Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council, as part of a joint procurement, are pleased to announce that a new operator for their four leisure facilities has been appointed.
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd, also known as Everyone Active, has been awarded the 15-year contract to manage The Brentwood Centre and Hartswood Pavilion in Brentwood and Clements Hall Leisure Centre and Rayleigh Leisure Centre in Rochford.
Both councils agreed to work collaboratively to develop the joint contract to secure economies of scale over a larger portfolio and to attract greater interest from the operator market.
The new contract will commence on 1 April 2025, and between January 2025 through to March 2025, the new operator will start their mobilisation process enabling a smooth transition ready for the start of the contract in April.
Councillor Dr Tim Barrett, Chair of the Housing, Health and Community Committee at Brentwood Borough Council said: “This is an exciting time to be able to develop our leisure services offer beyond the walls of the leisure centres and provide activities in community settings, enabling greater accessibility to more residents. There is greater awareness of the health and wellbeing benefits of regular physical activity that promotes better physical and mental health and wellbeing”.
Councillor Lisa Newport, Chair of the Community, Wellbeing and Housing Committee at Rochford District Council added: “A key focus of this new contract is to create opportunities to access activities within our leisure facilities. Our new operator will be delivering a diverse programme of activities in community settings so that our residents across the district are supported. We are looking forward to working with Everyone Active and delivering quality services to our residents all across the district.
Duncan Jefford, Regional Director at Everyone Active, said:
"We are delighted to have been awarded this significant 15-year contract to manage leisure facilities across both Brentwood and Rochford. This joint partnership represents an excellent opportunity to leverage our extensive experience of managing more than 230 facilities nationwide to deliver exceptional services to these communities.
"Our vision extends beyond traditional leisure centre operations and we will be implementing innovative programmes and delivering diverse activities that make fitness and wellbeing accessible to all residents. This aligns perfectly with both councils' ambitions to expand their leisure services beyond facility walls and into community settings.
"As we prepare for the April 2025 launch, we are committed to ensuring a seamless transition and look forward to working closely with both Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council.”