Report reveals leisure contractor owed thousands

Oasis Beach Pool was among several sites in Bedford operated by Fusion Lifestyle Ltd until its contract ended in January 2024

A council has released a confidential report revealing that a former leisure contractor still owed thousands of pounds - months after its contract ended in January 2024.

Bedford Borough Council had refused a Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service for the information.

Following a challenge to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) the report was made public which showed Fusion Lifestyle Ltd had unpaid management fees of £166,038.

Bedford Borough Council said the debts have now been repaid in full. Fusion Lifestyle Ltd has been approached for comment.

The ICO said the council failed to demonstrate a valid reason for withholding the information and said on 16 July 2025 that it should be disclosed within 30 calendar days.

The report was shared on day 29.

'High priority'

It showed that by November 2024, several payments had reduced the management fees debt to £72,555 after a proposed settlement agreement collapsed.

The report also stated that at the end of January 2024 the leisure contractor owed around £528,836 in utility costs.

The council paid £296,836 directly to energy supplier Corona to avoid gas disconnection at leisure sites.

By November, Fusion Lifestyle Ltd had cleared its debt to Corona and reduced its arrears to NPower by £30,545, leaving an estimated £131,000 in utilities outstanding.

Fusion collected around £70,000 in membership direct debits for February 2024, after the contract ended, but had yet to pass this to the new operator, GLL, the report said.

Monthly payments since September reduced the amount owed to £19,607, which was due for payment on 2 December 2024.

The report categorised the situation as a "high priority", instructing that "all viable action" should be taken to recover the money.

When the document was released following the ICO ruling, the council added in an email: "Please note that Fusion have now made payment in full for all outstanding debt referred to in this report."

The council has not said when the final payment was made.