Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Adults and Leisure outlining the future for St Mary's Leisure Centre.

To delegate authority to the Head of Supplier Management to undertake a procurement process to appoint a long-term operator for St. Mary’s Leisure Centre.

1.  The Council intends, subject to the approval of the recommendation of this report, to undertake a procurement process to appoint a long-term operator of St. Mary’s Leisure Centre (SMLC).

2.  Further to the decision by Cabinet on 19th July 2022 (the “July Report”) to recommence leisure services from SMLC for a period of up to 18 months (“the Interim Arrangement”), a 12-week consultation (“the Second Consultation”) on the longer-term operation of SMLC took place between 12th December 2022 and 6th March 2023.

3.  The Second Consultation indicated that sixty nine (69)% of respondents agreed with the proposal and sixty one (61)% of respondents agreed that it would have a positive impact for SMLC to remain as a leisure facility.

4.  Active Nation (“AN”) is the operator of SMLC for the duration of the “Interim Arrangement”, as approved in the July Report. This arrangement with AN commenced in August 2022 and is for a maximum of 18 months. The arrangement includes a notice period of 3 months and it is intended that the procurement process and subsequent mobilisation of the long-term operator will align with these timescales to ensure there is minimal disruption to services once the long-term operator is appointed.

5.  The procurement process for the long-term operator is expected to last between four and six months – including mobilisation by the new operator - from the date of the Cabinet decision.

6.  Once a preferred operator has been identified in accordance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, a further Cabinet report will be brought forward to enable Cabinet to consider the appointment of the new operator.

1.  To revert to the Cabinet decisions of 21 February 2022 (“the February Report”), which included a decision to “permanently cease leisure services at SMLC and approve in principle the disposal of the site”. This option was rejected as it does not meet the Council’s objective of re-opening SMLC in order to provide a facility which offers leisure and other community services in an area in which the community is experiencing significant long-term health, wellbeing, social, economic and financial challenges.

2.  Transfer the operation of SMLC to in-house Council management. This option has been considered and at present the Council does not have the expertise or infrastructure to enable provision of quality leisure services and, as such, this option is likely to be more expensive and provide poorer quality of services than the recommended option. Appointing an external operator is likely to bring extensive knowledge and skills of the leisure industry in order to achieve the maximum service and financial benefits for the Council and its customers.