Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of City Development outlining the current challenges in terms of investment in leisure centres and proposing a revised “Vision for Leisure and Wellbeing Centres” for 2016 onwards. Given the direct correlation between the quality of existing leisure centre buildings and the ability of the service to attract and retain customers (and therefore income), the report addresses the remaining investment challenges within the context of strategic supply and demand, whilst simultaneously establishing the framework upon which the services’ future revenue budget can be set.

The Director of City Development submitted a report outlining the current challenges faced in terms of investment in leisure centres and proposed a revised “Vision for Leisure and Wellbeing Centres” for 2016 onwards, which together with an accompanying set of proposals, aimed to take the service forward by meeting wider Council outcomes, meeting austerity challenges whilst also responding to future demands.

In presenting the report, the Executive Member for Resources and Strategy proposed the establishment of a cross-party working group in order to ensure that moving forward all political groups were involved in the development of the vision.

Members welcomed the proposals detailed, and discussed the nature of the fitness market, and the future role that the Council could play in that market.

In conclusion, the Chair took the opportunity to pay tribute to the City of Leeds Diving Club based at the Council’s John Charles Centre for Sport, highlighting the extraordinary sporting success and recognition that the club had brought to the city.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That a long term vision to secure a network of high quality, affordable, accessible and financially sustainable leisure and wellbeing centres (in particular public swimming pools) for the benefit of all the people of Leeds, be endorsed;

(b)  That the principles for determining the location of leisure and wellbeing centres be agreed, as follows:-

(a)  on a main arterial route;

(b)  in a town or district centre; and

(c)  co-located and in partnerships with schools, health services, day centres, libraries or other complementary community facilities;

(c)  That the Director of City Development be requested to bring forward detailed proposals in 2017 for two new Wellbeing Centres to be built: one in Inner East Leeds and one in Rothwell, and that approval be given for the provision of £100k to be made within the Capital Programme in order to support the feasibility studies to this end;

(d)  That approval be given for the hours of operation at Kippax Leisure Centre to be reduced to approximately 58 hours, to commence from April 1st 2017, and that the Director of City Development be requested to bring forward a feasibility report into the re-provision of a swimming pool within the catchment area.

(e)  That the realising of the capital receipt from the sale of the existing Kippax Leisure Centre be approved, and that approval also be given to bringing forward new investment proposals in line with the overall strategy, as set out within the submitted report;

(f)  That the need to support continued prioritised investment in the other existing leisure centres, in order to maximise income and usage, as set out within section 4 of the submitted report, be noted;

(g)  That approval be given to extend the existing capital provision for sport maintenance of £500k per annum for a further 3 years from 2017/18;

(h)  That a cross-party working group be established in order to ensure that moving forward all political groups are involved in the development of the vision.