Support from the very first step

In January 2015 SLC was commissioned to undertake the leisure management procurement process for Worcester City Council. SLC worked with the council to refine their approach to the procurement process and explore the key outcomes they were seeking to achieve prior to developing the ITT documentation. The clarifications process was managed by SLC, with a direct line of contact established to ensure that queries were dealt with in an efficient and timely manner.

Seeing the bigger picture

The council undertook a £12 million investment at its Perdiswell Leisure Centre which included a competition 25m pool and expanded fitness facilities to replace the ageing Worcester Swimming Pool. SLC managed the procurement of a new leisure partner to run these leisure centres and two joint-use facilities – St Johns Sports Centre and Nunnery Wood Sports Complex – as well as the council’s sport, art and play development services. The new operator is now undertaking all of the maintenance of the leisure facilities.

Delivering an outstanding outcome

Six extremely strong bids were evaluated and the appointed bidder, Freedom Leisure, received the highest overall quality score. The contract will yield a payment to the council of over £5.5 million over 10 years and represents a revenue improvement of over £1 million per year on the previous operation. The new operator began the contract on 1 December 2015.

TESTIMONIAL

The cabinet were extremely pleased with the outcome of the procurement exercise, and officers and I want to record our appreciation of the hard work of David Rushton and the rest of your team helping to achieve such an excellent outcome. We fully understand the amount of detail that went into this work, and appreciate the flexibility in approach and understanding of the intrinsic linkages that you showed in agreeing to work with Turner and Townsend on this project to ensure that the associated capital programme optimised the commercial opportunities.

Sheena Ramsey, Managing Director
Worcester City Council (September 2015)

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