Lambeth   See also on LCW Lambeth Council Report  following repeated failings at Streatham in 2005

£103,533.38 owed to Council 

A report presented to Lambeth Council on 10.5.07 shows that LC was the Council's second highest debtor as of February 2007 and almost £6000 had been owed for more than a year. A further £7000 had been owed for between 91 and 180 days.  http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/Published/C00000111/M00000328/AI00002214/Item8AppendixDigestFeb2007.pdf 

Now that the contract has concluded what will happen to the debt? The next report including debts is due in three months but if anyone has information before then I hope you will share with LCW. PB 

Streatham 13.3.07  - "'Filthy' leisure centre under closure threat "   Reproduced in full from South London Press, by Clare Casey   http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/southlondonpress/lambeth/tm_method=full%26objectid=18751208%26siteid=50100-name_page.html  

A POPULAR leisure centre has become so dilapidated it will be forced to close in two weeks unless new owners can save it, users fear. They say the filthy swimming pool, mouldy walls and ageing gym equipment at Streatham Leisure Centre have forced scores of users to cancel their subscriptions and several staff to leave. 

Streatham user group representative Bridged Hall, 48, blamed Lambeth council for months of neglect and uncertainty over the centre's future. She said: "It's got to the point now where there's hardly any staff left. To get a lunch break the lifeguard has to swap with the receptionist. It's astounding that such a well-used centre has been allowed to get to into this state. The pool is filthy, the showers don't work and there's mould growing on the walls of the dance studios. In fact I have swapped to the Virgin Active gym in Ockley Road."

Bridged said that things had got steadily worse since Leisure Connection announced it would not be renewing the contract with the council when it was up at the end of March. Bridged added: "Despite bombarding the council with phone calls and emails they have not told us anything about the future and staff have been forced to look for other jobs."

A council spokesman, also responding on behalf of Leisure Connection, was unable to comment on specific staffing issues. But he said: "The council has selected Greenwich Leisure as the preferred bidder to be its new partner in providing leisure services, and we will soon be signing a new contract. Contract negotiations have to remain confidential for legal reasons of commercial sensitivity, and that is why we have not been able to update users on the plans as fully as we would have liked at this stage." 

This is not the first centre where users have seen standards plunge even further as the contract with LC draws to a close. See last entry for Ealing. It seems LC had no intention of making amends in the last months for dire standards much earlier in the contract - see below or for more details Lambeth Council Report 

Updates on what is happening or not happening in Lambeth sought. PB

Brixton - Users Were Unhappy with Gym Equipment

Some time after March 25th (when Lib Dems item below was posted) and before March 31st  Lambeth Council posted an update - http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/SportsClubsCentres/LeisureCentres/BrixtonRecreationCentre_EXTRA.htm  This includes "We are very sorry that we can only give such short notice of the closure. This is because commercially sensitive contract negotiations have been happening and have only recently concluded. We made the announcement at the earliest possible opportunity."  Sounds like poor project management to me but why expect better from a council persistently found lacking by the Audit Commission and residents.

Included in the belated announcement was, "Users have told us that they are unhappy with condition of the gym equipment and the state of the Centre itself and that they would like to see more activities for children and young people as well as improved security." And why should one hope for better from LC? 

"The new contractor is Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), a social enterprise managing over fifty leisure centres within the M25, including in Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham. As a social enterprise, GLL invest any profits their leisure centres make into improving the facilities and services they offer." 

From Lambeth Lib Dems  http://lambethlibdems.org.uk/news/recent.html?PHPSESSID=801ceb21  8th Mar 2007

Lambeth residents are telling us that the borough's crumbling fitness and leisure centres are a joke. Not only that but they're an expensive joke.

Lambeth Labour has massively hiked charges to use Lambeth's leisure centres at a time when these vital community services are in meltdown. Reports coming to us suggest that as Lambeth dithers about a new Leisure contract, staff are leaving in droves, and, worse, facilities are now so poor that people are voting with their feet over suffering such a third-rate service.

We have heard from angry users of Streatham Leisure Centre of unheated changing rooms, lockers without locks, filthy dirty swimming pool with scum and even faeces and sanitary towels in the water. Worse, even children's safety is compromised, as life-guards are not on duty at all times, we were told.

Meanwhile Streatham's eagerly awaited new combined Swimming pool and state-of-the art ice rink now seems further away than ever. A further 9 month delay has been agreed by the Council - so that Summer of 2010 is now the earliest possible date for opening - and user groups are angry at the wall of silence that has descended over the whole project. There are persistent rumours that continuity of ice provision may now be abandoned or that skaters may have to go out of the borough altogether.

Things are no better at Brixton's premier recreation centre which is known throughout the world. Now it is a crumbling mess and has been dubbed the Brixton Wreck. Shut over Christmas and New Year for emergency repairs, users have now been warned to expect a further three month closure. And rumours persist that the Council's preferred new leisure contractor is insisting on millions of pounds being spent on refurbishments before they will take it over...

LC are not involved in the Ice Rink but have "managed" Streatham, Brixton and Clapham. I  wish the Lib Dems in Brent that share leadership of the council with the Tories would get so worked up. 

I can't find information on what is happening on either LC or Lambeth websites. The item below  is from UK Climbing  http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=232717 PB 

No to 3 month closure of Brixton Rec!   No to Price increases!  Meaningful consultation with the Users & Staff!

Attend Brixton Area Forum  28th March, 7pm, Lambeth Town Hall

At the second users meeting on Tuesday 13th March, where over 150 people attended. Mr. George Sarkodie, head of Lambeth's Sports & Leisure stated:

Leisure Connection contract with Lambeth to run our sports centres has been terminated (31st March 2007). The Council put out to tender the contact in January
2007, only three companies applied, two have withdrawn leaving on one left: Greenwich Leisure Limited. To date no contract has been signed (he said it might be at the end of the week!). Other things he stated theCouncil is planning:

* 23.5% increases on prices
* TUPE will apply to employed staff
* The closure of Brixton Rec for 3 months starting on 1st April 2007. ...

The users meeting then voted

* That the planned closure of the centre for three months should be cancelled, and proper and meaningful consultations with the users and staff, over want needed at the centre and any how to minimise the disruption to users whilst work is carried out.

* No price increases as this will price out the people, who the centre was built to serve.

LC Still Refusing to Pay  -   7.12.06

Lambeth's Environment & Community Safety Scrutiny Sub-Committee received a list of ten top debtors at is December meeting. Fourth from the top was LC, owing a total of over £33k. Of this £24k had been owed for more than a year. A note alongside the debt reads, "They have still refused to pay us. We are currently pursuing senior management." Which makes one wonder who Lambeth has been pursuing for the last twelve months? http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/Published/C00000111/M00000326/$$ADocPackPublic.pdf 

Is this a continuation of the earlier money row from at least April 2004?  

1.9. 06  What's Happening to New Leisure Contract? 

A search of Lambeth Council's website shows no news of progress towards a new leisure contract. The old contract ends on 1.12.06 and a council document   gives "the estimated date of  re-tendering" as April 2005. Given the catalogue of misfortune under LC (see below and elsewhere) I hope Lambeth will avoid doing  a "Brent", offering an extension on the existing contract and then although not really wanting to, reappointing LC to some of the contracts. 

There are reports that LC have increased senior management presence in the run up to the new contract. If more resources are being brought in I would be surprised if they continue after December unless specified in the contract and competent monitoring takes place. PB.

28.3.06 from Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub -Committee 

Streatham Leisure Centre – Information Report on Performance of the Management Contractor http://snipurl.com/vtfu 

The current contract with Leisure Connection for the management of the Council’s leisure centres is monitored by client officers from the Sport & Recreation unit of Environment and Cultural Services. The contract, which was let in November 1996, is not output based and the performance requirements are weak and not directly linked to the payment mechanism. This makes it difficult to monitor and drive performance improvements through inspections. In spite of the difficulty with the contract conditions resources for the monitoring of the leisure centres have significantly increased since June 2005. This has resulted in more monitoring inspections being undertaken by officers and more rectification and default notices being issued. This increase in monitoring is beginning to have the desired effect of driving up performance standards at the leisure centres. This has been particularly apparent in the last 4 months which has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of complaints and Member’s Enquiries received by officers in relation to the standard of service provided at Streatham Leisure Centre.

13.4.06  Mark Roger notes in his blog: "I used to swim at Clapham Leisure Centre, where I had a membership for about four years. Recently the pool closed, first for a week, and then for about two months, 'for repairs'. On reopening I was irritated to see that far from refunding me on my standing order, the company concerned, Leisure Connection, offered me a free swim for a friend. I cancelled my membership and joined Courtney's who run pools across Chelsea and Westminster." http://www.rmfr.com/archives/2006/04/#000309 

"Why has the poor level of staff performance, standards of safety and service expectations been allowed to go unchecked at Streatham Pool over such a long period of time, giving rise to a loss of credibility and number of serious complaints from residents and users"?

"In view of these failings between February 8th and July 6th reported online by the Senior Client Officer may I request an analysis of service complaints received during the last two quarters broken down into areas of safety, staffing levels and specific user complaints with reference to accident and complaints book and how these issues were dealt with and followed up using the minutes of meetings held by officers and representatives of the client side"?

The answer  to the question presented at the meeting is long and available in full at http://snipurl.com/vtg2 . It includes:

"...Leisure Connection has stated that they have been having problems with their maintenance contractors who serviced the boilers and pool pumps, and were carrying out investigation to get to the bottom of the problem as the Leisure Connection contract manager was of the opinion that the pumps had been repaired and should have been in working order."

"At various client/contractor meetings held between Lambeth and Leisure Connections, the Contract Manager was instructed by client officers to deal with the poor performance at Streatham Leisure Centre and in July 2005 the Contract Manager took disciplinary action against the Centre Manager as it was felt that a number of the problems being faced at Streatham was as a direct result of poor operational management. The Centre Manager is currently suspended pending investigation into service failures and further disciplinary action."

"The client team have stressed the importance of Leisure Connections ensuring that their staff cover policy is stringently adhered to, in cases of staff phoning in sick to ensure continuity of service."

"There have been a number of complaints in relation to the cleanliness of the changing rooms at Streatham (with specific reference to the women’s changing facility and the high numbers of lockers, which are out of use. ...  In terms of the cleanliness of the changing rooms, the cleaning at Streatham Leisure Centre is set to undergo a radical transformation which will involve cleaners accessing the facility at 6am to do a ‘deep clean’ before the centre is open to the public; ‘light cleaning’ will be done throughout the opening times. ..." 

"A representative of the Streatham Swimming Club" said " the club could not stage galas at Streatham Pool because the license required to hold public events in the pool had elapsed and a new license had been refused on health and safety grounds."

Complaints included in the report included:

Streatham Leisure Centre – Information Report on Performance of the Management Contractor  -  November 2005 http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/606F1658-D7D0-4D39-B93B-B9B1E314D3AF/0/Item5288StreathamPool.doc 

Since the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 29 September 05, officers have sent a warning letter to the Chief Executive of Leisure Connection about the unsatisfactory standard of service being delivered in Lambeth and requested for an urgent meeting to discuss their action plan for service improvements. A meeting was held between senior officers of Environment & Culture, Executive Member for the Environment, Councillor Clare Whelan and the Chief Executive of Leisure Connection on 10^th November 05 at which concerns were expressed about the unsatisfactory standards of service delivery at Streatham. 

Leisure Connection’s Chief Executive agreed to work with the Council to drive improvements in the quality of service the company was providing and agreed to come to the Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Meeting to provide an update on progress made on driving service improvements. 

There has been an increase in officer resource dedicated to the monitoring and clienting of the leisure contract which has resulted in more rectification and default notices being issued to Leisure Connection for unsatisfactory performance. The following is an update on specific areas of service failures at Streatham Leisure Centre considered by the Environment Services & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub – Committee on the 29^th September 05. 

Despite the measures put in place by Leisure connection to prevent pool closures at Streatham Leisure Centre, there were 3 partial pool closures in October. The centre opened late to the public on Saturday 15 October (15 minutes late) Sunday 16 October and Monday 17 October (35 minutes late). Leisure Connection has stated that the Duty Manger responsible for opening the facility was late to the site on Saturday and Monday. On Sunday, the centre was opened on time but the Duty Manager discovered that there had been an air lock in the Sodium Hypochlorite pump overnight which resulted in the pool turning cloudy, reducing the clarity of water to such an extent that the Duty Manager considered it unsafe to open the pool the public until such time as clarity returned.

In terms of the late opening due to the pool chemical pump failure, this occurred despite the fact that Leisure Connection has recently spent £1,400 on repairing the faulty pumps (as reported to Environment Scrutiny in September) After this latest pool plant failure, Leisure Connection has  renewed the whole pool chemical dosing system to prevent future failures, including:

 In terms of the cleanliness of the changing rooms, the cleaning at Streatham Leisure Centre has undergone a radical transformation which involves cleaners accessing the facility at 6am to do a ‘deep clean’ before the centre is open to the public; ‘light cleaning’ will be done throughout the opening times. This cleaning regime should ensure the facility is kept up to satisfactory standards of cleanliness. In addition, new flooring is being installed in the ‘wet’ changing room area which will improve the general appearance and cleanliness of the area.

Dispute Over Profit Share Between LC and Lambeth Council Leads to Withholding of Large Payments for 20 Months - 2004

Lambeth Council's Environment Performance Digests for April and May 2004  listed LC under "top ten debtors". The earlier report indicated that LC was about to pay a substantial amount. Yet in May 2004 they owed over £100k. The Performance Digest for September 2005 showed that LC owed Lambeth over £376k.

After pursuing requests for details under Freedom of Information I was advised by a Council officer in February and March 2005 that: 

"There is currently £106,000 due from Leisure Connections for 2003 Profit share arrangement between the Council and the company. This amount became due in February 04 after the publication of the company's 2003 accounts in December 2003 . Two meetings have taken place with the company's senior personnel, one in May 04 and another in January 05 to agree how the money should be released or what it should be spent on. 

Under, the terms of the profit share agreement, the share of the profit received by the Council should be spent on enhancing the service provided... we have had two meetings with Leisure Connection in May 04 and January 05. On both occasions we requested for the outstanding profit share to be paid. LC have always agreed to pay the profit share but at the meeting in May 04, they claimed they were had not yet calculated the amount of profit share because they had just recently had their accounts audited and finalised...

Councillors have not requested any action as LC have never refused to pay the outstanding monies...  there have been negotiations going on between the Council and LC to resolve things as there were also monies due from Council to a subsidiary of LC... -£221k for business rates rebate. LC requested for this amount to be paid before they settled the amount owed to the Council. We have recently received authorisation to pay the £221k (payment currently being processed). In addition, LC had omitted to charge the Council inflationary indexation on the contract from September 02 to June 04 (about £100k), and requested for the Council to pay this in August 04... We met the new Chief Executive in January and he seemed keen to resolve matters."

Despite the good intentions the issue was not resolved promptly. LC continued to be listed as a major debtor. According to the same Council officer in January 2006 LC "settled all outstanding debts to the Council in November 2005" following an agreement reached in October. The same email says. "Payment was overdue as there had been a dispute between LC and the Council as to the actual amount of profit share owed."

"In February 05 Lambeth owed a subsidiary of LC, Leisure in the Community, £221,000 NNDR (National Non-Domestic Rates) rebate which was paid in June. In June and July Lambeth did not owe Leisure Connection any outstanding sums."  

Such a protracted dispute and irregular trading of one large debt against another suggests to me either a poorly written contract, or at least one party being unreasonable, or mismanagement.  The performance digests can be accessed via http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/ImprovingLambeth/EnvironmentPerformanceDigests.htm PB

Lambeth Council Report on Temporary Closures of Leisure Centres March 2004 from http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/search/search-documents.shtml entering Temporary Closures of Leisure Centres

As a result of a closure at Clapham Leisure Centre the Chair of the Sub-Committee commissioned a report on all facility closures in 2003 – 2004... 

Over the Christmas period Leisure Connections had informed the sport and recreation unit that they had a lack of pool staff to cover the small pool. A default notice was issued and the Sport and Recreation manager requested that Leisure Connections produce a report of all facility closures that took place going back three months, due to the rising number of pool closures due to staffing. The issue of pool staffing was also picked up in client meetings to ensure that Leisure connections were putting systems in place to ensure they were abiding by their contractual responsibilities...

Environment Performance Digest April 2004 http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/CB262159-F86C-453C-AE60-E466910C6672/0/April2004.pdf

Numbers of monitoring visits decreased to fortnightly in April and will continue to do so during the busy summer events season, (due to staff resources) It should be noted that we have issued more rectifications this month across the 5 sports centres than in other months (108 issued). Particular attention was paid to Clapham where a new manager has recently been appointed. We are expecting positive improvements over the coming months. The month attracting 108 would seem to be February 2004 as the dates on the graph are a year ahead. It is not possible to report on 2005 months in 2004!  PB

Environment Scrutiny Committee 12.07.01 http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/intradoc/groups/public/documents/report/008932.pdf 

· QUESTION 4 - MR BARNSLEY
In what way does the Council monitor the quality of service being provided by
Leisure Connection plc at Streatham Leisure Centre in relation to the
payments the company receives from the Council? (The number of lockers is
wholly inadequate for users of the pool and gym - 36 lockers in the men’s
changing room, over half of which are not working). Will the Council
encourage the company to set up a users’ advisory group and then listen to
and consider acting on its suggestions to improve the quality of service
provided? (Please also see email on page 47A)

In relation to a customers’ forum, the site manager has informed me that the
next one is scheduled for 9th July. The managers name is Kevin and any
concerns you have about quality and processes within the centre should be
directed at him, alternatively you can contact Lou Barden, Contract Manager
on 020 7926 9927.

I have realised I did not answer your first question relating to the monitoring of
the contract. The total contract fee to Leisure Connection plc is £1.9m with a
10 year contract. The Council has recently reviewed its contract client
functions and has established the Sports and Recreation Unit as the primary
organisation to ensure compliance, in addition to sports development and
health lifestyles.

At the moment I am recruiting for a full time member of staff to be the client
officer responsible for the contract. In addition I am meeting monthly with the
contractor to go through issues relating to all centres. This is supported
through other systems such as: