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POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
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Agenda Item 85 Brighton & Hove City Council |
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Subject: |
Freedom Leisure Contract – Response to Increased Energy Costs
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Date of Meeting: |
1 December 2022
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Thomas Bald |
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E-mail: |
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Wards Affected: |
All Wards |
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minutes extract from tecc committee held on 3 november 2022
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Brighton & Hove City Council
Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee
4.00pm3 November 2022
Hove Town Hall - Council Chamber
Minutes Extract – Item 39
Present
Councillors: Osborne (Chair), Powell, Littman, Ebel, Hugh Jones, Robins, Evans, Allcock, Simson, & Bagaeen.
Standing Invitees: Stephanie Prior, Joanna Martindale, Kris Ottery, & Harpreet Kaur.
39 Freedom Leisure Contract - Response to Increased Energy Costs
39.1 Kerry Taylor introduced the report starting on page 191 of the Agenda.
39.2 Councillor Evans introduced the Labour Group Amendment starting on page 7 of Addendum 1, which was seconded by Councillor Allcock.
39.3 Councillor Simson agreed with Councillor Evans that Freedom Leisure should be doing their own management and not the Council. She was informed that:
· Day to day operational maintenance would be organised by Freedom Leisure.
· Both the Council and Freedom Leisure can make improvements, with the Council taking more control of improving the actual buildings.
· The Sports Facilities Investment Plan has lots of improvements planned.
· 3.26 in the report highlights some actions that have already been carried out to make the facilities more energy efficient.
· The swimming pool sites are the most costly compared to other venues in the city.
39.4 Councillor Robins raised that previously, the Portslade Sports Centre bar was always busy due to events such as 5-a-side football, and asked if this could maybe be reinstated to create revenue, and was informed that this opportunity would be presented to Freedom Leisure to see if it is a viable option. He also raised that sports centres are invaluable to the health and wellbeing of residents.
39.5 Councillor Hugh-Jones was informed that in 3.15 the increase in predicted usage would be based on the last full year pre-covid which was 2019, and used the current energy rates to provide the data.
39.6 The Chair asked Committee to take a vote on the Labour Amendment which was passed.
RESOLVED: That Committee:
1. Noted the contents of this report in relation to the increased costs faced by leisure operators across the UK linked to the energy supply crisis.
2. Agreed that it is necessary to support Freedom Leisure to ensure their continued viability and the delivery of the Sports Facilities Contracts.
3. Recommended to the Policy & Resources Committee that it authorises the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Culture to implement the mitigation measures outlined in this report at paragraphs 3.18 and 3.23, with the exception of the caveat regarding parking charges outlined in 2.4.
4. Recommended to the Policy & Resources Committee that it notes that the various measures will be reviewed by officers over six months and a report will be brought to TECC by June 2023 on whether it is possible to revert back to standard contract arrangements. Committee authorises the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Culture to make revisions and changes to the arrangements based on the ongoing impact, cost and
potential changes to utility prices, but agrees that committee approval will be sought if car park charging is required at Withdean Sports Complex.
That the Policy & Resources Committee:
5. Noted the contents of this report in relation to the increased costs faced by leisure operators across the UK linked to the energy supply crisis.
6. Agreed that it is necessary to support Freedom Leisure to ensure their continued viability and the delivery of the Sports Facilities Contracts.
7. Authorised the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Culture to implement the range of mitigation measures outlined in this report at paragraphs 3.18 and 3.23, with the exception of the caveat regarding parking charges outlined in 2.8.
8. Noted that the various measures will be reviewed by officers over six months and a report will be brought to TECC by June 2023 on whether it is possible to revert back to standard contract arrangements. Committee authorises the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Culture to make revisions and changes to the arrangements based on the ongoing impact, cost and potential changes to utility prices, but agrees that committee approval will be sought if car park charging is required at Withdean Sports Complex.