrangements for public leisure centres within BCP be supported;

(b)          the allocation of £20k from existing service revenue budgets to procure a specialist leisure consultant to support the review be approved; and

(c)          it was noted that current agreements may need to be extended until future management arrangements are approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Tourism, Leisure and Communities