Issue - meetings

Exempt Information – Category 3 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

The report looks at the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of leisure and cultural services in Poole.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

(a)           Notes that leisure centre closures due to COVID-19 have placed significant financial pressures on SLM and that BCP Council is contractually obligated to provide revenue support;

(b)           Commits to underwrite up to £953k in revenue support for SLM for BCP Council venues;

(c)           The financial support in (b) is subject to the conditions set out within the report and a commitment from SLM to limit the level of support required wherever possible; and

(d)           Delegates to the Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer the final terms and conditions of any payment consistent with (b) above.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance

Reason

The financial support proposed within this report recognises the exceptional circumstances brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the severe impact that facility closures have had over recent months.

The Council is obligated under the terms of the contract to compensate SLM for revenue losses brought about by the current situation.

SLM have lost nearly £300k a month turnover on BCP venues in Poole and funding support will help ensure that the centres can reopen as soon as possible after 25 July 2020.

Continued closure of these facilities would have a detrimental effect on the ability to deliver the Councils’ corporate plan priorities and in particular, on the well-being agenda. Councils across the UK are facing similar issues and costs in supporting leisure providers to deliver facilities and services which have a significant impact on the local economy, health & well-being and culture. Half of all public leisure facilities could close by the end of the year without support (LGA July 2020).

This item was restricted by virtue of paragraph(s) 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

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