Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure updating Members on the current position of leisure services and to demonstrate the procurement timeline for the future provision of leisure services.

RESOLVED that:

(1)       the provision of Leisure services since October 2023 is noted;

(2)       the appointment of Freedom Leisure to deliver leisure services on behalf of the City Council from 11 November 2023 to 1 January 2025 is noted;

(3)       authority is delegated to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure and the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources, to procure and award a contract for the longer term provision of management of the facilities at GL1 and Oxstalls from 2 January 2025 following a full and robust tender process.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure that updated Members on the current position of leisure services and demonstrated the procurement timeline for the future provision of leisure services.

The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure summarised the report.  He informed Members that the bidder’s day (3.11) had been well received with attendees having been impressed by the standard of the facilities.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure took the opportunity to thank Freedom Leisure, the University of Gloucestershire and the Head of Culture for their achievements, not least among them the rapid re-employment of 92 staff.

The Cabinet Member for Environment advised that his experience of the bidder’s day had been positive and that he was able to thank the Freedom Leisure Senior Management Team in person.  The Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources expressed her own gratitude to the Head of Culture and Managing Director for their action to mitigate the unanticipated liquidation of the Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust.  On behalf of the Council the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure thanked all the leisure facilities staff for their dedication in what was an extremely stressful time for them.

RESOLVED that:

(1)       the provision of Leisure services since October 2023 is noted;

(2)       the appointment of Freedom Leisure to deliver leisure services on behalf of the City Council from 11 November 2023 to 1 January 2025 is noted;

(3)       authority is delegated to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure and the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources, to procure and award a contract for the longer term provision of management of the facilities at GL1 and Oxstalls from 2 January 2025 following a full and robust tender process.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure providing an update on leisure provision in Gloucester.

97.1    The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Andrew Lewis, introduced the Leisure Services Update Report which had been requested by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following a previous update.

97.2    Councillor Hilton asked how much outstanding debt the former Aspire Leisure Trust owed the Council. Councillor Lewis confirmed that he would make follow up enquiries and that this information would be provided to Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members in due course,

97.3    Councillor Pullen asked for clarification as to what was meant by the LTS acronym. The Head of Culture clarified that this referred to Learn to Swim.

97.4    Councillor Pullen referred to the current membership figure which stood at 450, compared to a pre-closure membership of 1,032. He asked how soon it was likely to be before membership reached pre-closure figures. Councillor Lewis advised Members that the situation was improving, and that the new provider was also attracting users from outside of Gloucester.

97.5    In response to a further query from Councillor Pullen regarding membership figures, Councillor Lewis reiterated that he was encouraged by the latest figures and he felt it was positive that membership had reached 450 just 9 weeks following the closure of Aspire.

97.6    Councillor Pullen expressed the view that free car parking in Asda for Freedom Leisure customers and staff was a good idea, and queried whether the use of the car park came at a cost to the Council. Councillor Lewis confirmed that it did not, and that Asda had become open to the idea due to the potential for increased footfall from Leisure service customers in store.

97.7    Councillor Castle referred to the narrative at paragraph 13 in the report, and asked what the Council’s plans for investment were should it not succeed in its bid to Sport England for capital investment funding from the Swimming Pool Support Fund. The Head of Culture advised that a decision from Sport England was imminent, however the Council would still invest capital works on GL1 and Oxstalls in the event that it was not successful, and this would take place during the lifetime of the next permanent Leisure Services contract.

97.8    In response to a further query from Councillor Castle as to how much the Council planned to invest, the Head of Culture confirmed that the Council planned on putting forward £8m of capital investment over the course of a 10-15 year contract.

97.9    Councillor Castle referred to the successful PR figure of 71% in the Freedom Leisure performance report. She asked how this figure had been calculated. Councillor Lewis agreed to seek clarification from Freedom Leisure and it was agreed that this information would be circulated to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in due course.

97.10  In response to a query from Councillor Wilson regarding which facilities had been reopened since the closure of Aspire Leisure, Councillor Lewis advised that all facilities had been reopened apart from the GL1 sauna.

97.11  In response to a question from Councillor Zaman regarding discounts for local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97