Issue - meetings

The report of the Director – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)         the closure of the current indoor bowls facility be approved;

b)         a basic conversion of the hall to a multi-functional sports and event space at a cost of £60k be approved; and

c)          officers’ work in mitigating the loss of the facility in its current format be supported, by offering further support to remaining Bowls Club members including exploring the introduction of short mat bowls at the Arena.

The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change, Councillor Brennan presented the report of the Director – Neighbourhoods reviewing the Rushcliffe Arena Facilities.

Councillor Brennan referred to the devasting impact of the Covid pandemic on the leisure industry and confirmed that the Council had been working closely with its leisure providers to support them.  Cabinet was advised that the Council now faced a number of difficult decisions, in order to maintain a viable facility, available to the widest possible cross section of residents, which supported the Council’s aspirations as set out in its Leisure Strategy.

Cabinet noted the underutilisation and declining usage of the indoor bowls facility, which remained largely dormant for approximately a third of the year, as detailed in Table 1.1 of the report.  Councillor Brennan advised that despite the best efforts of Rushcliffe Indoor Bowls Club members, Lex Leisure and officers, membership had continued to decline.  It was noted that the Club had received significant administrative support on finance, governance and safeguarding matters, together with ongoing support through investment and marketing in an attempt to encourage and increase membership; however, that had failed to increase numbers.  Cabinet noted that Club membership had also declined from 377 members in 2009 to 169 in 2019/20.

Councillor Brennan confirmed that to support the return of a financially sustainable leisure offer it was critically important that gym membership was retained, as it formed the bulk of the operator’s income.  Cabinet was advised that maintaining a large, underutilised resource was no longer viable and a decision had to be made on the future of the indoor bowls facility, in order to support the Arena and the widest number of residents to adopt an active lifestyle. 

Councillor Brennan advised that a number of alternative options had been considered, as outlined in paragraph 5 of the report, and a balanced consideration had been taken between the need to maintain gym membership, financial viability, diversification of the underutilised space to enable a multi-use facility and the extent of the financial investment required to deliver this.  Details of the preferred option were highlighted in paragraph 5.1.3 of the report, which would include the change of use of the indoor bowls hall to enable group exercise and sporting and non-sporting events through a quick, simple conversion, which would support the leisure provider to recovery from its losses, encourage the return of existing users and attract new users.  The cost of the conversion was anticipated to be £60k and the financial implications were outlined in the report.

In conclusion, Councillor Brennan stated that in undertaking this review, the Council had been left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling of some members of the Club, and whilst for many there had been an acceptance of the situation, for others, the decision to close the bowls hall, if agreed this evening, would be extremely unwelcome, and that was recognised.  If the closure was approved this evening, the Council would continue to work with the Club to support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16