Leisure centres in Cornwall
FAQ’s
Who will be running leisure centres in Cornwall from 01 April 2017?
GLL will be running the majority of leisure centres across Cornwall from 1st April 2017.
Who runs leisure centres in Cornwall at the moment?
Tempus Leisure currently run Cornwall Council’s leisure facilities and will continue to do so up until 31 March 2017, when the current Leisure Management Agreement expires.
Which leisure facilities will be run by GLL? All the leisure facilities,(including Falmouth Pavilions Gyllyngdune Gardens), currently owned and maintained by the Council will be included in the new contract. The Council will be continuing discussions with local community groups with a view to devolving Par Pavilion and Running Track to them in the near future. Here is the full list:- Bodmin Dragon Bude Splash Falmouth Pavilions Gyllyngdune Gardens Falmouth Ships and Castles Helston Sports Centre Launceston Phoenix Liskeard Lux Park Newquay Sports Centre Newquay Waterworld Par Pavilion and Running Track Saltash St Austell Polkyth St Ives Truro Wadebridge
Who is GLL? GLL is the largest national not-for-profit social enterprise with over 20 years’ experience of operating leisure centres in locations all over the UK. GLL currently operates over 250 facilities and have an impressive track record under the national brand of ‘Better’.
Why is the Council not running leisure centres itself? The Council wants to keep leisure centres open in Cornwall but due to budget pressures it can no longer afford the ongoing subsidy. By taking the initiative, carefully considering all the options and then going through a vigorous tendering process, we are confident that in awarding this contract to GLL we will secure the future of the Council’s leisure facilities. As a charitable social enterprise, GLL have no shareholders to pay. Instead they reinvest any surplus back into improving facilities and boosting community sports participation.
What happens to the people who currently work in the leisure centres? The staff that currently work in the leisure centres will transfer over to the new operator on their existing terms and conditions.
Who will be responsible for improving and maintaining facilities in the leisure centres? GLL will be responsible for improving and maintaining the leisure facilities. It is anticipated that customer throughput will increase as a result of enhancing the facilities and service offering; which in turn enables continual investment.
What happens to club bookings that are already in the diary? The new operators will honour all existing club bookings for an initial period of time while getting to understand the business.
Will GLL own or lease the leisure facilities? The facilities included in the contract have been awarded to GLL on a long term 25 year lease basis, this means that the Council will continue to own the freehold of the sites.
What other benefits are there in awarding this contract to GLL? It will save the Council almost £3.5m a year which can be used to support other essential services. GLL has also made a commitment to deliver work experience, volunteering and apprenticeship placements over the life of the contract; a programme to support Cornwall’s talented athletes, invest in the facilities, and to actively participate in improving the health and wellbeing of people in Cornwall. Will the leisure centres look different after 01 April 2017? The centres will be renamed under GLL’s consumer brand, ‘Better’. GLL will be embarking on an extensive programme of improvements starting with £7.5m to be spent initially across seven centres, (Newquay, Bude, St Austell, Truro, Bodmin, Saltash and Helston). Further details of these improvements will be shared shortly.
I currently have a Breeze membership with Tempus Leisure, will that continue after 01 April 2017? Customers will benefit from a new ‘Better’ leisure card to improve physical activity and allow membership across all sites. Existing Breeze members will be transferred onto the new leisure card and new members will be encouraged to join.
Do I need to apply for the new leisure card or will I be contacted to let me know how my membership will change? GLL will contact everyone by letter advising them of any changes. It is anticipated that from the first day of operation all members will be able to collect their new GLL booking and/or membership card.
What about my confidential address and payment details - will they be kept secure if/when they are transferred to the new company? GLL are obliged to operate under the same data protection laws as the existing operator; this will ensure confidentiality is maintained.
Will I have to pay more than I do at the moment to access all the leisure facilities? Charges will remain largely in line with current pricing with a review period sometime in the future.
What about ‘pay as you go’ sessions– will that still be an option and will I have to pay more? “Pay as you go” will continue to be an option and prices will remain largely in line with existing fees.
Will GLL be extending facilities’ to include better refreshment options, and improved changing rooms etc ? There will be investment in the majority of the facilities to enhance the overall customer experience. Will my existing exercise class still be run at the same time and the same venue? Exercise classes will continue as per the timetable and will be reviewed periodically to ensure the programme is fresh.
Will there be new and/or different classes after April 2017? In the first instance classes will remain the same but GLL will look to review the existing timetables and introduce new and exciting classes as appropriate to the centre and customer demand.