Issue - meetings

Stalham Sports Centre

 

 

Meeting: 06/11/2023 - Cabinet (Item 73)

73 Stalham Sports Centre pdf icon PDF 137 KB

Executive Summary

Stalham Sports Centre is one of three dual use community sports centres operated on behalf of the Council by Everyone Active as part of the current Leisure Contract. It has consistently been the least well attended of the three sites and last calendar year only received a little over 5000 visits. The Council budgets £17k per annum for its share of maintenance and utility costs as per the dual use agreement in place.

 

A proposal has been made for the incumbent trust – Synergy Multi Academy Trust – to take the operations of the site back in-house. Everyone Active have indicated that they are open to this transfer taking place and the Leisure Contract contains a clause allowing it to happen.

Options considered

 
  1. To hand back the operation of the Stalham dual use sports centre to the Synergy Multi Acadmey Trust.
  2. To not hand back the operation of Stalham dual use sport centre and for it to continue to be operated as part of the NNDC leisure contract with Everyone Active.

Consultation(s)

Meetings with local ward members for Stalham have been undertaken, alongside meetings with Everyone Active, The Synergy Trust and the NNDC Communications Manager.

Recommendations

 

Cabinet agrees to hand back operations of the Stalham dual use sports centre to Synergy Multi Academy Trust and instruct the Leisure and Locality Services Manager to undertake this process.

Reasons for recommendations

 

The Council have been approached by the Synergy Multi Academy Trust to operate Dual Use Centre.

 

The council have put a lot of resource into this site over a number of years, both in-house and through a Leisure Operator. Neither have been overly successful and therefore it is believed to be a good option to allow the Academy themselves to operate the site for community use.

Background papers

 

 

 

 

 

Wards affected

Stalham

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr. L, Withington

Contact Officer

Colin Brown Leisure and Localities Manager 01263 516001                     

Emily Capps- Assistant Director for Environmental and Leisure Services

 

 

Links to key documents:

 

Corporate Plan:         

Developing Communities

Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)                                

The proposal could generate a saving to the Council of £17k per annum

Council Policies & Strategies

N/A

 

Corporate Governance:

 

Is this a key decision 

 Yes

Has the public interest test been applied

N/A

Details of any previous decision(s) on this matter

N/A

 

Decision:

Decision

RESOLVED

 

To agree to hand back operations of the Stalham dual use sports centre to Synergy Multi Academy Trust and instruct the Leisure and Locality Services Manager to undertake this process.

 

Reason for the decision:

 

The Council have been approached by the Synergy Multi Academy Trust to operate Dual Use Centre.

 

The Council has put a lot of resource into this site over a number of years, both in-house and through a Leisure Operator. Neither have been overly successful and therefore it is believed to be a good option to allow the Academy themselves to operate the site for community use

Minutes:

The Chairman invited the Assistant Director for Environment & Leisure Services to introduce this item. She explained that Stalham Sports Centre was one of three dual use community sports centres operated on behalf of the Council by Everyone Active as part of the current Leisure Contract. It had consistently been the least well attended of the three sites and last calendar year only received a little over 5000 visits. The Council budgeted £17k per annum for its share of maintenance and utility costs as per the dual use agreement in place.

 

A proposal had been made for the incumbent trust – Synergy Multi Academy Trust – to take the operations of the site back in-house. Everyone Active had indicated that they were open to this transfer taking place and the Leisure Contract contained a clause allowing it to happen. Stalham Sports Centre’s facilities included a social area/reception, four court sports hall, four tennis courts and a small artificial MUGA. As per the dual use agreement in place for the site, these facilities were available to hire by the public from 6pm-10pm weekdays, 8am-5pm weekends and all day during the school holidays. The Synergy Trust was confident that it could continue to provide facilities for the benefit of the community.

 

Cllr L Shires said that she had spoken to Cllr M Taylor, one of the local members for Stalham and he had indicated his support for the proposals.

 

It was proposed by Cllr T Adams, seconded by Cllr L Shires and

 

RESOLVED

 

To agree to hand back operations of the Stalham dual use sports centre to Synergy Multi Academy Trust and instruct the Leisure and Locality Services Manager to undertake this process.

 

Reason for the decision:

 

The Council have been approached by the Synergy Multi Academy Trust to operate Dual Use Centre.

 

The Council has put a lot of resource into this site over a number of years, both in-house and through a Leisure Operator. Neither have been overly successful and therefore it is believed to be a good option to allow the Academy themselves to operate the site for community use