Agenda item

The Committee heard from the Assistant Director of Finance and Property Services and Section 151 Officer regarding a report aiming to present to members the high level business case for a swimming pool at Market Rasen Leisure Centre and to determine the next steps. It was explained that the report presented a business case that was not considered to be financially viable. Whilst the operational costs were estimated to achieve a profit of circa £30k per annum from year 3, this did not include the cost of borrowing. As the Council had no reserves to support this investment and no grant funding had been identified, funding would be met from borrowing. The additional cost of borrowing could be between £350k and £500k and made the business case unviable. Additional costs of construction and borrowing would need to be understood if, in line with the Council’s strategy, it was necessary to mitigate environmental impacts.

The Chairman opened discussions to Members of the Committee and Councillor S. Bunney addressed the meeting, noting that whilst discussions were focused on a swimming pool at the Market Rasen Leisure Centre, provision was actually for the eastern part of the district as a whole. He expressed disappointment that the Town Council and Parish Councils in the area had not been consulted as a part of the current presentations and noted that the data used within the report appeared to be outdated, for example with population data quoted from 2011. He highlighted the benefits of, not just a swimming pool, but greater outreach programmes across the district, emanating from the Market Rasen Leisure Centre, and the need for leisure provision to be greatly improved especially for those with mobility issues or unable to travel out of the area. He suggested alternative options for raising capital, such as changing the investment policy of the Council, as well as the need to consider Levelling Up Fund opportunities outside of Gainsborough.  He concluded his address to the Committee by proposing an alternate recommendation, that being as follows:

“The paper as presented does not include sufficient up to date details for Members to make an informed decision in the future of a swimming pool and a full leisure programme for the Eastern segment of West Lindsey District Council based at Market Rasen Leisure Centre. Officers, in conjunction with Market Rasen Town Council, are asked to work on a detailed business case for such a provision that includes up to date population and economic data and the additional details of co-benefits relating to health and welfare and environmental factors. The business case is also to include various options for the capital financing of the project and the input that each would have on West Lindsey if they were to be adopted. As a time scale, I would like to suggest that we get a report back on this in 9 months time, although I do understand that with everything else that’s going on, it’s a bit of work that might ultimately take longer to reach the fruition of that provision in the Eastern side of the district.”

The Chairman thanked Councillor Bunney for his address and noted the financial importance of the Council’s investment policy during current financial uncertainty. The proposal put forward by Councillor Bunney, having been seconded, was opened for discussion.

It was noted by a Member of the Committee that the scope of the amended proposal was significantly greater than that of the paper under consideration and it was suggested that the separate issues of provision for a swimming pool and provision for wider outreach programmes across the district should remain separate discussions.

With no further comments regarding the proposal and having been moved and seconded, the Chairman sought to take the vote.

A request for a recorded vote was made and duly seconded by a further Member.

On being put to the vote, votes were cast in the following manner:

For: Councillors Boles, Bunney and M. Snee (3)

Against: Councillors Bierley, Devine, Fleetwood, Howitt-Cowan, McNeill, Summers and Welburn (7)  

Abstentions: There were no abstentions.

With a total of 3 votes in favour, 7 votes against and no abstentions, the vote for the amended recommendation was LOST.

The Chairman invited further comments from Members. Councillor J. McNeill addressed the Committee and expressed support for a swimming pool to be located at the Market Rasen Leisure Centre, and, whilst recognising that current circumstances possibly precluded a detailed investigation into the options available, supported the comments from Councillor S. Bunney that the report was not as detailed as would have been expected. He reiterated that this was, to some extent, understandable, however, in order to ensure further consideration was given to the matter, he proposed three amendments to the printed recommendations, with wording to be changed in recommendations one and two and recommendation three to be replaced in its entirety with a new recommendation.  The proposed recommendations would read as follows:

1.    Members NOTE the content of the Business Case

2.    Members NOTE that at this time the construction of a swimming pool is unaffordable and financially unsustainable FOR WEST LINDSEY DISTRICT COUNCIL

3.    Members request that ongoing consideration be given the matter of bringing a swimming pool to the Market Rasen Leisure Centre site by the Chairman and Vice Chairmen of the Prosperous Communities Committee at their future Chairs' Briefings to ensure that all appropriate opportunities are actively pursued, the frequency of these considerations to be determined by the Chairman of that Committee, but with an expectation that they will occur at least annually.

The proposed amendments to the recommendations were duly seconded by a Member of the Committee and further debate continued. It was acknowledged that such a provision would serve a wider community than Market Rasen alone and as such, population data should take into consideration a wider geographical area. It was also recognised that grant funding would provide the greatest opportunity for undertaking the inclusion of a swimming pool at the Market Rasen Leisure Centre however Members of the Committee were clear in their support of the principle, suggesting that a business case should be prepared in order to be ‘ready to go’ should any such funding become available.

With the proposed amendments on the table and having been seconded, the Chairman took the vote and, with 7 votes for and 3 abstentions, it was

            RESOLVED that the amendments to the recommendations be agreed.

There was further debate regarding the collation of attendance data, with queries raised as to the accuracy of such data. The importance of outreach programmes was also reiterated, with Members expressing a desire for gains to be made across the district within existing contracts. A Member of the Committee highlighted the beneficial impacts on both mental and physical health and stated that leisure provision had become imperative for the wellbeing of the district and needed to be considered as a whole.

The Chairman thanked the Committee for their comments and discussions and, with no further speakers, reiterated the amended recommendations to be voted upon.

Having been moved and seconded, the Chairman took the vote and with a majority vote it was

            RESOLVED that

a)    the content of the Business Case be noted; and

b)    it be noted that, at this time, the construction of a swimming pool be unaffordable and financially unsustainable for West Lindsey District Council; and

c)    it be requested that ongoing consideration be given the matter of bringing a swimming pool to the Market Rasen Leisure Centre site by the Chairman and Vice Chairmen of the Prosperous Communities Committee at their future Chairs' Briefings, to ensure that all appropriate opportunities be actively pursued, the frequency of these considerations to be determined by the Chairman of that Committee, but with an expectation that they occur at least annually.