Rutland County Council’s Cabinet has voted to extend its Catmose Sports Centre contract with Stevenage Leisure Ltd and will retender for an operator to continue the provision thereafter.
After confirming last week that it would revisit its original Catmose Sports Centre decision, Cabinet met on Tuesday 14 February to reconsider the second of two options presented by Council Officers to Cabinet Members in January:
Option B: The extension of the Stevenage Leisure Limited contract for the operation of the Catmose Sports Centre for up to 24 months, to 31 March 2025, to enable the development and implementation of a new model for future provision.
Cabinet subsequently voted in favour of Option B and the extension of Stevenage Leisure’s existing contract. Cabinet also voted in favour of an amendment that will result in Rutland County Council going back out to tender for a leisure operator to run the sports centre after 31 March 2025.
The amendment stipulates that the new tender exercise will once again seek to find an operator who can run Catmose Sports Centre at net-nil revenue cost to Rutland County Council. However, the process will not discount bids that carry some degree of financial risk, so they can be evaluated.
In addition, £300k already set aside in the Council’s latest budget to either exit the Catmose Sports Centre contract or extend it will be used to help meet costs associated with the new procurement and any negotiations.
“It’s the view of Cabinet that interest shown by commercial leisure operators since our original decision on 12 January represents a material change in circumstances. Having reconsidered the options in relation to Catmose Sports Centre, we now feel there is value in extending the Council’s existing leisure contract while we launch a second procurement exercise that takes account of this latest development.”
Lucy Stephenson, Leader of Rutland County Council
Having voted to rescind its original decision in favour of Option B, negotiations will take place with Stevenage Leisure with a view to extending their current contract and continuing operations at Catmose Sports Centre beyond 31 March 2023.
The cabinet member did not comment about the proposals.
Councillor David Wilby, Ryhall and Casterton, Conservative.
Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services
Voted against the proposals.
Councillor Karen Payne, Ketton, Conservative.
Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance,
Change and Transformation
Voted against the proposals.
Councillor Lucy Stephenson, Uppingham, Conservative
Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy,
Partnerships and Economy
Voted for the proposals
Councillor Rosemary Powell, Whissendine, Independent (IGG)
Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport
Voted for the proposals
Councillor Samantha Harvey, Cottesmore, Independent (Non-aligned)
Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Care
Voted for the proposals
