Agenda item

To receive the Gateway 0 report on appraisal of management options for leisure centres due to be considered by cabinet on 9 March 2021.

Note:  The cabinet agenda for 9 March is due to be published on Monday 1 March 2021.  The report for this agenda will be published on that date.

The committee received an update from Councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Environment and Roads on the Gateway 0 report on Appraisal of Management Options for Leisure Centres due to be considered by Cabinet on 9 March 2021.  The committee also heard from Rebecca Towers, Director of Leisure and Tara Quinn, Head of Parks and Leisure.

Councillor Rose highlighted the commitment given at the October Overview and Scrutiny Committee to come back with a Gateway 0 report that would set out more clearly the strategic direction and method for delivering the future Southwark Leisure Service.  Councillor Rose highlighted issues and actions taken since the October meeting as detailed below:

·  Full consideration had been given to the points raised at the previous meeting.

·  The further lockdown, resulting in the closure of leisure centres - due to re-open on or around the 12 April 2021.

·  The protection of the current provision for Free Swim and Gym until March 2023 through the annual budget setting process – this would be set out more fully in the Gateway 3 report

Rebecca Towers highlighted issues set out in the Gateway O report which was as a result of a culmination of a robust strategic options appraisal.  Rebecca highlighted the following:

·  The criteria for assessment showed that three out of four options assessed were viable for the delivery of the leisure offer in the future

·  The preference for insourcing was based on flexibility, connectivity and fits with the council’s values

·  It would deliver the best possible outcomes for residents and for the workforce

·  The process would not be without risk

·  A further more detailed report would be brought in the autumn setting out the costs of bringing the service in-house

·  The option of working with other boroughs still existed and this was actively being pursued as a sub option.

Questions and discussion were held around the following:

·  Evolving health policy and ability to course correct an in-house model if necessary

·  Preference of in-house model compared with local authority controlled company (LACC)

·  Facilities to be managed outside of leisure centres (paragraph 21 of the report)

·  Emphasis of climate change emergency objectives as part of the modelling of the four options (impact of swimming pools given as example).

·  Historical income levels and impact of budget gyms and free swim and gyms

·  Reasons for insourcing when all other London local authorities are outsourcing this provision

·  Reviewing complaints raised by local residents around issues such as cleaning and cleanliness and potential impact correcting issues raised will have on the cost of running in house

·  Timeline for an initial evaluation and review following in-sourcing

·  Estimate of interim costs

·  Building up in-house expertise