THE FUTURE OF LEISURE PROVISION IN FIFE
FIFE COUNCIL

A

REPORT

BY

PMP

NOVEMBER 2005

CONTENTS

Introduction and Background

Strategic Context

Existing Provision

Evidence of Demand

Interim Findings

Management Options

Financing

Procurement

Conclusions and Recommendations

APPENDICES

Appendix AAn analysis of the User and Non User Survey (August 2005)

Appendix BPerformance analysis of existing facilities

Appendix CSport and Leisure Potential Report

Appendix DDetailed Business Plans

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

Introduction and Background

Context

2.1Leisure in Fife is well developed and already makes a valuable contribution to life in Fife and in particular is critical to achieving many of the aspirations in the Community Plan.

2.2Prior to local government reorganisation in 1996, Fife was divided into three District Councils and a Regional Council, each delivering a range of leisure and recreational services. Since then, Fife Council (the Council) has been operating all of the leisure facilities in-house through Community Services and now, for a number of reasons, is as an opportune time to examine whether the existing provision meets the needs of 21st Century consumers.

Ailing Facilities

2.3The Council is facing many challenges for the future delivery of its sport and leisure services, in particular, an ageing facility stock.

2.4In June 2000, sportscotland published the ‘Ticking Time Bomb’, a report detailing the state of the country’s swimming pool provision. The report identified that an investment of around £540m would be required for the maintenance, upgrading and refurbishment of public swimming pools in Scotland by 2020. It highlighted that in Fife alone a £31m investment would be required for swimming pool upgrades and refurbishment. These findings were factored into the report to the Adult Services Committee in June 2004 that highlighted the need for an estimated £60m investment in its wider sport & leisure facility infrastructure within the same timeframe.

2.5The existing sport and leisure portfolio therefore requires a significant level of investment to not only maintain its existing condition, but also enable the Council to offer high quality & appropriate provision for its communities both now and in the future.

The ‘Future of Leisure’ Working Group

2.6In order to begin to address these issues, a cross-party Member and Officer Working Group was established by the Adult Services Committee in June 2004. The Future of Leisure Working Group (FOLWG) was given the remit to examine these issues and challenges and explore the options for future delivery. In addition, the group’s work also forms a key part of the ‘Collective Challenge’ currently exercising the Council, the process of budget review for 2005/06 – 2007/08.

2.7The work of this group and the detail of this report is also critical in ensuring that the Council meets ‘best value’ in terms of exploring future delivery and continues the movement to a commitment to modernisation with regards to employment conditions, including Single Status/Modern Employment. The focus of the group has been those sports centres, swimming pools, golf courses & theatres where the investment needs are greatest and that might lend themselves best to alternative forms of management or delivery.

2.8A key task of the FOLWG is to consider the options available to develop a strategy for future investment in Community Services. In order to achieve this, the group has to critically challenge the following:

  • Where are we now?
  • Where should/do we want to be?
  • How do we get there/bridge the gap?

2.9The initial findings of the FOLWG to date were as follows:

  • A significant level of investment was identified as being required for the upgrading, refurbishment and/or replacement of the existing sport and leisure portfolio between 2005 and 2020. It was identified that, even taking the most optimistic view, the Council would face an affordability issue to meet the required investment.
  • The deteriorating condition, changing social trends and some competition from the private sector will result in further downward pressure on revenue budgets.
  • There has been a national downward trend in the use of local authority sports centres and swimming pools (although this has been arrested in Fife over the last two years).
  • The transfer of services to a NPDO structure could bring significant benefits, specifically, the revenue savings from NNDR and VAT and the possibility of creating further capital funds from this.
  • The group also noted that the protection of services and jobs would be a key issue in any decision to recommend the transfer of any facilities to alternative management structures.
  • The group also suggested that further consideration might have be given to the potential closure of some facilities and the use of alternative management vehicles.

2.10The FOLWG’s Interim Report was published in April 2005 and recommended that the Council enlist the help of external consultants to produce an independent & thorough report to advise on facility development options, funding and management, review the key findings to date and set out an objective action plan for the way forward.

Study Objectives

2.11Following on from this recommendation, the Council appointed PMP & Donaldson’s in June 2005 to explore options and solutions for the future delivery of leisure in Fife.

2.12The consultants were requested to focus their work on sports centres and swimming pools and in particular the three facilities that require immediate investment:

  • Fife Institute of Physical and Recreational Education (FIPRE)
  • Carnegie Leisure Centre
  • Kirkcaldy Swimming Pool.

The Report

2.13This report presents the findings and the key conclusions from the following areas of work undertaken:

  • A strategic review of relevant national and local documents and policies.
  • A review of existing Council sport and leisure facility provision.
  • A demographic analysis of the area to assess the size and composition of the local sport & leisure markets and the impact they will have on facility usage by highlighting the relative propensity of the local population to take part in sport and leisure activities.
  • A supply & demand modelling analysis focusing on priority facility types to identify any shortfalls and surpluses in current sport and leisure provision.
  • A review of the potential management and operational solutions available to the Council.
  • A review of the Council’s property and asset portfolio as it relates to its sport and leisure centres and the options for wider alternative use and commercial development.

Future Leisure Provision in FifePage 1

SECTION 2

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

SECTION 2 – STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Strategic Context

Introduction

2.1This section focuses upon a range of key strategic documents that impact upon the provision and delivery of sport and leisure services in Fife. They range from government strategy aligned with developing a healthier nation and development of a sporting and leisure infrastructure to local policy and agendas for the delivery of sport and leisure services alongside to the Community Planning framework.

2.2We have set out the implications of this strategic context against the future of leisure in Fife, what impact it may have and how it will, in turn, determine future delivery options.

National Context

2.3There are a number of key strategic documents, which set the context for sport within Scotland. A selection of these are summarised below and the implications for sport and leisure provision in Fife are detailed.

Let’s Make Scotland More Active: A Strategy for Physical Activity

2.4The Scottish Executive produced the strategy for physical activity in 2003 with a goal to “increase and maintain the proportion of physically active people in Scotland”. Specifically, the strategy looks to ensure that 50% of adults over 16 and 80% of children under 16 are taking part in the recommended levels of physical activity by 2020. To achieve this aim, Scottish Executive pledges to:

  • Develop and maintain long-lasting, high quality physical environments to encourage and support inactive people to become active.
  • Provide accurate and evidence-based advice to staff who are involved in government policy and service delivery and who work in the private and voluntary sectors.
  • Raise awareness and develop an understanding about the benefits of physical activity and provide access to information.
  • Carry out research, monitoring and evaluation.

2.5The targets and objectives of the strategy are to be reviewed every five years.

What does this mean for Fife?

2.6The implications for Fife as a local authority are the need to deliver a physical activity strategy at a local level in order to contribute towards a more active Fife & Scotland. Community Services clearly has an important role to play in terms of delivering the types of programmes, facilities and opportunities that work towards achieving these objectives.

Sport 21 (2003)

2.7This document – the national sports strategy - was originally produced in 1998, but was revised again in 2003, largely in response to the Physical Activity Strategy, and as a means of reinforcing its contribution to supporting more active lifestyles.

2.8The key objectives of Sport 21 for Scotland are:

  • A country where sport is more widely available to all.
  • A country where sporting talent is recognised and nurtured.
  • A country achieving and sustaining world class performances in sport.

2.9The strategy states an ambition to have 60% of adults participating in sport at least once a week by 2020. The following key targets were set to ensure this goal is achieved:

  • 80% of primary school children will be physically active.
  • Move towards all school children taking part in at least two hours of high quality physical education classes a week.
  • 85% of those aged 13-17 will take part in sport, in addition to the school curriculum, more than once a week.
  • 49% of those aged 14 plus in Social Inclusions Partnerships areas will take part in sport at least once a week.
  • 55% of those aged 17-24 will take part in sporting activity more than twice a week.
  • 43% of those aged 45-64 will take part in sporting activity at least once a week.
  • Over 250 Scots will have been medallists on the world stage.
  • Scotland will have over 500 sports halls available to the public so that 70% of Scots have access to a hall within 20 minutes walk.
  • Over one million Scots will play sport as a member of a club.
  • Every local authority area’s community planning process will have contributed to targets of Sport 21 2003-2007.
What does this mean for Fife?

2.10A key aim of Sport 21 is to increase participation in sport and leisure activities and the strategy presents a framework for local authorities to deliver its objectives. Whilst the targets are extremely challenging (soon to be reviewed), if Fife is to contribute to these, it is fundamental that the Council has the appropriate facilities, programmes and resources in place to deliver.

National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy

2.11The National and Regional Sports Facilities Strategy for Scotland, produced by the Scottish Executive in partnership with sportscotland, outlines an ambitious plan to develop the national and regional sporting facilities within Scotland to ensure the future success of sporting generations.

2.12The strategy identifies that current facilities are particularly limiting and are in need of significant refurbishment if the aspirations of Sport 21 are to be realised.

2.13The aim of the strategy is to ensure the delivery of a network of multi-sports facilities across the areas covered by the Area Institutes In Scotland (Central, East of Scotland, Grampian, Highland, Tayside and Fife and the West of Scotland). The strategy identifies the national facility requirements as:

  • Multi-sport indoor training facilities (including athletics, football & other sports)
  • Indoor athletics/competition events facility
  • Two outdoor municipal stadia
  • Indoor national/regional sports/competition halls (12 and 9 court sport halls)
  • 50m competition and training pool
  • Curling academy
  • Velodrome for national/regional development

2.14The funding of these facilities will vary between regions, however it is anticipated that 30-40% of the cost of each project will be financed from central resources.

What does this mean Fife?

2.15Whilst Fife expressed an initial interest in an application for a regional centre possibly located at FIPRE, the scale and mix of facilities required and the funding implications for the Council meant that this was taken no further at that particular time. However, there could be some merit in revisiting this project again with sportscotland as it could potentially open up access to funding in the longer term.

Local Context

2.16Strategic documents and plans specifically for sport & physical recreation within Fife are reviewed & summarised below. This provides a context for this study and outlines the local sporting agenda.

Fife’s Community Plan (2004)

2.17The Fife Community Plan, written in 2000 and revised in 2004, was developed by the Fife Partnership. The plan identifies and reviews the progress that has been made since the previous plan and sets out further challenges and objectives for the future.

2.18The Community Plan highlights the ambition to ensure that Fife is made up of strong, attractive, vibrant and thriving communities, with a high quality of life for its residents. The delivery of high quality leisure and cultural services is identified as crucial to the realisation of this objective.

Investment in Facilities

2.19Although, historically, a significant investment has been made in facilities & services to encourage people to lead more physically active lifestyles, the plan recognises that a substantial effort is still required to address the inequalities in health and well being in Fife. Maintaining the investment in, and maintenance of, Fife’s extensive network of community facilities to ensure they reflect changing trends and demands is a key challenge for the Council over the next few years.

2.20In particular, facilities such as sports centres and swimming pools are central to the Council’s drive to improve quality of life, secure cultural vitality and enable access to opportunities for Fife residents. The Council will work with a range of partners to make certain that the quality and quantity of these facilities is sufficient to meet the needs and future demands of the communities.

2.21The plan also highlights the importance of having an even balance between public, private and voluntary sector contributions to local leisure provision, and the role of the Council was seen as a pivotal one in ensuring this happens.

Community Services Service Improvement Plan (April 2005)

2.22The Community Services Service Improvement Plan, produced by Fife Council in April 2005, sets out the key targets and objectives for the period 2005-08. The plan is focused around the Community Services’ statement of purpose:

“Community Services provides a broad range of cultural, learning, recreational, sporting and social opportunities in communities throughout Fife by opening doors for everyone to engage in learning, leisure and cultural activities. Our approach is positive, enlightened and inclusive. We aim to enhance health and well-being by encouraging communities to use and influence the shape of our services”.

2.23The plan identifies the following service objectives and results for improving health and well being in Fife:

  • To ensure quality leisure opportunities and facilities in Fife, the Council will approve the outcomes of the ‘Future of Leisure’ Working Group (FOLWG).
  • To promote and deliver health improvements by encouraging physical activity and active lifestyles. This will be supported by the realisation of the key actions in the Fife Joint Health Improvement Plan and the linked Fife Physical Activity Action Plan
  • To support the delivery of the key targets in Sport 21 to be achieved through the implementation of the key actions identified in the revised Fife Sport and Active Recreation Strategy.
  • To improve energy efficiency at Fife’s sport and leisure centres. This involves investigating ‘borehole’ options and supporting the implementation of the ‘community’ CHP projects based at Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre and linking to Carnegie Leisure Centre.

2.24The plan also outlines the financial resources available to Community Services in the year 2005-06. The salient points are as follows:

  • The total capital programme available for Community Services for 2005-06 is £3,925,000. This figure takes into account major projects such as upgrades of the Lochgelly Centre and FIPRE.
  • 26% of the revenue budget is allocated for facilities. This totals £21,102,000 and will be shared between over 1000 facilities across Fife (12 of these are leisure centres).
  • Such a large number of facilities, most of which are ageing and in need of major refurbishment, place a serious financial strain on the Council. As a result, a comprehensive facilities audit will be undertaken and will form the basis of an ‘Asset Management Strategy’.
  • The revenue expended on sports centres & swimming pools is expected to be £10.2m or 16% of the total revenue budget for Community Services.

Fife Sport and Active Recreation Strategy (2005)

2.25The recently revised Fife Sport & Active Recreational Strategy identifies the key aspirations of the Council for the development of sport and active recreation within the region.

2.26The strategy identifies that the key strategic aims of Fife Council are to:

  • Enable as many people as possible to take up and maintain regular and active involvement in sport and recreation.
  • Ensure equal access to sport facilities regardless of age, sex, disability, ethnic origin or ability to pay.
  • Provide opportunities for people of all ages to lead an active and healthy lifestyle through regular participation in sport.
  • Maintain and develop a quality network of sport and recreation facilities and services.
  • Ensure facilities and services are managed efficiently and effectively in line with the principles of Best Value.
  • Improve opportunities for sport by developing links and partnerships with both the public and private sector.
  • Strengthen links with the voluntary sector, particularly local sports clubs and coaches.
  • Acknowledge the contribution that sport and recreation play in developing a healthier and stronger economy and the support it can provide in terms of community development and life-long learning.
  • Elevate the national and international profile of Fife by hosting major sporting events.
Facilities

2.27The strategy acknowledges that Fife has a large number of existing sports facilities, many of which are in need of significant capital investment for replacement or refurbishment.