Serco wins Oxford council contract bid despite opposition

Serco leisure will manage five sites, including Hinksey Outdoor Pool

Oxford City Council has approved a 10-year contract with Serco Leisure, despite concerns it could bring "reputational risk" to the authority.

The contract will see the company manage three of Oxford's leisure centres, Hinksey Outdoor Pool and the Oxford Ice Rink, from April.

It comes after concerns over potential damage to the council's reputation, due to previous scandals involving Serco.

The council said Serco's offer was "really strong".

Serco Leisure highlighted its successes in running centres across the country, including in Bolton, Hampshire, Birmingham and Kent.

The company will now take control of five leisure sites across Oxford - Barton Leisure Centre, Ferry Leisure Centre, Leys Pools & Leisure Centre, Hinksey Outdoor Pool and Oxford Ice Rink.

Jamie Slagel, an Oxford resident who works for Oxfordshire County Council, told a meeting Serco had a history "filled with dishonesty, failure and immorality".

Mr Slagel, who was speaking in a personal capacity, added he "wouldn't trust [Serco's] application as far as I can throw it".

Oxford City Council will consider the appointment at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday

In recent years, Serco has been fined millions pounds for fraud and false accounting over its electronic tagging service, health and safety failings following the death of a Serco custody officer, and failing to pay supplier bills and leaving staff without wages.

Serco also caused controversy after evicting asylum seekers and changing locks in Glasgow in 2019.

Ahead of the authority's approval, councillor Shaista Aziz, who represents Rose Hill and Iffley, suggested the potential partnership would contradict Oxford's "values" when it wants to align itself as "a city of sanctuary" and an "anti-racist city".

As part of its offer, Serco has proposed significant investment in improving the centres.

Ian Brooke, head of community services at Oxford City Council, said: "Overall we think it's a really strong bid that's been put forward".

He added that the offer had come at a time when "40% of local authorities were closing or reducing their services".

Council leader, Susan Brown, said the appointment of a leisure operator "is a legal process that follows procurement law and it is not open to political intervention".

"Serco Leisure's tender scored best against the council's criteria, which included both qualitative and financial elements... and which we are legally required to accept," she added.

Simon Lane, managing director for Serco Leisure, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Oxford City Council and we look forward to working with them to support the people of this community to live healthier, more active lives."

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