Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Councillor Stuart Wheeler (Cabinet Member for Leisure) on the recent review of leisure facilities in Wiltshire.

Councillor Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, gave a presentation on the review of council-owned indoor leisure facilities.

Wiltshire Council had inherited some form of financial responsibility for 23 facilities around the county, including many facilities which were out of date and inefficient.  The situation was unsustainable, with £93 million required over the next 25 years merely to sustain the existing stock, excluding any investment to improve the buildings.

As such, proposals had been developed on the basis of £117 million investment over 25 years, to deliver a high quality, efficient and sustainable service.  This would also go some way to meeting carbon reduction targets, with leisure facilities currently accounting for 21% of the Council’s carbon emissions.

The proposals would see four new facilities within campuses, with another two existing facilities being significantly enhanced and retained.  The remaining facilities would also receive significant capital investment, before being made available for transfer to community management arrangements, as part of a robust process including support and identification of suitable business models, phased financial support resulting in independency, and potentially the transfer of freehold. It was acknowledged that different mechanisms and solutions would suit different facilities, and so a report on options had been commissioned to give examples of arrangements which had been established in other areas.

In Amesbury and Durrington, the vision was to replace the existing facilities with a shared campus incorporating a 25m swimming pool, a learner pool, a fitness suite, a sports hall and multi-use activity rooms.  The current indicative timescale for this was for completion in 2023.  However, in view of anticipated population growth it was hoped that a project could begin as soon as funding became available.  In addition, discussions were underway with local schools regarding possible dual-use agreements.

Consultation on the proposals was taking place up to 29 October 2010, with details available on the Council’s website, and at libraries, leisure facilities and offices.  A report on the outcome of the consultation would be submitted to the Cabinet in December, and the Council would consider the results in February 2011.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Wheeler for the presentation and invited questions and comments:

• Councillor Fred Westmoreland, who had just been elected Chairman of the Amesbury Sport and Community Centre, reported that there were significant concerns over the proposed timeline for the development of a campus.  He commented that Amesbury, Durrington, Bulford and Larkhill comprised the largest concentration of population without a main hub town.  In addition, with the on-going development and resultant population growth, the existing leisure facilities would be under more and more pressure. 

• Councillor John Noeken added that the health inequalities highlighted by the recent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) gave more urgency to the need for improved leisure facilities.

• In response to a query, Councillor Wheeler confirmed that the £117 million costs of the proposals were instead of the £93 million forecast costs merely to maintain the existing services, rather than being in addition to these costs.  Further details of the costs could be sought and made available.

Following discussion, the following motion was moved, seconded and agreed:

Decision

The Amesbury Area Board strongly recommends that the development of new leisure facilities in this community area must take place as soon as possible, taking advantage of all opportunities for development.

Before concluding the item, Councillor Wheeler invited those present to give an indication of their views about general principles involved in the development of the leisure service, by means of the electronic voting handsets provided.