Chichester District Council – Leisure Procurement Support

Background

In July 2024, SLC was appointed by Chichester District Council to support the procurement of a new Leisure and Active Wellbeing Management Contract for its three leisure facilities and wider community sport services.

With the existing contract with Sports & Leisure Management (SLM) ending on 30 April 2026, the Council sought an updated and financially sustainable arrangement that could deliver stronger health and wellbeing outcomes and high‑quality, inclusive services across the District.

Pre-procurement support

SLC worked closely with the Council’s Leisure Team to develop a comprehensive Procurement Strategy informed by stakeholder engagement, corporate priorities, local demographic and health data, and market insight.

This Strategy established clear Strategic Objectives, confirmed the full scope of services, and introduced both facility‑based and neighbourhood‑based Active Communities provision to widen reach and address inactivity and health inequalities. It also set out a clear approach to key elements of risk share, a recommended procurement route to take into account investment options and an evaluation framework which ensured the right balance between quality and price.

A key element of SLC’s work was enabling the Council to test different scenarios through variant bids, including options for different contract lengths and the business case for up to £8m of Council‑funded investment. Delivery through a staged process enabled the Council to make evidence‑based decisions at each stage in order to secure the right outcome.

Procurement Process

SLC provided end‑to‑end support throughout the procurement. This included development of the key tender documents and services specification, support with the evaluation of bids at each stage, facilitation of negotiation meetings, analysis of financial submissions and moderation of quality scores.

Project Outcome

The process concluded in January 2026 with the appointment of Serco Leisure as preferred operator after submitting the strongest combined quality and financial proposal.

Serco’s proposals included significant facility improvements, energy‑saving investments, enhanced programming, robust asset management systems and a targeted Active Communities offer designed to engage less active residents and priority groups.

The new 15‑year contract (with extension options) will deliver a significantly improved management fee position, underpinned by major capital investment by the Council, enhanced Active Communities delivery and strong commitments to sustainability, social value and workforce development.

TESTIMONIAL