Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial).

The Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial) presented the Draft Indoor Sports Facility Strategy. The Strategic Development Lead (Leisure) joined the meeting remotely by Teams. In addition, the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor O C de R Richardson and the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance, Digital and Climate Change, Councillor C A Vinson, were also present.

Members were advised that the report set out the results of a further options appraisal study which had given consideration to a range of options that would improve the facilities at Tides Leisure Centre. The Cabinet had been agreed to approve the next steps in the development of a project to construct a new build leisure centre to serve Deal and the wider district.

It was stated that the current Tides Leisure Centre was nearing the end of its operational life and that doing nothing was not an option.

Members considered the following points:

·         The funding of the project and in particular the borrowing requirements.

·         The difference between the expected life span of a new leisure centre and the duration of the loan required to fund its construction.

·         The need for a member working group as had been used for the development of the Dover leisure centre. Members were advised that a Project Advisory Group (PAG) had been formed for this purpose.

·         The importance of applying the lessons learnt from the development of the Dover leisure centre.

·         The need to keep control of the projects finances and delivery.

·         The projected income for a redeveloped Tides Leisure Centre and whether this would cover the borrowing costs of the financing to build it. Members were advised that population growth was also built into the usage projections and it was expected that the income would significantly increase in the future with a redeveloped leisure centre.

In the absence of any dissent, it was agreed to approve the recommendations set out in the report.

To consider the report of the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial) (to follow).

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Property

It was agreed:

(a)   That, following consideration of the options set out in the report regarding future provision of indoor leisure facilities in Deal, agreement to further develop a project to construct a new build wetside and health & fitness centre (retaining the sports hall and tennis centre) on the existing site at Tides Leisure Centre, in taking forward the recommended Preferred New Build Option, as detailed in paragraph 3.8, Table 1 of the report, into RIBA Stage 2, be confirmed.

(b)   That the proposed Sustainability Strategy and potential options to be developed further in future stages of work which will aim to reduce carbon emissions in the new build as far as pragmatically and financially possible, subject to a business case, be noted, and investigate options for decarbonising the existing indoor tennis centre and sports hall facilities.

(c)   That the allocation of £600,000 from the Tides Replacement capital project to support the next stage of the project be approved.

(d)   That the appointment of BAM Construction Limited as the main contractor via a direct award through the Procure Partnerships Framework under a two-stage tender process be approved, and the Strategic Director (Operations and Commercial) be authorised to undertake all necessary further procurement activities pursuant to the award.

(e)   That the Working Project Budget of £24.88 million, including the estimated project/build cost, risk allocation and internal Dover District Council costs, be noted.