Leisure Centre Service Concession

Tender description

Cornwall Council has recently undertaken the public Leisure Centre Consultation (for further information: https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/leisure). In Cornwall there is a mix of centres, a number of leisure centres which are operated by social enterprise Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) through a contract with Cornwall Council. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the leisure sector across the country, and Cornwall has been no exception. The loss of income due to the pandemic is having a long term impact on GLLs finances. GLL have asked Cornwall Council to allow them to stop operating the leisure centres in Wadebridge, Saltash and Falmouth. Cornwall Council does not have a statutory duty to provide leisure centres, our 2014 Leisure Resources Strategy sets out the ambition to support a network of public leisure centres for both residents and visitors to Cornwall at no cost to the council taxpayer. Due to the pandemic, the challenges we face in achieving this ambition are now greater than anyone could have foreseen, and a review of the strategy is needed to ensure it is fit for purpose in the current situation. The Council's ambition for leisure provision in Cornwall is that there is a sustainable network of leisure facilities and activities available to residents and visitors across Cornwall that contributes to local health, wellbeing and the economy of Cornwall, at no cost to the Council. Throughout the public consultation on the Draft Leisure Resource Strategy, Cornwall Council has invited expressions of interest from local councils, commercial or voluntary organisations or community groups to get in touch if they believe they could offer a sustainable alternative for running, on a concession basis, one or more of the Leisure Centres at risk. Interested applicants should take note that due to urgent operational pressures there is a very demanding timetable with the following anticipated deadlines: expressions of interest by 24th December 2021, site visits early January 2022, submission of responses by 17th January 2022. Transfer and running of the at risk leisure centre operations by April 2022.