Agenda item

The report will provide members of the Housing and Wellbeing Committee an update in respect of the Councils Leisure Operating Contract (hereafter referred to as the ‘LOC’) over the 12-month period of 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024.

The Chair invited the Leisure and Wellbeing Manager to present the report that provided members with an overview of Freedom Leisure’s trading and performance from October 2023 to September 2024.  He reminded members that this Committee had agreed a five-year extension of the Council’s Leisure Operating Contract with Freedom Leisure, until 31 March 2032, at its meeting on 21 November 2024.  The contract was managed by regular monitoring visits, formal monthly partnership meetings and quarterly strategic meetings.  He drew attention to paragraph 4.7 of the report and the combined increase in visitors to both the Arun Leisure Centre and Littlehampton Wave of 6.28% compared to the previous reporting year. He provided details of the steps taken by Freedom Leisure to increase participating and advised that they regularly reviewed their group exercise, swim and junior programmes.  During this period there had been investment and several improvements to the leisure facilities had taken place. He provided details of the works that had been carried out to the Windmill Entertainment Centre following the Harvester fire during 2023 and reminded the Committee of the member tour to appraise them of the upgrades.  The reduction of Carbon emissions had continued and following the success of the swimming pool support fund application for 97 photovoltaic solar panels on the Litttlehampton Wave roof and the implementation of destratification fans. After a 12-month period following the solar installation at the Arun Leisure Centre an estimated carbon saving of 19.4 tonnes and a 15% greater than the expected capacity.

          The Leisure and Wellbeing Manager then introduced Ricky Trainor (Area Manager), Matt Wickham (Chief Operating Officer), and Charlotte Simpson (Healthy Communities Manager) in attendance from Freedom Leisure who gave a detailed presentation on the Freedom Leisure October 2023 to September 2024 12-month report and the Healthy Communities update to members.

Ricky Trainer, Area Manager, provided a presentation on the Freedom Leisure October 2023 to September 2024 12-month report that covered the following topics:

·       Introduction

·       An introduction to the UK’s second largest genuine charitable leisure trust

·       Area Insight

·       Participation

·       Energy & Environmental

·       Investments

·       Finance Summary

·       Feedback

·       Testimonials

·       Marketing

·       Social Media Coverage

·       Arun Area Team

·       Our Year in Numbers

Charlotte Simpson, Healthy Communities Manager provided a presentation on Arun Healthy Communities October 2023 to September 2024 that covered the following topics:

·       What is Healthy Communities and What do we do?

·       Healthy Communities (For Families and Young People/Women & Girls and Ageing Well/Affordability & Accessibility/ New 2025 Projects)

·       New 2025 Projects

·       Healthy Communities in Pictures!

·       It’s a Team Effort!

·       Testimonials - It’s a Team Effort!

·       Case Studies

During the presentation an invitation was extended to members to visit the Leisure facilities to the day-to-day operation.

The Chair then invited questions and comments from members:

·       A request was made that in future the reporting information was circulated to members earlier in future.

·       A query was raised concerning what seemed to be a drop in attendance at Bersted Park. It was advised that attendance fluctuated throughout the year.  Referring to the participation table at page 5 it was explained that separate columns were included to show both the financial year and Freedom Leisure’s reporting year from 1 October  to 30 September required by the Council.  The difference was due to Freedom Leisure’s reporting year including the winter period where it was known there was less attendance during this time.  However, attendance figures were increasing with this January receiving its highest participation.  This anomaly resulted from the previous report covering an 18-month period.  The Environmental Services and Strategy advised that the next report would be reported to this Committee during June 2026, with Freedom Leisure’s reporting year reverting back to the financial year.

·       It was explained that the drop in attendance for the learn to swim members was due to pool closures over the past year because of boiler issues, which had been resolved following replacement boilers.  Freedom Leisure continually worked with local schools to improve participation. 

·       Congratulations were given to Freedom Leisure on receiving Bronze Carbon Literacy accreditation.  It was explained that for Freedom Leisure to receive the Silver accreditation, 20% of staff would be required to be qualified and were working to do so.

·       An update on the corrosion in the cubicles and poor-quality workmanship was requested.  Leisure and Wellbeing Manager advised that this was being investigated by the Council’s Property and Estates Team who were in discussions with the contractor to reach a resolution.  He undertook to provide an update to Councillor Bicknell in due course.

·       Freedom Leisure advised that they submitted their audited accounts to the Council on a quarterly basis for monitoring via the Council’s online client monitoring platform, which was an officer function.

·       In response to a question regarding the children’s Talented Athletic Programme, Freedom Leisure advised that a number of children were competing nationally as well as internationally and  would provide details of the number outside of the meeting. 

·       A comment was made that it was pleasing to see the re-launch of the Friday Night Project following the previous instances of disruption.

·       Could the Active Play ‘Out and About’ session and the partnership Littlehampton Community Fridge at the Wave be replicated at the Arun Leisure Centre?  It was advised that it was more difficult to provide the same provisions at the Arun Leisure Centre as it was a duel use site with Felpham School.

·       Referring to the Women & Girls and Ageing Well groups, could this be more inclusive, for instance to include men who did not feel they met the stereotype? It was explained that Freedom Leisure worked closely with Active Sussex for which women and girls formed one of their targets. It was acknowledged that for men participation could too be overwhelming.  The point raised would be brought to the next meeting this Thursday.

·       In response to a question concerning how to involve the hardest to reach most vulnerable children, details were provided of the work being undertaken with local head teachers, which included work with Cornfield School, Littlehampton.

·       Responding to a question of how Arun Leisure Centre’s financial position could be improved, this could in part be due to the introduction of the Wave which continually out performed expectations.  There was still more work to be done with plans in place to drive performance forward, which would include new equipment to revitalise the gym and a replacement pitch.

·       A member reported feedback received from parents attending the Fun Day sessions who would prefer the sessions to last 2.5 hours instead of just 2 hours, so that attendees could get the best out of the sessions.  Freedom Leisure would increase the length if funding allowed.

·       The heading SAPD would be changed to Healthy Communities on page 10 of appendix in the next report.

Members thanked the Freedom Leisure representatives for their report and for the good work that they were doing.

The Chair thanked the Freedom Leisure representatives for their interesting annual report.