To consult on the review of leisure services in Wiltshire.
Minutes:
Councillor Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet Representative for Leisure, Sport and Culture, gave a short presentation on the future of leisure facilities in Calne. The operation of Calne Leisure Centre Ltd was an example of how local trusts could offer an excellent and sustainable service to local people. The proposals were indicative and no decisions would be made until the Council had an opportunity to review the outcome of the consultation. The Council was in discussion with Calne Leisure Centre Ltd to determine how the facility could be sustainable transferred to the group and to identify what maintenance and development work could be done to improve the facilities prior to full devolvement. The proposals include significant investment into the plant, equipment and structure of the buildings prior to devolvement.
Wiltshire Council had inherited a form of financial responsibility for 23 facilities around the county, including many facilities which were out of date and inefficient.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 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.
It was noted that no decisions would be made by Wiltshire Council until consultation had been completed. Consultation on the proposals was taking place up to 29 October 2010, with details available on the Wiltshire Council website, 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 presentation was followed by a short question and answer session. This covered the following main points:
· Wiltshire Council were in discussion with Calne Leisure Centre about a potential transfer of assets and the level of investment that would be required. The figure to sustain the annual revenue of the group could not be confirmed until approval of the budget in February 2011
· Calne residents were paying for leisure facilities twice; through Calne Town Council and Wiltshire Council taxes – Wiltshire Council could not continue to run all the leisure centres in the county. Town and Parish Council support was helpful to trying to keep as many leisure centres as possible open
· It was not true that changes would force local precepts up. Most Town and Parish Councils decided on precepts for communities and the projects and facilities they would support. It was hoped that the centres would be self sustaining
· Nearly 19,000 people a month used the well-run centre in Calne
· Investment in the centre was still taking place. Lockers would soon be completed and a new floor put in
· Funding opportunities from the credential lending facility should not be discounted
· The close proximity of the leisure centre to John Bentley School and the need to consider the two together in future planning was noted
Councillor Wheeler then invited those present to indicate their views about the development of the leisure service, by means of the electronic voting handsets provided.