Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the General Manager, One Leisure.

Authorised the General Manager, One Leisure, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities to award the contract for the redevelopment of One Leisure, St. Ives.

Further to Minute No. 11/36 and by way of a report by the General Manager (One Leisure) (a copy of which is appended in the Annex to the Minute Book) the Cabinet were apprised of the outcome of the tendering process for the re-modelling of One Leisure, St. Ives.  Executive Councillors were advised that the proposals were intended to reduce the net operating costs of One Leisure and to increase admissions for participation levels to meet both Government and Council health agenda targets. The report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

In discussing the tenders received, particular attention was drawn to the views of the Panel over the need to identify the social benefits of the proposals.  In that respect, Executive Councillors welcomed the work being undertaken by the One Leisure Finance Working Group to establish a methodology to quantify the social value of such projects. 

Attention also was drawn to the existing rifle range, which had not been incorporated into the re-modelling proposals. As a consequence a request from the St Ives District Rifle and Pistol Club for assistance to move to alternative premises had been received.  In considering the request, Executive Councillors concurred with the Panel that the Club be invited to provide a business plan and, subject to the information provided, the Council should consider providing the Club with an interest charged loan.

Having noted that the tender recommended for acceptance was the lowest one received and in receiving assurances that the tenderer’s standard of work had been examined and was considered to be satisfactory, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the General Manager (One Leisure) be authorised, after consultation with the Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, to award the contract for the redevelopment of One Leisure, St. Ives.

To consider a report by the General Manager, One Leisure.

(Members of the Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) have been invited to attend for the discussion on this item).

(Councillor T D Sanderson, Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities, was in attendance for this item).

With the assistance of a presentation and a report by the General Manager, One Leisure (a copy of which is appended in the Annex to the Minute Book) the Panel considered the outcome of the tender process for development at the St Ivo Centre. Members were reminded that the proposals for re-development had been previously discussed at their meeting in June 2011 and that the Cabinet had subsequently requested a further report following the final tender evaluation. The Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities then provided a summary of the report.

The Panel discussed whether the development should proceed at the present time. Specific comments were made with regard to current market conditions and the need for a full breakdown of One Leisure’s financial position, including a business plan and details of all recharges and capital costs. Taking into account current market conditions, a Member expressed the view that the works should not commence until the leisure market began to improve. However, Members were informed that attendances at St Neots and Huntingdon were now higher than before improvements were carried out and that the development works would enable maintenance works to be completed at a lower cost than would otherwise be the case. Moreover, the money spent on the development would help the local economy.

Having acknowledged that the case for proceeding with the project could not be justified solely on economic grounds, Members suggested that it would be helpful if the cost of the Council’s contribution to obtain the additional social benefits that the development would achieve was identified. In response, they were reminded that the One Leisure Finance Group was currently working on a methodology through which such costs might be identified. It was suggested that this Group should identify how far the Council should proceed with projects that had a social impact for a relatively small return.

Attention having been drawn to a letter received from the St Ives District Rifle and Pistol Club, the Panel suggested that the Cabinet should invite the Club to provide a business plan, and subject to the information provided, the Council should consider providing the Club with an interest charged loan.

Having been assured that the successful bidder’s standards of work had been examined and were considered to be satisfactory, Members suggested that, in the context of budget reductions elsewhere and an increase in Council Tax, the Council should develop a strategy to manage its communications on this subject.  Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to grant permission for the development, permit the General Manager, One Leisure to let the contract and authorise the development to proceed.