The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Forest of Dean District Council met on Thursday 24 September 2026 to discuss the performance of Freedom Leisure, receive an update on Local Government Reorganisation, and review the Scrutiny Forward Plan. The committee agreed to establish an urgent Task and Finish Group to explore the potential benefits of a Combined Authority model for Gloucestershire.

Freedom Leisure Performance and Agency Agreement

The committee received a presentation from Iona Keyse, Area Manager for Freedom Leisure, detailing the organisation's performance and its partnership with the council. Freedom Leisure reported an increase in total visitors and active participation across its managed leisure centres, though casual swimming saw a decline. The organisation highlighted investments in new fitness equipment and a focus on health and wellbeing programmes, including initiatives for men's health, cancer rehabilitation, and strength training for women.

A significant discussion point was the proposed change to the Income Agency Agreement with Freedom Leisure. This change, according to the Director of Communities and Place (DCP), would alter the financial and VAT structure but not the operational delivery of services. The DCP explained that this model would provide the council with greater control over pricing and reduce both financial and operational risks for the council, with a surplus-sharing mechanism in place. Concerns were raised by Councillor Tim Gwilliam regarding alternative providers and the council's retained control, while Councillor Andrew McDermid sought clarification on the risk profile. The DCP assured the committee that the proposed arrangement would reduce risks and provide certainty over the annual management fee. Freedom Leisure also confirmed its participation in the Great British Summer Saving initiative and that concessions are available for veterans, benefit recipients, and emergency workers.

Local Government Reorganisation Update

Chief Executive Officer Nigel Brinn provided an update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). He explained that while the Joint Scrutiny Committee (JSC) had been paused due to the programme's pause, it would reconvene to consider the implications. The decision to pause the JSC was a collective one by all seven Leaders and Chief Executives. The Head of Governance and Legal Services clarified that responsibility for identifying which projects should be paused or continued had been delegated to project leads to ensure work did not become redundant. Of 212 work streams, 154 were continuing and 58 had been paused.

Councillor Tim Gwilliam raised concerns about the continuation of LGR work despite the pause and questioned who had made the decision to pause the JSC. He suggested that the pause offered an opportunity for councils to reconsider their position and explore alternatives, advocating for a Combined Authority model for Gloucestershire. He proposed that the Joint Scrutiny Panel (JSP) undertake this work. Councillor Martin supported this, proposing an urgent Task and Finish Group to consider the proposal. Following discussion, the committee agreed to establish an urgent Task and Finish Group to explore the proposal and report its findings to Scrutiny and Cabinet.

Scrutiny Forward Plan

The committee reviewed its Scrutiny Forward Plan. Councillor Gwilliam noted the substantial number of important and time-sensitive items and queried whether additional meetings could be scheduled. The Chair requested that the Democratic Services Team explore the possibility of scheduling an additional meeting before 29 October. Item 12, Local Plan Process & Evidence, was highlighted as being presented following the council's transition from the Legacy Process to the Gateway Process, with the aim of understanding the reasons for the change and reviewing the work undertaken. The Cinderford Leisure Centre report, scheduled for November, was noted as being included for members to examine in greater detail.

Future Meetings

The committee noted the dates for future meetings, all scheduled for 6:00 pm with a Chair's briefing at 5:30 pm: 29 October 2026, 26 November 2026, 14 January 2027, and 4 March 2027. The Chair acknowledged that these dates might be subject to change.