Issue - items at meetings - King Alfred Leisure Centre – update on urgent works and potential improvements

Joint report of the Director of Environment and Interim Director of Finance & Resources (copy attached).

(1)       That Cabinet notes the progress on the urgent works undertaken from the initial allocation of £859,000 to the capital programme as agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 20 November 2008.

(2)       That Cabinet approves an allocation of £641,000 to the capital programme to complete the health and safety and planned maintenance works as identified in the report to Cabinet on 20 November 2008.

(3)       That Cabinet approves an allocation of £0.75 million to undertake improvement works to benefit the operation of the building in the medium term (3-5 years).

(4)       That Cabinet agree that the Director of Environment and Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the Cabinet Member for Finance, determine the priority of works referred to in 2.2 and 2.3.

32.1       The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Director of Environment and the Interim Director of Finance & Resources concerning urgent works being undertaken at the King Alfred Leisure Centre, a request to release further funding and options for further works to improve the building in the medium term prior to redevelopment (for copy see minute book).

32.2       Councillor Smith informed Members that paragraph 3.18 should refer to paragraphs 3.22-3.29 of the report rather than paragraph 7.11.

32.3       Councillor Mitchell welcomed the investment to keep the King Alfred Leisure Centre open, but was keen to see what was being planned in the long term. She asked if usage figures had risen and whether the total investment achieved value for money.

32.4       Councillor Young explained that the King Alfred had maintained its turnover and it was hoped that usage would increase once the gym was moved to a bigger area. Proposals for the long term had not yet been developed yet as officers had been working on the proposals to keep the centre open.

32.5       The Director of Environment added that the decline in usage had coincided with the expectation that the centre would close; the proposed investment was expected to increase usage again.

32.6       In response to a question from Councillor Kitcat, the Chairman assured him that all options for a long term solution would be investigated and the council would consider any that were viable and deliverable.

32.7       RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)       That the progress on the urgent works undertaken from the initial allocation of £859,000 to the capital programme as agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 20 November 2008 be noted.

(2)       That an allocation of £641,000 to the capital programme to complete the health and safety and planned maintenance works as identified in the report to Cabinet on 20 November 2008 be approved.

(3)       That an allocation of £0.75 million to undertake improvement works to benefit the operation of the building in the medium term (3-5 years) be approved.

(4)       That it be agreed that the Director of Environment and Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the Cabinet Member for Finance, determine the priority of works referred to in 2.2 and 2.3.