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New leisure management contract awarded to Greenwich Leisure Limited

Author: Brendan Steinhardt

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Barnet Council has awarded its new leisure management contract to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) following a competitive tender process.

The 10-year contract, which will commence on 1 January 2018, will include the management and operation of five Barnet leisure facilities, including two new leisure centre developments at Barnet Copthall and Victoria Recreation Ground in New Barnet.

The decision follows an extensive review of leisure services, which seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all Barnet residents.

The innovative partnership between the council and GLL will help tackle unhealthy lifestyles, offer a cost-effective approach to physical activity and create opportunities that promote wellbeing. This includes delivering a range of new benefits such as:

  • A free Barnet resident’s card which provides all Barnet residents with a 30 per cent discount on activities and 50 per cent discount for concessions
  • Free general swimming to children under eight years of age who live in Barnet
  • Borough-wide Physical Activity Referral Scheme which creates a pathway for exercise referral, diabetes and falls prevention
  • Delivery of specialist health programmes that include children’s weight management, adult weight management and a cancer rehabilitation scheme
  • Creation of ‘health hubs’ at each facility to deliver health checks and advice for residents
  • Barnet Carers Pass which is a free concessionary membership for registered carers, young carers, care leavers and looked after children (includes free swimming)
  • GLL Community Programme that delivers activities in a variety of local settings through working with care homes, women’s groups, social clubs, religious organisations and schools
  • GLL Activate Healthy Lifestyle Schools Programme that engages with a targeted number of schools per annum linked to Change for Life Clubs.

This will be in addition to investment into facility enhancements at other leisure centres including; a new day nursery and all weather pitch at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre, in addition to refurbishments and renovations of the health and fitness offer to be delivered at Hendon Leisure Centre, Finchley Lido Leisure Centre and Burnt Oak Leisure Centre over the next 10 years.

Through this partnership, talented athletes across Barnet will again have to access funding from the GLL Sport Foundation, which aims to support and develop young sports men and women to help them achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.

Councillor Sachin Rajput, Chairman of Adults and Safeguarding Committee and lead member for Sport & Physical Activity, said: “Our Fit and Active Barnet vision aims to create a more active and healthy borough and we're pleased to announce the awarding of the contract to GLL, who will support Barnet in achieving this goal.

“The council is making significant investments in creating new facilities at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre and Victoria Recreation Ground, and GLL has demonstrated its experience, commitment, innovation and ambition to work in partnership with the council to maximise benefits from investment into leisure facilities through improved quality of service and increased participation, whilst supporting improved health and wellbeing.

“We are committed to providing residents, of all ages and abilities, with access to a range of exciting opportunities to get involved in sport and physical activity and our new contract will look at introducing a range of options within our leisure centres, parks and within the local community.”

Mark Sesnan, Managing Director GLL, said; “We are hugely excited to have been re-appointed to manage Barnet’s leisure facilities on behalf of the council. We have been running the borough’s leisure facilities successfully since 2003, so we have a good knowledge and understanding of the community, and we are proud to be furthering our commitment to local residents. The new partnership will see a major focus on helping get all Barnet residents more active and more healthy and we will be developing a wide range of new and innovative schemes to help achieve this across the borough.

“GLL currently operates more than 250 public sport and leisure facilities across the UK, so our experience - coupled with our status as a ‘not for profit’ charitable social enterprise - means we have both the operational skills and community focus to enable us to successfully operate a range of facilities that will be sustainable long into the future."