Agenda item

CM 13 

Consideration was given to a report that set out the challenging conditions for all leisure providers due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  In particular, the report considered the alternative management options for the Council and provided a series of options for Members to consider over the long term future for the Leisure Centre provision.

The Leader introduced the report and made particular reference to:-

-          the most recent Central Government announcements having had no impact on this agenda report.  In addition, the Leader emphasised the importance of the Council continuing to lobby Central Government to ensure that leisure providers were in receipt of financial support;

-          the extensive tender process that had been undertaken before Fusion had been awarded the Leisure Contract;

-          the close linkages with the Council’s Health and Wellbeing agenda;

-          it being his wish to continue to support Fusion and to recommend that both Leisure Centres be re-opened; and

-          his intention to request that the Financial Stability Review Group assess the impact of the Leisure Contract on the Council’s financial position.

In discussion, the following points were raised:

(a)    Officers agreed to provide Members with high level mapping information regarding the location of where Fusion members lived within the Borough;

(b)    In the event of the Council opening both Leisure Centres, it was envisaged that they would be re-opened within the next two weeks;

(c)     Some Members were of the view that Fusion should review its current Centre opening hours and particularly requested that consideration be given to reinstating the 7.00am opening times.  Furthermore, the importance of re-instating the GP Referrals Scheme was also reiterated by a number of Members;

(d)    Officers recognised the views expressed by a number of Members whereby Fusion needed to drastically improve its Communications Strategy.  In response, officers advised that this point had already been relayed to Fusion representatives in the strongest possible terms;

(e)    In acknowledging the significance of the decision, some Members stated that there were no absolute guarantees that this would be the last request made by Fusion for additional funding from the Council.  As a result, a number of Members wished to warn Fusion that the Council did not have the financial resilience to continually support the organisation;

(f)      In light of the meeting wishing to raise issues in relation to the exempt appendices, it was moved by Cllr A F Leech, seconded by Cllr R Cheadle and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Act is involved.”

Once all Members were content that they had no further issues to raise on the exempt appendices, it was then moved by Cllr A F Leech, seconded by Cllr R Cheadle and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the public and press be re-admitted to the Meeting.”

(g)    Some Members made the point that this discretionary service (that was being used by approximately 5% of residents) was being funded by every Council Taxpayer and the importance of the Centres therefore being used by as many residents as was practically possible was stressed;

(h)    The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee felt that there may be a need to receive more frequent performance reports than the current annual monitoring arrangement;

(i)      The introductory comments of the Leader in respect of the moral duties associated with health and wellbeing and social prescribing implications of the Leisure Contract were repeated by several Members;

(j)      The lead officers were thanked by a number of Members for producing such a comprehensive and balanced agenda report.

It was then moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr T Leech and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Council:

1.       agree to continue with the Fusion Contract as set out in Section 3 of the presented agenda report (‘Strategic Options Appraisal’) as being the most appropriate means of supporting Health and Wellbeing objectives within the West Devon Borough area;

2.       provide further financial support to Fusion through to March 2021 amounting to £92,000 to cover the minimum level of support to Fusion (this is the amount to mothball both Leisure Centres), to be funded from the Budget Surplus Contingency Earmarked Reserve; and

3.       agree to extend the minimum level of financial support so as to deliver improved Health and Wellbeing outcomes by opening Meadowlands (Tavistock) as well as Parklands.  (To have both Leisure Centres fully open would cost an extra £200,000 as well as the £92,000 – a total of £292,000)).

(NOTE. any extension of financial support from the minimum level is recommended to be funded from the Business Rates Retention Earmarked Reserve).”