This meeting of the People & Places Advisory Committee included a presentation from the CEO of the Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Service charity, the consideration of the 2025-26 budgets for the services the committee is responsible for, and updates on the progress of the procurements of new leisure centre operators for Edenbridge Leisure Centre and Sevenoaks Leisure Centre.

Leisure Operator Contract

The meeting included two discussions on the contracts for the operation of the council's leisure facilities.

The committee was scheduled to receive a 6-month progress report on the performance of the interim leisure operator contract for the Edenbridge Leisure Centre, Sevenoaks Leisure Centre and Lullingstone Park Golf Course.

The committee was also scheduled to be asked to support the Cabinet's noting of Everyone Active's performance between April 2024 and September 2024, on the basis that managing contractor performance is essential for delivering the interim leisure contract objectives and targets.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the final award of a new contract to a new leisure operator for the Edenbridge Leisure Centre, Sevenoaks Leisure Centre and Lullingstone Park Golf Course.

The report pack includes a procurement strategy for a new operator to be appointed under a 5-year contract. The strategy notes that the Sevenoaks Leisure Centre is likely to be replaced within the 5 year contract period as part of the Land East of the High Street development scheme, and that Edenbridge Leisure Centre is likely to be replaced or refurbished.

The procurement strategy notes that the council is keen to retain much of the financial risk associated with the operation of the centres and that it has therefore decided that the contracts will be simple services contracts under which the council is responsible for the maintenance of the buildings, their utilities, and for the costs of any staff transferring to the new operator under TUPE regulations.

The strategy notes the council's desire to support the successful bidder in finding ways to target programmes and services to increase activity levels and reduce levels of inactivity amongst those people with the lowest activity rates, with a particular focus on supporting deprived areas.

The procurement strategy recommends the council use a light touch regime to select the operator, but that the process should be largely based on the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation route.

A draft of the proposed contract is also included in the report pack.

The contract makes clear that if a Pandemic Event were to occur that reduced the usage of the centres, the council would make good any losses made by the operator, and that the operator would have to pay the council any profits made. It also defines the council's right to terminate the contract early, and the financial settlements that would be payable to the council or the operator depending on the circumstances of the termination.

The report pack also includes a contract summary that describes how the operator will be paid, how its performance will be monitored, and how deductions from the operator's management fee will be calculated when it fails to meet the required standards. The summary also describes the process for adding bonus payments when the operator exceeds expectations, and lists the criteria that could result in the contract being terminated.

Finally, the pack also includes a timetable for the procurement process. The timetable shows that the council is hoping to complete the process in February 2025, with the new operators commencing services on 1 May 2025.

Budget 2025/26: Review of Service Dashboards and Service Change Impact Assessments

The committee was scheduled to consider the budgets for the services it is responsible for, for the financial year 2025-26.

The report notes that:

This is an early stage of the budget process and with a new government in place, there are many uncertainties that are likely to impact the gap as the process progresses.

The report describes the current budget gap as being £297,000, and identifies several of the issues that could impact that gap as the budget process progresses. These include staff pay awards, the outcome of the ongoing procurement of a new leisure centre operator, and potential changes to the costs of domestic waste and recycling collections.

The report explains that the committee will be asked to consider several Service Change Impact Assessments that describe savings that have already been agreed by the council's managers, and will be asked to provide to the Cabinet its views on a proposal to increase spending on leisure services.

The report pack includes a summary of all of the growth and savings items that have been agreed since 2011, and describes the latest version of the council's 10-year budget, which was previously agreed in February 2024.

The report pack also includes a summary of the council's Financial Strategy. It describes the council's ambition to continue to be financially self-sufficient. It explains that the council will try to make £100,000 of efficiency savings every year, and that it will maintain reserves of at least 10% of its net service expenditure. The strategy also makes clear the council's intention to bid for external funding and to adopt a commercial approach where it will support the delivery of council services. The strategy also explains where the council's income comes from, the services on which the money is spent, and the relative proportions of council tax collected by the council and the other organisations for which it collects council tax.

Update from DAVSS (Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Service)

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the work of the charity DAVSS (Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Service). The report pack includes a report prepared by Sarah Robson, Chief Officer People & Places & Deputy Chief Executive, to be presented by Sam Haspell, Chief Executive Officer, DAVSS.

The report explains that:

DAVSS is an award winning community based charity supporting any victims (aged 16 and above) of domestic abuse, who are living in West Kent. Using a unique and highly effective professional volunteering model we provide vital support to clients who are experiencing domestic abuse.

The report explains the charity's mission statement and values. It also notes that Sevenoaks District Council funds the charity.