Agenda item

To provide an update to the Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the performance of LeisureSK Ltd against the leisure management contract objectives.

The Chairman of LeisureSK Ltd presented the report which outlined their performance from August 2023-February 2024.

The report covered activities which had taken place between August 2023 and February 2024. Subsets had been created as follows:

A. An overview of LeisureSK Ltd Operations/Staffing

B. An overview of LeisureSK Ltd Community and Outreach Activities

C. An update on the Council’s Leisure Centres

D. An update on the work of the Council’s Leisure Team

E. LeisureSK Ltd Performance Monitoring

F. Leisure Centre Condition Surveys

G. Quality Assurance

One Member queried outreach community activities that LeisureSK Ltd undertook and whether any discussion had taken place on cancelling certain activities to reduce the overall cost to LeisureSK Ltd.

The LeisureSK Ltd Board Members had discussed outreach activities and funding coming to an end. Once the funding ended, the activities would not be continued, however the Board were exploring ways to continue certain activities in order to mitigate costs.

It was noted that there had been 6 closures in the last 6 months within the leisure centres. It was queried what had caused the closures and whether LeisureSK Ltd had a budget for any emergency repairs.

The Team Leader – Leisure, Parks and Open Spaces clarified that a closure in Stamford Leisure Centre was due to a boiler failure which was awaiting parts to repair. Other closures were due to unforeseen circumstances, for example faecal fouling in the swimming pool.

The contract between the Council and LeisureSK Ltd set out maintenance responsibilities. Anything up to the cost of £500 was at the responsibility of LeisureSK Ltd, and anything over £500 or at the end of life would fall at the responsibility of the Council.

One Member queried the wave machine at Stamford Leisure Centre and whether it would be replaced or removed altogether. Concern was raised on the timescales of receiving parts to repair the wave machine.

It was confirmed that the wave machine at Stamford Leisure Centre was in the process of being repaired and was undergoing commissioning. Staff would receive relevant training following the replacement of the machine.

The current wave machine at Stamford Leisure Centre was over 30 years old, whereby new parts were not always readily available. Moreover, the wave machine had a completely new control panel built.

Issues around maintenance and cleanliness were discussed including the showers not being fixed and floors in the changing room not being cleaned in Grantham Meres Leisure Centre.

The Contract Manager for LeisureSK Ltd noted that showers and changing rooms at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre were an ongoing challenge due to the age of the building.

One Member queried the timeframe in which the wave machine at Bourne Leisure Centre would be repaired.

The timeframe on the repairs of Bourne Leisure Centre wave machine was unknown. The Council’s Property Team were attending the next LeisureSK Ltd Board meeting to present planned future maintenance repairs.

Concern was raised that Grantham Meres Leisure Centre had seen an increase of the medium/high risks health and safety actions in the last three months.

The Contract Manager for LeisureSK Ltd clarified that following health and safety audits, recommendations would come forward which would be categorised into low, medium and high. Due to the financial situation for LeisureSK Ltd, all non-essential works had been delayed, however, those with an immediate health and safety risk had been dealt with immediately.

The annual health and safety audit figures included risk assessments, a walk round and training records etc. Leisure SK Ltd had set a benchmark in 2022, to achieve 80%, which was deemed acceptable in the leisure industry.

(The Committee had a 10-minute break)

It was proposed, seconded and AGREED to exclude the press and public at this stage of the meeting as it was anticipated that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the likelihood that otherwise exempt information, as described in paragraph 3 of the Act would be disclosed to them.

(The Committee went back into public session)

It was proposed, seconded and AGREED that the Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

1. Notes the contents of the report and suggests any enhancements to the level of information provided for inclusion in the next Culture and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee in June 2024.