PR 170
25 April 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
When Great Yarmouth Borough Council faced the prospect of losing one of its main seafront attractions it pulled out all the stops and set up a Trust to run the Marina Centre in just three months – gaining expertise it wants to share with other local authorities.
Until April 2006 the Marina Centre, a complex offering swimming, indoor sport and entertainment facilities, was run by Leisure Connections who indicated at the end of the previous year that it did not want to renew its management contract.
As well as the loss of the asset more than 50 people faced losing their jobs – so what was the Council to do? It considered several options including closing the centre, finding another contractor, running it directly, or setting up as Trust to operate it.
The establishment of a Sport and Leisure Trust soon emerged as the front runner. It would enable a dedicated and focussed organisation to run the centre, while also giving some financial advantages such as the ability to obtain rate relief.
It is not a new concept, a number of authorities have set them up over the last few years, but anecdotal evidence suggested that the process could be lengthy and entail expensive consultancy fees.
Using inhouse resources including the legal, financial and community services teams the Council:
- Established a company limited by guarantee to operate the centre
- Obtained the consent of nine people to be trustees of the company (four Council nominated trustees, one from the local education authority, one from the Primary Care Trust, one from the Tourist Authority and two from Great Yarmouth Sports Partnership an organisation formed to bring external funding into the Borough to support community sports)
- Granted a lease on the Centre to the Trust
- Entered into a funding management agreement with the Trust, and
- Is in the process of applying for registration of the Trust as a charity.
From a practical perspective the Council has dealt with the transfer of about 50 staff from Leisure Connections to the Trust, and has re-branded various facilities at the Centre.
All of these things were dealt with in about three months, and the Centre was formally handed over to the Trust on April 3. Which all goes to show that local authorities can move quickly when they have to!
If any other councils are considering setting up a Sports and Leisure Trust, Great Yarmouth Borough Council has produced a pack of documentation which can be purchased for £2,000 by contacting Head of Legal Services Chris Skinner on 01493 846314, or emailing
cfs@great-yarmouth.gov.uk.
Included within the price is the ability to seek advice and comments from the officers involved with the Great Yarmouth Sport and Leisure Trust.
For further information contact Head of Legal Services Chris Skinner on 01493 846314.Issued by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513