Live Active Leisure working to find regular venues for displaced sports clubs

Live Active Leisure is working with clubs and groups to find alternative venues this winter.

Live Active chief executive Paul Cromwell gave an update to the Scrutiny and Performance Committee on Wednesday, June 12.

Councillors were updated on progress with the council arm's-length external organisation's withdrawal of services from Bell's Sports Centre and the movement of its gym and fitness studios to Dewars Centre.

Mr Cromwell said they were working with the council to look at how they "map strategically sports provision across the city".

On May 15, Perth and Kinross Council agreed to Live Active's request to remove sport and leisure activities from the iconic sports centre building on Perth's North Inch from August 2024.

The move comes after Bell's Sports Centre suffered catastrophic flooding in October 2023 causing around £2 million of damage and leading to the closure of its downstairs facilities. The two studios on the upper floor of Bell's Sports Centre were not damaged and currently remain open for Live Active's fitness class programme.

In January councillors voted to consolidate all three Perth leisure facilities - Bell's Sports Centre, Dewars Centre and Perth Leisure Pool - into one single facility which will be called PH2O. A fully-costed plan for PH2O will go before councillors in August.

On Wednesday, Mr Cromwell updated councillors on progress with rehoming displaced sports clubs and groups following difficulties last year relocating groups after the October flood at Bell's.

He explained: "The challenge we had over winter was the bookings for 23/24 were already in place therefore the arrangements we have had in place have been temporary arrangements. What we're trying to get to now is a plan in place. Clubs need consistency, a weekly booking and that's what this process will hopefully be able to deliver."

An online booking system for the forthcoming winter season is now being rolled out.

Mr Cromwell said: "The online form has gone out, we've contacted every group directly, publicised it and promoted it on the PKC and Live Active Leisure websites and social media."

Clubs have been asked for "flexibility in terms of space, time and what they require to deliver their activity". They have until June 23 to respond. Mr Cromwell said the teams would sit down and "determine exactly how we use that space to the best advantage of everybody and do that in a fair way". Allocations will then be confirmed by July 22.

However not all sports clubs will be accommodated in Perth.

The chief executive said: "In terms of some of the sports we have, we don't have those facilities in Perth so we will also be having to look at how we provide capacity elsewhere across P&K in other areas."

Mr Cromwell said the impact on the team at Bell's Sports Centre was an "absolute priority". Nineteen members of staff - the equivalent of 14 FTEs - are affected by the move from Bell's Sports Centre. Live Active Leisure has begun engagement, support and consultation with its team.

He said: "As part of our workforce planning we were able to manage vacancies leading up to this project and project starting point and therefore we are in a positive position in terms of providing opportunities for this team. Obviously there are some retraining challenges there and we require flexibility of the staff but in terms of the wider opportunities we have it's looking quite positive at the moment."

Technical specifications and drawings have been developed, building warrant applications have been submitted, tender processes have been gone through and fitness equipment has been procured for delivery ready for a September opening at Dewars.

Mr Cromwell said: "We're expecting now -in terms of the overall project - a commencement date from around the beginning of September."