Purpose

This report sets out the fees and charges for
2025/26 for the Council's Sport and Leisure facilities. They
continue to be considered against a number of key principles that
form part of the long-term financial forecast approach which are
summarised in the attached report.
The Council offers its leisure facilities not as a commercial
venture but to support residents to boost their physical activity,
aiming to improve health and deliver broader social benefits.
It is proposed to increase fees between the range of 2% - 4% as set
out in the full breakdown attached to this decision. Despite these
increases referred to in the report, there will still be a general
budget subsidy in place, meaning that the proposed fees are not
expected to generate more revenue than the cost of providing the
service, as outlined below.
The Council manages its Sports Facilities according to the adopted
Sport and Activity Strategy, which aims to promote residents'
health and wellbeing, alongside offering broader benefits to the
community.

Content

That the Schedule of Fees and Charges 2025/26
for Economy, Culture and Leisure / Sport and Leisure set out in
Appendix A be agreed.

Alternative options considered

Option 1 - To adopt the schedule set of fees
and charges for 2025/56 (this option)
Option 2 - Not to increase fees and charges. It is not considered
appropriate to freeze charges for the 2025/26 financial year, due
to rising costs which could increase the Council's agreed subsidy
for its Sports Facilities. Although the Council is focussed on
resisting price increases where possible, small inflationary
increases are necessary to keep up with running costs, which in
turn supports the sustainability of the Council’s Sport and
Leisure provision for local people and allow the Council to
continue delivering on its health and wellbeing agenda