To receive a verbal update from the Head of Revenues, Benefits & Leisure and the Operations Manager for Leisure Services.
Minutes:
The Group received a verbal update with regard to the Leisure Service which included the following information:
· The Leisure Service was going through an exciting period of change and was putting in place solid building blocks for a more sustainable future.
· Senior managers were reviewing reporting lines and making sure there were clear lines of communication and with each having strong leadership.
· The digital transformation of Leisure was well underway with the new ‘Leisure Management System’ (LMS) having gone to open market which would be followed by the app, access controls and swimming lesson software. Digital investment would enable the Leisure service to make access more streamlined, with less waiting time for customers, better recording of usage as well as improved safeguarding measures in the centres. Over time much improved management information would be available and this could be used to better run the service.
· The centres were running off 100% renewable energy which included solar, ground and air source heat pumps. In addition, swimming pools had been converted from chlorine to electro-chlorination and now used ‘salt’. This completely removed the risk that chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) presented to team members and replaced it with a natural product. Pools using electro-chlorination had reported many benefits, including enabling people with respiratory and skin conditions to swim without the effects that a chlorine pool could have.
· Leisure was also going through a rebrand exercise to align itself more with the contemporary offerings of today and bring together the services vision and mission, creating a consistent theme and aspiration across all three sites.
· Culm Valley had opened its brand new accessible changing places toilet and changing room, as well as a new sauna. In October the service would also see the investment in the gym equipment and refresh of exercise areas. Opening times had been extended to cater for the ‘early birds’ from 6am three days per week. Following the completion of the gym refresh and redecoration a series of open days were being planned to showcase the improvements.
· The service was also working with Active Devon and in early discussions about subscribing to the National ‘Wellbeing Walks’ scheme which would see it engaging with the community and facilitating healthy and sociable wellbeing walks in Mid Devon. The Community engagement work was something the service was keen to expand on with more outreach work being looked at for the future.
· Leisure was using expenditure, income and participation to identify the cost per user, by using net cost divided by participation numbers to give three direct targets, 1) reduce expenditure, 2) increase revenue and 3) increase participation. In the financial year 22-23, this cost was £2.94 per visit, in 23-24 it was £1.30 and in the current year it stood at £1.05. The Management team were working hard to reduce that further.
· 280 people had taken part in the recent National Fitness Day.
Consideration was given to:
· The summer family memberships had been well received with over 195 families taking advantage of the special offers available.
· Dates would be circulated for PDG Members to visit the Leisure Centres and receive a tour of the facilities.
· Retaining members was a key focus alongside acquisition schemes.
· The current attrition rate was between 3% and 4%.