Purpose

The purpose of this decision is
to agree the outsourcing of the management and maintenance of the
Western Park Pavilion and car park (under construction by South
Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) and the following sports
pitches:
·      
1 floodlit synthetic pitch (suitable for
rugby and football);

·      
1 adult rugby grass pitch.

·      
1 adult football grass pitch.

·      
2 junior football grass
pitches.

·      
2 mini football grass pitches.

·      
1 outdoor bowling green.
·      
1x 2 court floodlit Multi Use Games Ares
(MUGA) suitable for tennis, netball and
basketball.
The areas of land listed above
shall include the pitches plus their run-off areas and is subject
to the freehold transfer of these other areas within the Western
Park from L&Q, master developer of Phase 1, to SCDC. The
freehold of the sports pavilion and car park land was transferred
earlier in 2023. The s106 agreement for Phase 1 permitted transfer
of the Western Park open space to SCDC at nil consideration,
although at a later point (on expiry of the contract between
L&Q and its appointed Land Management company, Greenbelt in
approximately seven years’ time). However, the decision taken
by L&Q to pass construction of the Sports Pavilion and car park
to SCDC means that in order to operate
the pitches and pavilion as a single entity, this freehold transfer
is required now (and is subject to a separate decision).
As SCDC will own the pavilion
and car park, it has led on proposals to operate the facility which
necessarily require a relationship with the sports pitches it is
designed to serve (the pavilion offers six team changing rooms,
three officials changing rooms, catering facilities, large club
room and car parking).
The grass sports pitches are
currently maintained by Greenbelt (receiving basic amenity grass
cuts only), the Land Management company appointed by L&Q. The
bowling green, MUGA and ATP are maintained directly by L&Q.
None of the facilities are open for public use for their intended
purpose at the current time and the approved Management and
Maintenance Strategy submitted by L&Q does not account for the
split ownership scenario.
Northstowe Town Council
(established 2021) formed a working group to consider whether the
town council could itself become the operator of the combined
sports facility, but formed the view that at this stage this would
not be feasible.
SCDC had previously
commissioned an assessment of governance options, which considered
the sports pavilion and pitches as a single operation, refreshed in
February 2023, which recommended either Asset Transfer (not an
option given the position of the Town Council) or outsourced
operation of the pavilion and pitches to an experienced specialist
leisure provider. SCDC has no experience of managing leisure
facilities in-house, and this was an important factor in the
recommendation, as was the need to limit liabilities.
There is a revenue support
contribution for the initial phase of operation of the sports
pavilion and Community Building within Phase 1 s106 agreement,
which provides the necessary budget to secure an external operator
to run the sports pitches and pavilion as a combined facility. The
bowling green presents a challenge, in that maintenance of such
facilities is highly specialised and therefore costly. However, the
well established Longstanton Bowls Club
has liaised with SCDC and Northstowe Town Council with a view to
relocating from its current ground to Northstowe, which offers a
larger green and greater capacity to expand its membership and
welcome Northstowe residents. They have offered to maintain the
bowling green at their own expense and are willing to share it with
other compatible users (providing they benefit from a licence to
occupy, protecting their access).
SCDC
undertook soft market testing to establish whether there would be
market interest from leisure specialists in operating the Western
Park facilities, including this arrangement for the bowls green,
and the outcome was positive. Subsequently a full procurement
exercise was undertaken and has resulted in a viable proposal.
Therefore, this decision is sought to agree that SCDC secures the
management and maintenance of the Western Park Sports Pitches and
Pavilion through external outsourcing for a three-year minimum
period.

Content

Outsource management of the sports pavilion and pitches to a
specialist leisure operator.