DECISION

1.    To agree and approve the fee waiver arrangements and three year contract extension to the current contract due to expire on 30^th April 2019.  This will be on the existing terms for the current Leisure Services Contract for the period up to April 2022;

2.    To in principal authorise the appropriate officers to execute the necessary contract extension agreement and to update the Mayor on the monitoring of the contract; and

3.    To in principal approve the use of Section 106 funds for investment in the Leisure facilities subject to officers providing a satisfactory update to the Mayor on the monitoring of the contract.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN’S SERVICES (D. JONES)

(Divisional Director, Finance, Procurement and Audit (N. Murton)

(Acting Divisional Director, Sports, Leisure and Culture (J St John)

Councillor Abdul Mukit, Cabinet Member for Culture and Youth, introduced the report. He explained that this proposal was to extend the contract with the leisure services provider to 2022 and take the opportunity to update the terms of the contract to increase value for money to the Council.

During discussion the following points were noted:

·         Charges for users would continue to rise only with inflation.

·         The contractor was moving to paying the London Living Wage.

·         Whether there was funding available for free gym sessions for residents and/or other community benefits that could be introduced. It was noted that any s106 funding allocations would need to be processed and agreed in the normal way and so could not be approved at this stage.

·         The lack of Council branding at many locations.

Discussion turned to how the Council ensures that performance could be effectively monitored and improved and that the Council would have the powers to monitor and intervene effectively.

The Mayor considered the result of the debate and stated that he agreed with the principal proposal to extend the contract and approve the fee waiver arrangements. He requested that officers report back to him on monitoring arrangements before the contract extension was executed. He explained that he would report back to Members and Cabinet as necessary on those discussions. In respect of that, and the s106 discussion noted earlier, he amended the recommendations and agreed them.

RESOLVED

1.    To agree and approve the fee waiver arrangements and three year contract extension to the current contract due to expire on 30^th April 2019.  This will be on the existing terms for the current Leisure Services Contract for the period up to April 2022;

2.    To in principal authorise the appropriate officers to execute the necessary contract extension agreement and to update the Mayor on the monitoring of the contract; and

3.    To in principal approve the use of Section 106 funds for investment in the Leisure facilities subject to officers providing a satisfactory update to the Mayor on the monitoring of the contract.