New Forest leisure centres set for council funding for energy bills

Applemore Leisure Centre is among the council-owned sports facilities run by Freedom Leisure

A leisure centre operator is set to receive extra financial support from a council to cope with high energy costs.

Freedom Leisure took over the running of five leisure centres on behalf of New Forest District Council in 2021.

It said the rise in gas and electric prices since then meant it would be in an "extremely vulnerable position" without financial help.

A council report recommended a change to its contract to allow a greater council contribution to costs.

The not-for-profit trust - which runs more than 100 leisure centres across the country - took on an 11-year contract for running New Forest District Council's leisure centres.

It warned that the war in Ukraine last winter had since led to a "totally unforeseen" rise in gas and electricity bills at its centres.

In November 2022 it closed saunas and steam rooms at Applemore, Totton, New Milton and Lymington leisure centres in an attempt to save energy.

It also announced a "small reduction" in water temperatures of its swimming pools across the country last year.

'Continuing provision"

It said a change to its New Forest contract was "legitimate and sensible".

"An agreement of financial support will ensure that the partnership between New Forest District Council and Freedom Leisure can continue and be sustainable for the medium and longer term," it added.

A council report, being discussed at a cabinet meeting, showed accounts covering year two of the contract with a gas and electricity overspend of £785,864.

It recommended the local authority pay a share of the increased utility bills, split with Freedom Leisure.

The expected financial contribution - expected to be £348,000 - would be covered by existing budgets.

Dan Poole, portfolio holder for community, safety and wellbeing, said the move was in response to the "extraordinary increase" in utility costs that had been particularly felt by the leisure industry.

"By agreeing to help with a share of the additional costs, we can ensure the continuing provision of leisure facilities for our residents," he said.

"It is important to note that if we had not started our partnership with Freedom Leisure, the council would be facing 100% of the burden of these unforeseen additional costs."