Council plans leisure centre pricing overhaul

Some leisure centre prices could go up following the review, the council said

A review of leisure centre prices is being carried out in a bid to improve "fairness", officials have said.

North Yorkshire Council said it would look at membership and admission costs at Active North Yorkshire centres, with the aim of creating "a consistent county-wide structure".

The authority said at present more than 70 different membership types are available, while pay as you go prices also vary significantly across the county.

The review comes after the council took over the running of leisure services from district and borough councils in April 2023.

Jo Ireland, the council's assistant director for culture and leisure, said: "Introducing a streamlined structure across all our sites is challenging across such a large and diverse area, but we aim to give all residents fairer access to leisure facilities in their area, and a greater freedom to benefit from more flexible membership options.

"There is the possibility that some customers could see their membership costs increase, particularly if their membership price has not been reviewed for several years, or they have taken advantage of previous offers.

"The pricing principles also aim to reflect the quality and range of the leisure facilities available.

"This would be offset by a fairer, more consistent, countywide service which would give more residents access to a basic package at a lower cost, with the option of upgrading to a premium package for additional benefits."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service survey feedback from over 4,600 customers highlighted demand for flexible, non-contract memberships with unlimited access.

Possible changes include the scrapping of fixed-term contracts with an entry-level membership designed to mitigate the price increases, the authority said.

Additional proposals include raising eligibility for older persons' concessions to state pension age, with the possibility of introducing a well-being membership for those referred through specialist programmes.

A council report noted Harrogate sites would retain higher prices due to their "enhanced" facilities.

The review comes alongside a £36m investment in four major leisure hubs and a further £3m to upgrade gym equipment at 12 sites, as part of the council's wider leisure strategy.

The funding would be used to renovate swimming pools and changing rooms, as well as improve gym facilities, the council said.

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