Agenda item

To consider the attached report of Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

The Director of Environment and Corporate Assets and the Director of Finance, Housing and Community gave a presentation to the Committee on the proposals for the new Dover Leisure Centre.

The funding options and in particular the use of reserves against the interest rate on any loan was discussed by Members.

Members were advised that the Whitfield site had been selected as it was available and offered the opportunity to provide all facilities on one site. To provide a similar range of services in Dover would have required the facilities to be spread across several sites given the lack of available land in Dover for a single site. In addition, the number of car parking spaces was considered key to the viability of the new Leisure Centre and the feedback from operators was that the proposed 250 parking spaces was the minimum required.

The Director of Environment and Corporate Assets confirmed that the building needed to be energy efficient both in terms of retention and usage.

The Council had started consulting with Kent County Council and transport operators on the transport plan for the Leisure Centre and consideration was being given not just to travel from Dover but also the wider district such as Deal.

In respect of links to Dover, it was stated that while there was no proposed road connection to Buckland as part of the proposals there could be the opportunity for a pedestrian/cycle connection.

Members discussed the facilities mix and whether Amateur Swimming Association competitions would be held at a county standard pool. It was agreed that the potential use of the all-weather pitches for rugby would be investigated.

It was proposed by Councillor M I Cosin and duly seconded that:

(a)  That it be recommended to the Cabinet:

(i)       That the proposal to construct a new leisure centre on a new site at Whitfield identified in Annex 1 of the report, and to then close the existing Dover Leisure Centre at Townwall Street, Dover on completion, be approved.

(ii)      That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to appoint Faithful & Gould, as lead consultancy team, using the Scape National Asset Management, Surveying and Design Services Framework or a similar framework should that be available and advantageous to the Council.

(iii)     That the proposed facility mix at Table 1 and the recommendation of the Dover Leisure Centre Project Advisory Group, made at its meeting held on 26 July 2016 (Minute No 26), that ‘a further report be commissioned to explore the addition of a spa facility’, be approved, and the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to appoint a specialist spa consultant to assess the feasibility of including a spa in the facility mix and a report be brought back to Cabinet in December 2016.

(iv)    That the decision on the split between borrowing and use of reserves to finance the project be delegated to the Director of Finance, Housing and Community, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance and a member of the Main Opposition Group.

(v)     That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to prepare an application for planning consent for a new leisure centre at Whitfield (including negotiation of possible development contributions) and report back to Cabinet prior to submission.

(vi)    That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to select the contractor using the Southern Construction Framework as set out in this report and, subject to a further report to Cabinet and planning permission being granted, the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets then be authorised to make the necessary appointment.

(vii)   That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised, at the appropriate times and in the appropriate sequence, to:

(A)  tender the contract to manage the new leisure centre on the open market, and to include management of the Tides Leisure Centre complex in the tendered management contract.

(B)  Terminate the leases of Dover Leisure Centre and Tides Leisure Centre complex by service of 12 months’ notice under the break clauses in the leases.

(C) Appoint The Sports Consultancy to manage the tendering of the leisure management contract for Dover Leisure Centre and Tides Leisure & Indoor Tennis Centre and provide ancillary legal services.

(b)  It was agreed to recommend to Council that the Budget and Policy Framework be amended to include this project in the Capital Programme.

On being put to the vote, and with there being an equality of votes, the Chairman used his casting vote in favour and the motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED:     That it be recommended to the Cabinet:

(c)  It was agreed:

(viii)  That the proposal to construct a new leisure centre on a new site at Whitfield identified in Annex 1 of the report, and to then close the existing Dover Leisure Centre at Townwall Street, Dover on completion, be approved.

(ix)    That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to appoint Faithful & Gould, as lead consultancy team, using the Scape National Asset Management, Surveying and Design Services Framework or a similar framework should that be available and advantageous to the Council.

(x)     That the proposed facility mix at Table 1 and the recommendation of the Dover Leisure Centre Project Advisory Group, made at its meeting held on 26 July 2016 (Minute No 26), that ‘a further report be commissioned to explore the addition of a spa facility’, be approved, and the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to appoint a specialist spa consultant to assess the feasibility of including a spa in the facility mix and a report be brought back to Cabinet in December 2016.

(xi)    That the decision on the split between borrowing and use of reserves to finance the project be delegated to the Director of Finance, Housing and Community, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance and a member of the Main Opposition Group.

(xii)   That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to prepare an application for planning consent for a new leisure centre at Whitfield (including negotiation of possible development contributions) and report back to Cabinet prior to submission.

(xiii)  That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised to select the contractor using the Southern Construction Framework as set out in this report and, subject to a further report to Cabinet and planning permission being granted, the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets then be authorised to make the necessary appointment.

(xiv)  That the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets be authorised, at the appropriate times and in the appropriate sequence, to:

(D) tender the contract to manage the new leisure centre on the open market, and to include management of the Tides Leisure Centre complex in the tendered management contract.

(E)  Terminate the leases of Dover Leisure Centre and Tides Leisure Centre complex by service of 12 months’ notice under the break clauses in the leases.

(F)  Appoint The Sports Consultancy to manage the tendering of the leisure management contract for Dover Leisure Centre and Tides Leisure & Indoor Tennis Centre and provide ancillary legal services.

(d)  It was agreed to recommend to Council that the Budget and Policy Framework be amended to include this project in the Capital Programme.