Agenda item

The Committee considered the report presented by the Senior Health and Community Relations Officer and Managing Director – Active4Today, which provided the Active4Today Draft Business Plan 2020/21 and updated the Committee on the Company’s latest quarterly performance, 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019.

Following Committee consideration of this report a final Business Plan would be presented to the January 2020 Committee, as such this was an opportunity for the Committee to influence the Final Business Plan for 2020/21. 

It was reported that the best indicators for the underlying strength of the Company were the adult and children’s membership bases.  The management report detailed that the leisure centres were continuing to perform well with increases reported in adult membership up by 220 on the same period in 2018, rising from 8,635 to 8,855 (+2.55%) across all four sites with the Newark Sports and Fitness Centre continuing to perform strongly.  Children’s membership was down by 126 from 3,982 to 3,856 (-3.16%) compared with the corresponding period in 2018 which was largely attributable to the loss of water space at Dukeries Leisure Centre which would continue to influence junior memberships until the new swimming pool was operational in 2020.  The overall membership at period end was 12,711 up from 12,617 in September 2018 a net increase of 94 members.  The report also detailed

the user visits at the end of period 2 which had increased from 582,939 to 620,938 up 37,999 compared to 2018 equating to an uplift of 6.52% achieved through improvements in junior usage up from 195,856 to 201,815 (+3.04%), 60+ usage up from 58,838 to 66,011 (+12.19%) and improvements to use by customers from more deprived areas up from 9,426 to 10,379 (+10.11%).  The report also detailed GP referrals, partnership working and management fee for Southwell Leisure Centre Trust.

It was reported that the company was forecasting a £22,000 deficit at year-end based on performance to date.  That represented a substantial reduction in the deficit forecasted in January 2019 of £75,000 and it was anticipated that the position in relation to income and expenditure would continue to be closely monitored to ensure that the outturn position was more favourable and the deficit forecasted was further reduced.

The Draft Business Plan 2020/21 was attached to the report.  The company had identified a number of actions it was proposing to undertake with the aim of facilitating the delivery of the three outcomes the Committee set the company up to achieve, namely: Healthy and Active Lifestyles, Accessible Facilities and Improved Financial Viability.

A Member suggested that the Committee ask Southwell Leisure Trust to provide regular reports to the Committee providing their accounts.

AGREED           (unanimously) that:

(a)                the Committee consider the Active4Today Draft Business Plan                    2020/2021 and make any representations to the Company via                the Authorised Officer;

(b)                the Quarter 2 performance be noted;

(c)                Active4Today provides the January committee meeting with                       its latest in-year financial position and full year forecast in                                   order that the Committee can form judgements on the                                    appropriateness of the ‘management’ fee payable in 2019/20;                   and

(d)              the Leisure Centre Trust be asked to provide regular reports                      including their accounts.