Cannock Chase District Council – Leisure Procurement Support

Background

In 2024/25, SLC was commissioned by Cannock Chase District Council to facilitate an affordable settlement with their leisure, culture and wellbeing operator, Inspiring Health Lifestyles (IHL). SLC supported the Council to reach a negotiated settlement for that year and to make decisions with respect to their future asset portfolio to align with affordability constraints. However, the Council recognised through the process that the settlement required would not be affordable in future years.

As a result, the Council reached a decision to procure a new leisure management contract. SLC were appointed in April 2025 to support the procurement of a new contract for the Council’s core sport, leisure and wellbeing portfolio of 2 leisure centres, a golf course and a 3G pitch and pavilion.

The Wellbeing Team which supported outreach / community-based provision, arts and cultural development activity and managed the innovative Cannock Chase Can app, was to be brought in-house. The service’s exercise referral scheme, however, remained within the scope of the new contract. The contract was also designed to require the operator partner to play a critical role in supporting the Council’s Wellbeing Team and the identified objectives of the Council’s emerging sport and physical activity strategy.

SLC provided the Council with end-to-end support and guidance throughout the procurement process, through delivery of the following staged workstreams.

Pre-Procurement Support

SLC worked with the Council’s to develop a robust procurement strategy and design its approach to the procurement process. This was informed by engagement with internal and external stakeholders and supported by a market engagement exercise. Given the Council’s financial constraints and the findings of engagement with the market, it was determined that a single-stage approach would be applied in order to ensure that a new operator would be in place by 1 April 2026.

The procurement strategy set out the approach to the procurement and established a suitable balance between meeting the Council’s requirements whilst ensuring the opportunity was attractive to the market.

The Council recognised the need for investment in the facilities and the potential for this to improve the overall financial sustainability of the portfolio. However, no investment schemes had yet been identified and the use of a single-stage process presented a challenge in terms of testing options through the procurement.

To address this, SLC undertook focused feasibility studies for the two main leisure facilities, identifying a range of investment opportunities for each of the sites. Working with SLC Associate Paul Weston Architect, high level designs, budget cost estimates, delivery programmes and revenue business plans were developed for the identified options. These were reviewed by the Council and a preferred scheme for each facility agreed.

Key to the procurement strategy was the inclusion of these Council investment schemes as part of the core scope of services. Further to this planned investment, the Council made available a capital investment fund for bidder-led schemes, the business case for which was to be tested through the tender process. The process used enabled the Council to assess the projected return on investment and the overall business case for the investment schemes proposed by bidders.

Procurement Process

SLC provided guidance throughout each stage of the procurement process. This included helping with responses to clarification questions, evaluating bids, facilitating bidder clarification meetings and providing analysis and advice on financial submissions.

The procurement approach and submission requirements were designed to enable the Council to test the business case for potential additional investments without having to commit to any capital funding. The tenders clearly demonstrated a strong business case for further investment, supporting the inclusion of the capital investment fund in the new contract.

Project Outcome

The procurement process concluded in December 2025 with the appointment of Everyone Active as the preferred operator under a new 10-year leisure management contract from 1 April 2026.

The new agreement with Everyone Active will deliver a significantly improved financial outcome for the Council and support the delivery of improved facilities to meet the needs of local residents. Everyone Active’s plans for the contract are forecast to support significant increases in overall usage, through the development of a range of facilities and services which will support increased engagement from less active residents.

The overall process has delivered an outstanding outcome for the Council and its residents. Backed by capital investment to improve the facilities, the new contract will significantly improve the management fee and repay the Council’s investment over the term of the 10-year contract. This has been achieved through a combination of improved income and efficiencies in service delivery.

The contract also promises to deliver a number of additional benefits including:

• New weekly inclusive programmes for inactive and priority groups including 10+ sessions delivered in community settings
• Free memberships for children in care, care experienced young people and those with Parkinson’s in addition to a range of concessionary offers which will support inclusivity and accessibility.
• Investment in a new Reformer Pilates studio, fitness suite extension and refurbishment, changing room refurbishments, health suite refurbishment and a new steam room, Air-x inflatable products, swimming pool sensory lighting, hydromassage recovery areas and energy / water saving investments
• Upgrade to Health & Wellbeing Gym at Chase Leisure Centre as a clinical-grade hub for Exercise on Referral, falls / healthy ageing and condition-specific coaching.

TESTIMONIAL