On 28 September 2017, Local Authorities from across England and the LTA enjoyed a day of learning, knowledge transfer and engagement with SLC’s Leisure Procurement and Feasibility experts on Sustainable Leisure and Cultural Services. Amardeep Gill, Legal Partner from Trowers and Hamlins, was also on hand to offer his legal expertise.

The session was designed to provide a platform for best practice, sharing of lessons learned and promote the development of more effective partnerships, leisure and cultural contracts and outcomes.

The following key themes were explored at the Think Tank based on delegates’ key needs:

  • establishing need to shape leisure and cultural strategies and any subsequent pre-procurement strategy
  • exploring management options and their respective advantages, disadvantages linked to particular Council’s circumstances
  • exploring opportunities to achieve wider strategic outcomes through leisure and cultural procurement
  • key insights from local authorities coming to the end of their existing operational contracts
  • achieving better outcomes and reduced subsidies / positive management fees.

Twelve leading local authorities and organisations were represented including; Dorset Councils Partnership, Gedling Borough Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Lawn Tennis Association, North Kesteven District Council, Nottingham City Council, Plymouth City Council, Proximsart UK, Redditch Borough Council, Slough Borough Council, Thurrock Council and West Berkshire Council.

The case studies on the day included Slough Borough Council and East Northamptonshire Council, both demonstrating how a leisure procurement can secure a quality partnership focusing on outcomes and an outstanding result on their management fee linked in Slough’s case to capital investment.

SLC and Trowers & Hamlins also ran ‘surgeries’ where delegates were divided into small groups to discuss their own leisure and cultural service challenges. The themes of the sessions included Leisure Procurement Solutions, Facility Transformation, Management Options and Procurement Routes.

Duncan Wood-Allum commented, “We were delighted with the day and the engagement from the delegates. Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive and we also learned a great deal to be able to share with our clients. The Think Tank format is original and has been refined over many years offering the only forum where deep and complex issues can be explored by Councils with support from SLC.”

SLC has been running industry leading Think Tanks since its inception in 2010 and is running its next session on Leisure Procurement and VAT in London in February 2018. Further details are available on request. For more information call us on 01444 459927 or email info@slc.uk.com.