Decision details

To explore options to open The Edge sports hall for community use under an interim arrangement with SCC.

Pursue Option No 3, as referred in the report at paragraph 4.3 on the following basis:

a) Waverley Borough Council go back into possession of that part of The Edge Leisure Centre (if not the whole) in order that the community use referred to in this Report be provided; and

b) the expenditure required as part of entering into the above arrangement, as more particularly set out in Paragraph 7 of this Report, be authorised; and

c) Waverley Borough Council agree the related cost and income sharing arrangement, the terms of which are also set out in Paragraph 7 of this Report; and

d) The Executive Head for Commercial Services in consultation with the Executive Head for Legal and Democratic Services be delegated authority to settle the terms of and then enter into all the legal documents required and take any other necessary steps required in order to implement Option No 3.

a)    In 2021/22 through our initial discussions with SCC, WBC made it clear that it could not afford to retain a fifth Leisure Centre (in Waverley) at The Edge but would be open to discussing some change to the model of the operation of that facility.

b)    It should be noted also that SCC own the building and neither WBC nor SCC have a statutory requirement to provide leisure facilities. We also operate in a wider context of a local government funding crisis, perpetuated by the Government, and not eased in any way with the most recent local government finance settlement (or indeed through direct appeals to the local MP, who is also Chancellor of the Exchequer).

c)    This decision must weigh up the value for money and potential legal risks of undertaking any course of action with the value provided to the community in other forms. It is a key position of this administration more generally that while maintaining a sound financial position overall is fundamental, we have a duty to maxmise other forms of non-financial value where we can.

Option 1(Do nothing). Unacceptable given the clear equality and diversity implications highlighted in part 13 of the report. Doing nothing will achieve nothing, REJECTED.

Option 2(Press SCC, as owner of the building, to bring it back into use). This is of course what should be happening in this position. However, up to this point WBC have had to facilitate almost every stage of these discussions and I have no faith that a positive outcome would occur if left for SCC to arrange. Commitments from the Leader of the Council at SCC have been welcome to break the deadlock in getting SCC officers into the room to discuss the issues, but significant resistance and unhelpful interventions from the relevant SCC cabinet member (and others, such as the MP) have increased my overall concern for a positive outcome if left solely to SCC. SCC could have also chosen to contract directly with the WHSA and have seemingly chosen not to. REJECTED.

Option 3 (WBC enter into an interim agreement with SCC to reopen the facilities now and seek a longer-term arrangement). Given the equality and diversity implications in part 13, our commitment to our community as outlined in my opening paragraph, and my lack of faith that anything positive would happen otherwise, it is my judgement that this is the only course of action that will deliver for those residents most in need of it. Balancing the risks outlined in part 9 with the statements in part 13 (and my other meetings with the local community and its representatives from local clubs, its users and local government) I believe this is the only realistic course of action. APPROVED.

Option 4 (WBC look for alternative facilities). This would just simply not be possible and supported by the fact that many local sports clubs have been trying. Even if this were possible, the costs would be prohibitive and would bring us back to the reasons for needing to change the model at The Edge in the first place. REJECTED.