Serco must invest as part of Shropshire leisure centres deal

Serco will have to make a 'significant investment' in improving five county leisure centres as part of any deal to hand the buildings over to them, council bosses insisted.

Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow told the authority's ruling cabinet that improvements would be clear to see at the sites. He also said the leisure centres had 800,000 visits between them last year.

The international service giant has been named as the preferred bidder to run Market Drayton Swimming Centre, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village and Indoor Bowls Hall, Whitchurch Swimming Centre and the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre in Shrewsbury.

The contract will run for 10 years and could be extended to 15, although there is an 'early break' clause for the ageing swimming centres in Shrewsbury and Whitchurch to allow the council to take advantage of any redevelopment opportunities that could arise.

The council will now begin talks with Serco, and aims to have the deal agreed, and the new management in place, by July 1.

A meeting of the council's cabinet heard yesterday Serco will have to deliver an annual business plan, and the council says this will allow it to keep control of prices and opening times.

All of the 162 contracted staff employed at the five centres will transfer to Serco. Councillor Barrow said: "There is going to be quite a significant investment in our facilities. It's not just about saving money, but improvements."

Councillor Steve Charmley said after the meeting that the deal was good news for leisure users.

"It's a well established national company that will do a damn good job for Shropshire," he said.

Councillor Charmley said there were no plans at present to hand over any of the remaining 18 council leisure centres to outside firms.

But Shropshire Labour leader Alan Mosley described the move as a 'sad day for Shropshire'.

He said: "The control of charges, opening hours and level of facilities will be subject to negotiations where the council will be weak given that a 10-year contract, plus option for further five, will have been signed."