The Executive Shareholder Committee met to discuss the performance of Active4Today and Arkwood. The committee noted the performance of Active4Today for the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 July 2025. The committee also noted the Arkwood Performance Report for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, considering the company’s performance against its targets and objectives.

Active4Today Performance

The Executive Shareholder Committee noted the performance of Active4Today ¹ for the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 July 2025. The report presented the performance of Active4Today, a 'not for profit' leisure company wholly owned by the council, for the period of 1 April to 31 July 2025. The company manages four leisure centres:

• Blidworth Leisure Centre
• Dukeries Leisure Centre
• Newark Sports and Fitness Centre
• Southwell Leisure Centre

The report highlighted that Active4Today's performance over the first four months of the financial year continued to be strong, thanks to retained usage and relatively low attrition rates in its membership base. However, it was noted that utility costs have risen, and the position is being tracked closely.

The committee was informed that the council had reached an agreement with Southwell Leisure Centre Trust to surrender the lease and management agreement, with the centre returning to the Trust. Active4Today will remain as the interim operator until March 2026. The in-year change in operations will be reported separately to the Shareholder Committee for transparency, pending a longer-term solution agreed by the Trust, the council, and Active4Today.

The council and Active4Today are investigating the potential benefits of developing an 'Agency' model of business operation. This would allow the council to increase the amount of VAT ² that it can recover through the delivery of its leisure offer to customers at council-owned leisure centres. The Shareholder Committee will be updated on the progress of this work, particularly if the proposal becomes a viable option to secure further savings for the council. Changes agreed as part of the approved Business Plan for 2025-2026, relating to the alignment of membership prices, have led to an uplift in income without significant impacts on membership sales and retention, resulting in an overall improved budget position.

As of 31 July 2025, there were 12,395 live memberships across all sites, an increase of 608 members (5.2%) compared to the same period in 2024-2025.

The forecast management fee at year-end is zero, meaning there is no direct subsidy per user to the council to operate the current leisure offer.

The council continues to invest capital in its leisure assets to support the improving performance of Active4Today. Examples include a Sport England grant for a pool cover for the Dukeries swimming pool, new swimming starting blocks for clubs based at Newark Sports and Fitness Centre, and the introduction of pool and sports hall inflatables at Dukeries Leisure Centre.

Active4Today has delivered activities and interventions to support the wider community who may not typically access the council's leisure centres. Initiatives include free fun swims and squash activities during school holidays, bursary awards for young people experiencing poor mental health, engagement with community-based sports clubs through the VISPA Placement Scheme, and support for local community groups and sports clubs.

Arkwood Performance

The committee noted the Arkwood Performance Report for Quarter 1 of 2025/26 ³, considering the company’s performance against its targets and objectives. The report presented the performance of Arkwood, the council's wholly owned Housing Development Company.

The report noted that Arkwood continues to complete homes at Manea and Wirksworth, and both are expected to be built out this financial year.

As of Quarter 1, Arkwood has delivered 97 homes.

There are a number of sites currently underway, and further sites at Long Bennington and Lowfield Lane are expected to commence during the autumn. However, there have been planning delays at Long Bennington, and the Lowfield Lane procurement exercise has required a longer period of time to undertake value engineering to achieve a project value that is in line with viability cost expectations.

As of Quarter 1, Arkwood has commenced 170 plots.