Cabinet considered the report regarding re-procurement process and timeline for the re-tender of the Borough’s Leisure Management Contract.

The Cabinet member for Digital Connectivity, Housing Opportunity, and Sport and Leisure reported that since becoming the Lead Member he had visited the borough leisure facilities, and they were excellent facilities.  As well as the procurement of the leisure management contract they were also developing a revised sport and leisure strategy which would have at it’s heart the primary objective of more residents, more active, more often, and more healthy. 

The operation of the borough’s leisure centres contributed to the corporate plan objectives of Thriving Communities, Inspiring Places, and to Create a sustainable borough of opportunity and innovation, by providing high quality, accessible sport and leisure facilities for our residents. This would be underpinned by three priorities that are expected to focus on:

·       Promote existing facilities to help grow membership.

·       Maximise usage and accessibility of existing facilities.

·       Identify gaps in facility provision and explore opportunities to address them.

Due to the Pandemic our then leisure centre operator Parkwood decided it was unable to continue to operate the contract and in June 2020 Cabinet agreed to a Business Transfer Agreement which terminated the contract with Parkwood and transferred the operations to a new Community Incorporated Organisation the Borough had helped create at very short notice, Leisure Focus Trust, who took over from Parkwood with effect from 1 August 2020. 

The Cabinet Member informed that Leisure Focus Trust had done an excellent job over the last two years in a difficult situation.  Leisure Centres had been re opened and improvements made, such as improvements at the Windsor LC.  During the month of May this year there had been over 168,000 users, Braywick LC usage was 3% up from pre pandemic levels.  Overall usage was still down from pre pandemic levels but things were moving in the right direction.  He also mentioned that Braywick LC had been up for a number of national awards. 

The new procurement process seeks to appoint the operator for the subsequent 12 years with a 5 year extension option. The initial 12 year period seeks to reflect that leisure services are still recovering from the impact of Covid and it is considered a good period to enable contractors to maximise the centres potential.

The Chairman seconded the report and said that it was excellent news seeing the number of users increasing.

Mr Hill addressed Cabinet and said that when the leisure centre at Braywick Park was proposed it was agreed that there would be a trial of a free bus service.  The trial was undertaken during the pandemic and thus was not successful, so he asked if another one would be undertaken.  He also highlighted that the risk tables in the report had not been completed.

Cabinet were informed that the trial was undertaken but the volume of passengers was so so it was deemed not viable.  With regards to the table missing information this was an oversight, however the report was not asking for a key decision to be taken and was informing that there would be the procurement process. 

The Chairman reiterated that this was not a key decision and with regards to the free bus trial he was happy to look at the feasibility of holder another trial.

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)            Process for the re-procurement timeline and to appoint the operator for our leisure centre for the next 12 year contract period.