Leisure company unveils £60m rise in profits

International services company Serco, which provides back-up to companies in the health, education, leisure, transport and defence sectors, announced pre-tax profits of £302 million, a leap of more than £60 million on the previous year.

The company has a contract with Shropshire Community Leisure Trust to provide management services to Market Drayton Swimming Centre, Oswestry Leisure Centre, Shrewsbury Sports Village and Indoor Bowls Hall, Whitchurch Swimming Centre and the Quarry Fitness and Swimming Centre in Shrewsbury. During the 12 months to the end of last year, Serco's turnover topped £4.9 billion, which was nearly six per cent up on 2011.

Chief executive Christopher Hyman said he was delighted with the company's performance over the past year.

He said: "Serco improves the quality and efficiency of services that matter to millions of people around the world, helping our customers to focus their precious resources on what they do best.

"To continue developing our business we are providing more support to our existing customers, offering more to emerging markets and improving our ability to provide more complex services.

"This has resulted in a strong year for us in 2012 despite some very real challenges; we won more work than ever, we entered new markets, we built more capabilities and we established a global business."

He added: "Our unique breadth and depth leaves us strongly positioned to meet the growing demand from around the world for our skills and services."

In Shropshire, Serco signed a 10-year contract to manage the five leisure centres, with an option to extend the deal for a further five.