Agenda item

Leisure Pricing Strategy

Meeting of Cabinet, Tuesday, 13th January, 2026 5.15 pm (Item 100.)

To receive a report from the Head of Revenues, Benefits & Leisure presenting proposals to change the Leisure fees and charges from 1^st April 2026.

Decision:

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) presenting the proposal on the Leisure Pricing Strategy.

RESOLVED that:

a) A freeze on membership prices for the forthcoming year to support affordability and encourage sustained participation, while increasing pay as you go tariffs in line with inflation and market rates be APPROVED. The charges proposed were in section 3.10 of this report.

This report had previously been NOTED by the Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement PDG

Note: *Report previously circulated

Minutes:

The Cabinet had before it a report * from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) presenting the proposal on the Leisure Pricing Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement outlined the contents of the report with particular reference to the following:

· Active Mid Devon’s Leisure Pricing Strategy for 2026 focused on protecting accessibility, affordability, and community engagement. The proposal recommended a freeze of all membership fees for 2026/27, ensuring that Leisure Services remained inclusive and cost-effective for residents. This decision reflected the Council’s commitment to supporting participation during a period of economic pressure.

· A modest 3% increase to pay-as-you-go fees was proposed to offset inflation, carefully balanced to avoid discouraging casual users. By holding membership prices steady, Leisure Services reinforced their position as a trusted, community focused provider and ensured that price did not become a barrier to participation.

· Retention was central to Leisure’s growth strategy. The service was already working hard to keep members for longer periods of time, targeting an increase in average length of stay and reducing attrition through improved engagement and streamlined customer support. These efforts would deliver measurable financial benefits without relying on price increases, while strengthening their reputation for value and service quality.

· This approach balanced financial sustainability with social responsibility, safeguarding participation levels and ensuring Active Mid Devon continued to play a vital role in improving health and wellbeing across the district. Approving this strategy was not just a pricing decision—it was an investment in the health and wellbeing of Mid Devons community for the year ahead.

· It was confirmed that in section 3.5 concessionary discounts should read as ‘We are pleased to confirm that we will continue offering concessionary discounts to make our services more accessible for individuals on lower incomes. This includes 25% off memberships and 20% off pay as you go sessions, ensuring that everyone can enjoy and benefit from what we provide. Our aim is to keep our facilities and activities open to as many people as possible, supporting affordability and inclusivity within our community.’

· It was confirmed that the table in section 3.10 was correct and rounded up to the nearest 5 and 10 pence, which was the formula that the Council had used for some time and column four was also correct as the 20% had been applied.

Discussion took place with regards to:

· Clarification was provided around the unpaid pilot for Devon Carers and when this would be embedded in a Council Policy. It was confirmed that leaving care was not a pilot, however for those within Devon with caring responsibilities, it was currently being piloted. It was noted that Members had already agreed support for care leavers and had previously approved a pilot scheme, which had run for 18 months. The evaluation report for that pilot scheme had not yet been received. Once presented, Cabinet Members would consider the findings and decide whether to extend the scheme permanently. The pilot scheme had been due to end in May 2026, and the report was expected before then. If there were a gap, the scheme would have continued until Cabinet had considered the paper.

· What was the rationale behind using the rounding up to the 5 or 10 pence? It was explained that the approach had largely been historic. Many customers had once paid in cash, although most no longer did, similar to charges in car?parking payments. It was noted that membership and rate charges for members had historically been rounded up to 5p or 10p, a long?standing decision. It was acknowledged that past practice did not necessarily have to determine future choices.

· Some further questions were asked around the balancing of the Councils budget, the protection of the Leisure Services and how the Council were presenting budget decisions.

RESOLVED that:

This report had previously been NOTED by the Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement PDG

(Proposed by Cllr J Wright and seconded by Cllr N Bradshaw)

Reason for decision:

The details of this report and the delivery of the Active Mid Devon service directly contribute to Corporate Plan objectives: “2.3: We will support the health, wellbeing, and safety of our residents”; “We will maintain our leisure services and ensure they are fit for the future.”