Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Community and Environment

Purpose of Report

To consider a range of service improvements to Bicester and Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centres and facility improvements to Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To support in principle the facility improvements proposed for Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre subject to an acceptable outcome of further contractual negotiations;

1.2         To note and welcome the operational improvements put in place at Bicester and Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centres; and

1.3         To receive a further report on the scope for facility and customer improvements at Bicester Leisure Centre.

Resolved

(1)          That the facility improvements proposed for Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre subject to an acceptable outcome of further contractual negotiations be supported in principle.

(2)          That the operational improvements put in place at Bicester and Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centres be noted and welcomed.

(3)          That a further report on the scope for facility and customer improvements at Bicester Leisure Centre be received.

The Director of Community and Environment submitted a report which sought consideration of a range of service improvements to Bicester and Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centres and facility improvements to Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre.

Resolved

(1)          That the facility improvements proposed for Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centre subject to an acceptable outcome of further contractual negotiations be supported in principle.

(2)          That the operational improvements put in place at Bicester and Kidlington and Gosford Leisure Centres be noted and welcomed.

(3)          That a further report on the scope for facility and customer improvements at Bicester Leisure Centre be received.

Reasons

The Council strives for continuous improvement in its services and indeed invites entrepreneurial flair from the operator and this can be regarded as an example of that. Five years after it entered a long term contract for its modernised leisure facilities is a reasonable period for changed patterns of use to be established and improvements to be considered. The proposed improvements will benefit the biggest part of leisure centre customer growth and address the dynamic nature of the health and fitness sector.

By retaining these improvements within the centre’s current footprint, it does however mean that users of the Crazy Coliseum will not have like for like facilities provided. The offer of free use of two soft play environments will in some way compensate for this but only in part.

For changes of this nature which are both customer driven and very relevant, officers have requested, that subject to the decision of the Executive, PCL are to undertake a short in centre consultation period from 4 November to gain specific and overall customer views prior to implementation to see whether there are any other improvement and mitigating measure which could be implemented.

Alternative Options

Option 1: Undertake no change. This is not proposed as it would mean that the centre would continue to be constrained in accommodating the growth in health and fitness demand.