Purpose

Cabinet has instructed
officers, working with the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, to assess
Fenland’s leisure centres and develop a planned investment
programme to ensure that the facilities are fit for purpose for the
future in line with the Council's Inspire programme.
 
The report highlights costs of
potential projects covering all four leisure facilities in
Chatteris, Wisbech, March and Whittlesey and offers Cabinet
suggested options to move work forwards.
 

Content

AGREED:
 
Conditions Survey Work
 
·        
That condition survey work across the leisure
facilities remains necessary and should remain funded within the
capital programme. 5-year costs are estimated to be
£9.155m.
·        
To instruct the S151 Officer to make continued
provision for condition survey work by adding an additional
£7m into the capital programme in the next three years,
adjusted as necessary to be included within other leisure capital
project options detailed below.
 
Manor
Leisure Centre
 
·        
To progress the Manor Leisure Centre significant
refurbishment project, detailed in the report, to RIBA Stage 3 at a
cost of £276,775, with Cabinet authorising the S151 Officer
to add this additional sum and any other relevant expenditure into
the Council’s capital programme in 2025/26 including the
rifle range and sports hall options. 
·        
That RIBA Stage 4 be completed concurrently with
RIBA 3 at an additional cost of £349,688 and authorise the
S151 Officer to add this additional cost and any other relevant
expenditure into the Council’s capital programme in 2025/26
including any additional RIBA 3/4 costs related to the rifle range
and sports hall options.
·        
To note that upon completion of RIBA Stage 4 a
report will be developed offering options for Cabinet to recommend
to Full Council to either proceed with construction works or halt
the project. Currently construction costs are estimated at
£13.49m for the facility (including the rifle range and
sports hall options) and could proceed in 2026/27. If Council
decides not to proceed with construction, then the RIBA 3 and 4
costs will revert to revenue.
 
Chatteris Leisure Centre
 
·        
To approve refurbishment work of the facility and
authorise the S151 Officer to add an additional £50,000 into
the Council’s capital programme for these works in
2025/26.
·        
To consider carefully the Chatteris Swimming Pool
project and if the capital costs are acceptable, authorise the S151
Officer to add an additional £164,482 into the capital
programme to develop the Chatteris Swimming Pool project to RIBA
Stage 0-2. Cabinet to note this is a capital cost, but should the
project not proceed past this point, then this expenditure would
revert back to a revenue cost.
 
George
Campbell Leisure Centre
 
·        
To approve to fund short-term projects for the
George Campbell Leisure Centre and authorise the S151 Officer to
add an additional £390,000 into the Council’s capital
programme for these works.
·        
To note, in addition to the short-term projects
above, condition survey works will continue at the site at a cost
in the region of £2.5m.

 
Hudson Leisure
Centre
 
·        
To authorise the S151 Officer to add an
additional £450,000 into the capital programme for 2025/26
for the development of three external covered floodlit padel courts
at the Hudson Leisure Centre.
·        
To consider whether to instruct officers to
develop estimated costs for each of the non-condition survey,
short-term, Hudson projects identified, namely:
o  
Adapt the multi-function space that is currently
used for spinning into an assisted fitness and older persons health
and wellbeing space
o  
The current gym has unused spare space at the end
of the gym – this has potential for conversion into activity
rooms for box fit, circuit training and spin
·        
To instruct officers and the Portfolio Holder for
Leisure to bring to Cabinet further refurbishment options for the
Hudson Leisure Centre considering:
o  
The addition of a kitchen space to generate
additional revenue from soft play and soft play
parties
o  
Remodelling of access to the sports hall and
possible soft play improvements to generate increased community use
and revenue
o  
Further uses for the sports hall that would
generate additional revenue, linked with the new
café/kitchen
o  
External entrance and reception
improvements.
 
And AGREED to
note that agreement to pursue any of the projects above is subject
to Full Council approval of the Budget on 24th February
2025.