Agenda item

To determine whether the previously agreed refurbishment of Deepings Leisure Centre proceeds given the significant changes to the Council’s financial outlook, and to withdraw from the management of Linchfield Road Playing Fields.

Note: The Chief Executive and Director of Growth and Culture left the Chamber for the duration of this item due to their position as a Directors of LeisureSK Ltd.

 

A point of order was raised as the second recommendation involved handing back to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) the Deepings Leisure Centre building, impacting on their budget. There were several District Councillors who were also elected County Councillors present in the Chamber. The Monitoring Officer advised his view was that the impact of this recommendation on LCC’s finances and risks was not significant enough to warrant any County Councillors declaring a conflict of interest and leaving the Chamber.

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Leisure introduced a report to determine whether the previously agreed refurbishment of Deepings Leisure Centre, and the management of Linchfield Road Playing Fields continued given the significant changes to the Council’s financial outlook.

 

In proposing the recommendations of the report, the Cabinet Member outlined that there had been significant progress on creating budget headroom; however, that it was necessary to re- look at the decision to refurbish the Deepings Leisure Centre. A shortage of materials and labour, alongside increased costs of borrowing meant that the previously identified costs to the Council had doubled.

 

Other pressures on producing a balanced budget included rising fuel and staff costs. Nationally, there were sector wide issues; a local example given was a neighbouring authority who had suggested reduced opening hours to counteract the rise in utility costs.

 

The Cabinet Member outlined the work to date so far on the project, which included:

 

·       work on the ownership of the land between LCC, the Anthem Trust and the Council;

·       the terms of a service level agreement between the Council and the Anthem Trust had also been agreed; and;

·       through a compliant procurement process a preferred design team and architect had been appointed.

 

Before the Council could invest capital into the existing leisure centre, it would be necessary to secure a leasehold interest in Deepings Leisure Centre to protect the significant investment which was required. This would require LCC and the Trust entering into a head lease, with the Trust subsequently granting a sub-lease to the Council.  Such an arrangement would require approval from the Department for Education (DfE). To date, this approval had not been received.

 

In seconding the proposition, the Leader of the Opposition outlined that large sums of money would be required at Bourne, Grantham and Stamford Leisure Centres, as they were all aging buildings. He also highlighted the extensive negotiations that the Assistant Director for Culture and Leisure had held with the Anthem Trust.

 

The following points and queries were raised during debate of the motion:

 

·       It was raised that during campaigning for the 2019 election Conservative Councillors in their leaflets had pledged to build a brand-new leisure centre in the Deepings, in addition to spending further monies at Bourne Leisure Centre and potentially relocating Grantham Leisure Centre.

·       The Deepings Leisure Centre had been discussed at previous Cabinet meetings and a figure of around £21million had been identified as being necessary to fund a new leisure centre. The Leader of the Council had previously admitted that previous administrations had failed to look after the Deepings Leisure Centre.

·       There were three other leisure centres in the district that people could use as an alternative to the Deepings Leisure Centre.

·       Councillors in the Deepings had not asked for a brand-new leisure centre, they had initially only wanted a fix for the roof.

·       Examples of new build leisure centres were given from a design and build company that specialised in leisure facilities around the country. Facilities had been built in Bolsover, South Thames, East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth at a lower price than that quoted for the Deepings.

 

Note:  Councillor Matthew Lee joined the meeting.

 

·       Businesses in the Deepings thrived with the leisure centre present. The local impact of closure across the following equality groups was negative: age, disability, race, gender reassignment, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage/civil partnership, carers, and other groups. These other groups included those from deprived communities, those from rural communities and those with an offending past.

·       One previous option had been to repair the roof at the Deepings Leisure Centre to allow for a basic service to be provided.

·       One question was raised about the future of other leisure centres in the district if the Deepings Leisure Centre was allowed to close.

·       Access to amenities was important for those with mobility issues, those in lower income areas, and the most vulnerable. Whilst acknowledging the amount of work that officers were undertaking and the difficulty of providing a balanced budget alongside an increased cost of living, it would be a tough decision to take to remove a leisure centre from the local community.

·       In 1974 the decision was taken to run a leisure centre in a building owned by Lincolnshire County Council. Protracted discussions with the County Council had followed since, but the building remained in their possession.

·       The potential to consult with all stakeholders, including the Parish Council, local schools, and the County Council to further discuss issues around the leisure centre was raised.

 

An amendment to the motion was proposed:

 

“In consideration of this report, the Council defers any decision at this time and

 

1.    Convenes a meeting of Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committees to enable proper consideration of the relevant factors and figures.

 

2.    Explores all options for retaining and re-opening the existing Deepings Leisure Centre.

 

3.    Recognises the Council’s increasing financial pressures and the additional costs identified since the council’s commitment (in December 2021) to refurbish the Deepings Leisure Centre.

 

4.    Revisits the costings and options for refurbishment of the Deepings Leisure Centre acknowledging that they may need to be scaled back.

 

5.    Explores potential funding, and operational partnerships, with the Lincolnshire County Council, the Deepings School (and its parent trust) as well as other potential private, public, voluntary sector and community partners with regard to the future of the Deepings Leisure Centre.

 

6.    Considered the most effective long-term future management of the Linchfield Road Playing Fields (with and/or without the anticipated application to the Football Foundation for a 3G pitch).

 

The amendment was seconded.

 

In debating the amendment, the following points were raised:

 

·       A view was given that the Council’s function now was not to consider anything other than the best possible outcome for the people of the Deepings. If the original £10.7million was still available, a question was raised as to what could be achieved with this sum of money? It would be worthwhile exploring the least-cost option rather than closing. An example of Yarborough Leisure Centre in Lincoln was given as the City of Lincoln Council were in the process of fixing a leaking roof at the site for around £1 million. The decision should be considered by the relevant Scrutiny committee to see what could be achieved within the existing budget.

·       As the amendment outlined, the issue of private funding should be explored further. The value of learning to swim was being lost in the Deepings.

·       In the time that the Deepings Leisure Centre had been closed, local residents had not received funding that they otherwise would have.

·       A question was raised as to whether a decision on the future of Deepings Leisure Centre had to be taken during this meeting. It was difficult to conclude on affordability in the medium-term until the receipts from the development at St. Martins’ Park Stamford had been received.

·       The amendment did not commit the Council to any course of action at this stage but would give all parties the chance to look at the findings in more detail. The Council could facilitate discussions with private parties which could enable funding to be gained.

·       Due to the age of the building, previous failures of this Council, and its previous management, financial support could not continue to be offered to the Deepings Leisure Centre. Lincolnshire County Council would not entertain any funding in relation to the building as they were dealing with their own set of financial pressures.

·       Following building surveys, it was determined that the Deepings Leisure Centre building required significant work. Other options and opportunities had been explored at the site but the financial impact to the Council was too great.

·       Discussions with Lincolnshire County Council on this subject took place on an almost weekly basis.

·       It was queried whether the quotes attributed to fixtures and fittings in the report were higher than figures seen elsewhere.

·       If the Leisure Centre were to close, it would not just be swimming that would cease in the Deepings. Amongst other activities, it would be football, taekwondo, and hockey.

·       A view was given that a further public consultation needed to happen on this subject.

 

A request was made that a recorded vote on the amendment be taken, as in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5 any ten Councillors present at the meeting of Full Council could request this.

 

For:              Councillors Ashley Baxter, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Richard Cleaver, Phil Dilks, Anna Kelly, Philip Knowles, Penny Milnes, Virginia Moran, Charmaine Morgan, Ian Selby, Judy Stevens, Jill Thomas, Amanda Wheeler. (13)

 

Against:        Councillors George Chivers, Kelham Cooke, Helen Crawford, John Dawson, Barry Dobson, Breda-Rae Griffin, Gloria Johnson, Matthew Lee, Nikki Manterfield, Annie Mason, Julia Reid, Robert Reid, Nick Robins, Penny Robins, Susan Sandall, Adam Stokes, Ian Stokes, Sarah Trotter, Dean Ward, Hilary Westropp, Mark Whittington, Mary Whittington, Jane Wood, Paul Wood, Linda Wootten, Ray Wootten. (26)

 

Abstain:        Councillor Bob Broughton. (1)

 

(Councillors Louise Clack and Kaffy Rice-Oxley had left prior to the vote taking place).

 

The amendment to the motion fell.

 

Note:            Council voted to extend the meeting under Council Procedure Rule 14.20 (g) as it was approaching three hours in length

 

Debate then resumed on the original motion:

 

·       The leisure centres in Bourne, Grantham and Stamford had a programme of preservation for health and safety reasons; this programme also looked after the structure of the buildings and investigated the longevity of capital invested.

·       There were other ways in which this facility could be delivered in the Deepings, which would enable a fresh start from funding partners. Lincolnshire County Council would not support the project as it represented seven districts and was not supporting similar projects in those areas. However, they could be persuaded to support a multi-funded arrangement.

 

In summing up, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Finance asked members to vote in favour of the proposition, as set out in the recommendations of the report. He also pointed members to comments made in the press on 2 September 2021 about having to revisit the decision on the Deepings Leisure Centre if budgets increased in the intervening period.

 

A request was made that a recorded vote on the motion be taken, as in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5 any ten or more Councillors present at the meeting of Full Council could request this.

 

For:              Councillors George Chivers, Kelham Cooke, Helen Crawford, John Dawson, Barry Dobson, Breda-Rae Griffin, Gloria Johnson, Matthew Lee, Nikki Manterfield, Annie Mason, Penny Milnes, Julia Reid, Robert Reid, Nick Robins, Penny Robins, Susan Sandall, Adam Stokes, Ian Stokes, Sarah Trotter, Dean Ward, Hilary Westropp, Mark Whittington, Mary Whittington, Jane Wood, Paul Wood, Linda Wootten, Ray Wootten. (27)

 

Against:        Councillors Ashley Baxter, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Bob Broughton, Richard Cleaver, Phil Dilks, Anna Kelly, Philip Knowles, Virginia Moran, Charmaine Morgan, Ian Selby, Judy Stevens, Jill Thomas, Amanda Wheeler. (13)

 

Abstain:        None.

 

Therefore, the motion was AGREED.

 

DECISION:

 

That Full Council:

 

1.    Does not proceed with the project to refurbish Deepings Leisure Centre given the Council’s increasing financial pressures and the additional costs identified.

 

2.    Hands back to Lincolnshire County Council the existing Deepings Leisure Centre with no further financial liability or financial risk to South Kesteven District Council. 

 

3.    Withdraws from the management of Linchfield Road Playing Fields and no longer proceeds with an application to the Football Foundation for a 3G pitch with the playing fields being handed back to Lincolnshire County Council at the earliest opportunity.

 

There was a short adjournment following the vote.