Purpose

To seek approval for opening hours for the Council’s leisure facilities for bank holidays in 2024, up to and including the August Bank Holiday.

Decision

To gain approval for the bank holiday opening hours in the Council’s leisure facilities in 2024.

Reasons for the decision

To allow for a continued, daytime leisure provision over the bank holidays in 2024 to ensure that a level of customer service is provided at the Council’s leisure facilities.
To allow staff to take annual leave without the need to provide full cover.
To ensure that the centres are operating within the approved base budget.

Alternative options considered

The council could do nothing and continue to open the leisure facilities with the normal operating hours. This option would mean a waste of resource in terms of heating, lighting and staffing of the facilities for extremely low levels of customer use.
Alternative leisure centre opening hours to those contained in the proposal could be considered. However the proposal takes into account previous usage levels on bank holidays.
The Richard Herrod Centre and/or the Bonington Theatre could be closed on these days. Although usage has traditionally been low at Richard Herrod on bank holidays, the facilities have customarily been opened to provide a service to those residents wishing to utilise the facilities that these two venues provide, as well as enabling the bowls club to operate.