O&S.31/22
The
lead Executive Member for Community Wellbeing introduced the report
which provided an update on the current performance and the summary
information for the past three months of the District’s
Leisure Centres.
During the introduction from the Fusion Business Manager (Devon)
(Mr Peter King), the following points were made:
·
The
Leisure Sector nationally was experiencing difficult times due to:
the slow recovery from the Covid-19 Pandemic; the current economic
instability; the increase in fuel prices; the cost of living
crisis; and issues with staff recruitment and retention;
·
Locally,
the recovery of the Council’s four Leisure Centres was
ongoing and usage figures were favourable when compared to the
national averages, although the Totnes Leisure Centre was doing
less well and this was perhaps due to its ageing
facilities;
·
A
Sports and Community Development Officer had been recruited and had
recently taken up post; and
·
The
decarbonisation of the Leisure Centres by means of the installation
of solar panels had been delayed by the requirement for a new
Tendering process to take place, but this had now been
completed.
Mr
King then provided Members with an update on the key issues and
achievements of the previous quarter that included:
·
free
Memberships for December 2022 and January 2023 had been launched in
the summer. In addition, free (and reduced priced sessions) had
also been employed to drive up footfall and had proven to be
successful;
·
an
increase and closer working with local Community Groups which had
seen the successful return of Youth Nights and Roller Disco
Sessions. Mr King also advised that
Fusion had appointed a dedicated Community Outreach resource to
help to improve community engagement;
·
following
a successful summer season, footfall and Memberships were nearing
2019 (i.e. pre Covid Pandemic)
levels;
·
there
had been a reduction in customer satisfaction surrounding changing
rooms and cleanliness but changes had been made to address this
trend. Conversely, positive feedback
had been received with regard to the attitude and professionalism
of staff, centre facilities, the swimming pools and group exercise
sessions;
·
the
focus of the organisation for 2023 would be on the installation of
Solar Panels, Community Outreach service provision, parent and
child sessions, the refurbishment of the Totnes Leisure Centre, the
Pricing Strategy and the development of Centre Café
facilities.
In the ensuing discussion, the following points were
raised:
a)
A
Member queried the likely performance in the coming quarter in view
of the aforementioned Cost of Living Crisis. In response, it was
confirmed that Fusion recognised the challenges and would be
looking to introduce a number of Membership initiatives to help
with the January to March 2023 period;
b)
Local
Ward Members raised their concerns over the lack of recovery in
Membership numbers at the Totnes Leisure Centre in comparison to
the other Centres in the South Hams and it was queried whether this
was as a direct result of the lack of investment in the facility.
In reply, it was confirmed that the lack of investment was likely
to have been ...
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