New leisure centre management model halves deficit

Redlands had previously been threatened with closure

A leisure centre has cut its operating deficit by half since a change in management, a report has revealed.

Active Dorset took over the running of Redlands in Weymouth from Weymouth College in November 2022.

The college paid £750,000 in "exit payments" when it gave up control of the centre and community park, which had been losing £200,000 a year.

A report to Dorset Council said the centre had halved that figure and was expecting to turn a profit by 2025/26.

The exit payments, revealed in the report, consisted of £500,000 for building works and £250,000 towards a new outdoor 3G pitch, which is yet to be built.

The management of the leisure centre and community park is supported by a £35,000-a-year payment from Weymouth Town Council and ongoing officer support from Dorset Council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The site now has more than 20 volunteers and a recently opened community cafe and soft play area provide additional income.

The council's policy and resources scrutiny committee has been reviewing the progress of the centre under the new regime.

Culture and communities councillor Laura Beddow told the meeting: "The real thanks have got to go to the people who got involved and have supported this.

"Their willingness to be open-minded and come forward and work with the council, our partners and Active Dorset and create something for themselves is really, really good news.

"This is a good model which could be used elsewhere."

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