Agenda item

For the Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee to receive the annual budget and accompanying business plan for financial year 2026/27.

The Chairman of LeisureSK Ltd presented the report. He began by stating that he was confident that LeisureSK Ltd would overperform financially for 2025/26. LeisureSK Ltd was aware that there were issues on the non-financial side which needed to be improved.   The Chairman of LeisureSK Ltd referred the Committee to page 13 of the Business Plan appended to the report which stated that an operating surplus would be reached. It was proposed that a review of the Stamford gym area would be looked at with a plan developed to undertake refurbishment and look to increase overall participation with an increase of 5% across the contract.  It was stated that the increase would be more likely in respect of the Grantham and to a lesser extent Bourne and Stamford Leisure Centres. 

Two areas would be looked at in respect of capacity.  It was proposed that a Business Development, Sales and Marketing Officer be recruited to start in April 2026. Reference was made to the comments that had been made during the meeting in respect of Stamford and it was noted that Stamford did not have a dedicated manager and LeisureSK Ltd were looking to recruit a dedicated manager for Stamford Leisure Centre in the New Year.

Utility consumption at all sites would be reduced mostly in Grantham through the decarbonisation programme which was currently in progress.  It was proposed to increase fitness membership by 5%.  It was also proposed that Padel Tennis would be launched at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre, however a low risk approach had been taken and it was proposed that a padel tennis lease holder be contracted and a procurement process would be undertaken in the New Year.

The timetable for Grantham Meres Leisure Centre was being reviewed with a view to finding more capacity for the swim school.  A strategic and systematic approach to customer services was also being taken in terms of measuring customer engagement and satisfaction.   Nine core objectives were proposed as outlined within the report.

Questions and comments raised by Members included:

·        How data was collected by users of the swimming pools

·        The proposed 5% increase in gym membership and it was noted that the gym had not been enhanced, the equipment was only being replaced and the cost of living crisis did impact membership which was why only a 5% increase had been proposed

·        How the proposed padel tennis was being procured and the low risk route being taken.

·        That some of the content of the pink papers appended to the report could be in the public domain as it was basic information.  The Assistant Director (Leisure, Culture and Place) stated that she acknowledged the comments made in respect of the pink papers and that would be taken into consideration in future reports.

·        The Business Plan was still a draft document and it should contain realistic ambitions and it was acknowledged that LeisureSK Ltd appeared to be in a better position than it had two to three years ago and it was moving the right direction.

·        A question was raised about Local Government Reorganisation and how this would affect contracts specifically the paddle tennis contract – the contract would be co-terminus with the LeisureSK Ltd contract.

Officers and Directors of LeisureSK Ltd were congratulated for the work undertaken to turn LeisureSK Ltd around.