Godalming Leisure Centre - Interim Capital Investment Requirements : Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 15/11/2005

Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 15/11/2005
Godalming Leisure Centre - Interim Capital Investment Requirements

Summary & Purpose

The purpose of the report is to outline issues concerning the current condition of the existing Godalming Leisure Centre in light of the findings of Structural and Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) Surveys carried out at the centre. The report also sets out recommendations for proposed capital investment in the centre as an interim measure in the Council’s objective of investing in Godalming leisure provision. The Executive's decisions at its meeting on 8th November 2005 are reported and the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked if it wishes to make any observations to the Executive on 6th December 2005.

APPENDIX E

WAVERLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL

ENVIRONMENT AND LEISURE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
-15TH NOVEMBER 2005

EXECUTIVE – 8TH NOVEMBER 2005

Title:

GODALMING LEISURE CENTRE – INTERIM CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIREMENTS

[Wards Affected: All Godalming wards]

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Note pursuant to Section 100B(5) of the Local Government Act 1972

An annexe to this report contains exempt information by virtue of which the public is likely to be excluded during the item to which the report relates, as specified in Paragraph 7 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, namely:-

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).

Summary and purpose:

The purpose of the report is to outline issues concerning the current condition of the existing Godalming Leisure Centre in light of the findings of Structural and Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) Surveys carried out at the centre. The report also sets out recommendations for proposed capital investment in the centre as an interim measure in the Council’s objective of investing in Godalming leisure provision. The Executive's decisions at its meeting on 8th November 2005 are reported and the Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked if it wishes to make any observations to the Executive on 6th December 2005.

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Environmental implications:

There are no immediate environmental implications arising from this report, but any refurbishment would offer opportunities to follow best environmental practice and to install energy saving measures.

Social/community implications:

Godalming Leisure Centre provides accessible leisure facilities and activities for the whole community at affordable prices. The promotion of physical activity contributes to the development of safe, healthy and active communities.

E-Government implications:

There are no E-government implications arising from this report.

Resource and legal implications:

In the 2005/6 capital programme, Ł80,000 has been provided to address the refurbishment of the reception area and the remediation of the barn roof. Waverley is committed to providing improved leisure facilities in Godalming and given the findings of the Structural and M&E surveys and the likelihood that a new centre for Godalming is unlikely to be affordable in the short term, officers have identified a schedule of essential and other capital works, which need to be addressed as an interim measure over the next 2 years. The essential works total Ł429,000; other non-essential proposals total Ł145,000; with professional fees, contingencies and closure costs bringing the estimated total cost of the proposals to between Ł797,000 - Ł817,000.

Waverley provided an additional Ł30,000 of revenue support to the centre in 2004/5 and has made provision for Ł16,000 in its 2005/06 revenue budget.

Given that the Godalming Leisure Centre is currently owned and managed by the John Stanley Jeffries Trust, the maintenance and replacement requirements for the building have not been identified in the Council’s Asset Management Plan.

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Background

1. The current Godalming Leisure Centre was built in 1975. Given its age, officers considered it prudent to instruct specialist companies to carry out, on behalf of the John Stanley Jeffries (JSJ) Trust, a full Structural and Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) survey of the facility. The findings of the surveys have highlighted a number of matters which need to be addressed in the short term if the centre is to remain operational.

2. In addition, the JSJ Trust has identified a number of refurbishment initiatives it would like to progress, which will assist the centre in increasing revenue and will improve the overall quality of the centre for the existing customers and members.

3. Whilst one of the Council’s stated ambitions is the delivery of a new leisure centre for Godalming, it is unlikely that a new centre will be realised in the short term. In light of the anticipated delays, Officers are informing members that in order for the existing centre to remain operational, a number of capital requirements need to be addressed. The capital requirements relate mainly to health and safety issues raised in the Structural and M&E surveys but also encompass proposals brought forward by the Trust to improve the quality of the service provision and provide the opportunity to generate additional revenue.

Capital Proposals

4. The main capital proposals are outlined below:

Table 1

Capital Requirements

Item	Timetable (Yr)	Estimated Cost Ł,000
Structural
Pool Hall Roof Replacement	1	125
Portal Frame Base Works	1	15
Felt Roof Recovering Works	1	69
Barn Roof & other repairs	1	55
Entrance brickwork repairs	2	40
External repairs general	2	6
External works	2	12
External cladding replacements	2	12
Pool tank tiling and surrounds	1	20
Total Structural Works		354
M& E works	1/2	75
Total Essential Works		429
Changing Room refurbishment and cubicle replacement	1	75
Internal Repairs and redecoration	1	35
Reception area refurbishment	1	35
Total improvement works		145
Professional Fees		86
Closure Costs*		80-100
Contingency (10%)		57
Total Cost		797 – 817

* Closure Costs – Given the nature of some of the identified structural works a partial closure of the centre will be required for a period of 6 months. Officers have estimated the closure costs based on loss of pool income offset by staff savings, maintenance and utility cost savings.

Phased Approach

5. To minimise disturbance and to take account of the nature and urgency of the works the Council’s Property Service has identified a phased approach for the works as identified below:

YEAR 1 2006/7	Estimated Costs Ł,000
Pool Hall Roof Replacement	125
Portal Frame Base Works	15
Felt Roof Recovering Works	69
Barn Roof & other repairs	55
Pool tank tiling and surrounds	20
M& E works	15
Changing Room refurbishment and cubicle replacement	75
Internal Repairs and redecoration	35
Reception area refurbishment	35
Professional Fees	66
Closure Costs	80-100
Contingency (10%)	44
Total Cost	634 – 654

Year 2 2007/8	Estimated Costs Ł,000
M&E works	60
Entrance brickwork repairs	40
External repairs general	6
External works	12
External cladding replacements	12
Professional Fees	20
Contingency (10%)	13
Total Costs	163

Conclusion

6. Given the age of the building it is inevitable that elements of the structure and plant are nearing the end of their recommended life and need to be replaced. The Council is responsible for 4 other leisure centres and has invested significantly in its own buildings. The existing Godalming Leisure Centre has had little spent on it by the Trust in relation to structural or M&E works in recent years.

7. It is now evident that in the short term it is unlikely that a new centre can be built, therefore the Council is asked to consider if it wishes to support the existing Trust with funding to undertake the necessary structural and M& E works to enable the facility to remain operational. In addition there are a number of areas which are in need of refurbishment if the centre is to remain attractive within the increasingly competitive leisure market.

8. Officers from Leisure and Property Services have worked with both the Trust and specialists to identify the basic level of works which it is believed are necessary to meet the needs of the centre and the customers who use it.

9. There are significant pressures on the Capital budget in the next few years and the draft capital programme is not fully financed from 2006/7 onwards. This proposal would need to be considered alongside other capital bids.

Godalming Leisure Needs Special Interest Group

10. The Godalming Leisure Needs Special Interest Group considered the issues and recommendations set out in this report. Following these considerations the SIG agreed to recommend to the portfolio holder that only items of an urgent nature which relate solely to Health & Safety should be undertaken. A schedule of these Health & Safety related items is listed in Table 2 in the (Exempt) Annexe. If members choose to undertake only items of a Health & Safety nature, a risk analysis associated with the remaining items identified by officers is also set out in the (Exempt) Annexe.

11. At its meeting on 8th November 2005 the Executive resolved that:-

1. investment be made in JSJ Leisure Centre, as described in the report as an interim measure towards meeting Godalming's Leisure Needs;

2. Option 1 in the report, at a level of investment of Ł817,000, be pursued by Officers as the appropriate level of refurbishment for the centre, having taken into account the SIGs views; and

3. a total figure of Ł817,000 be included in the draft Capital Programmes for 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Recommendation

The Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked if it wishes to forward any observations to the Executive at its meeting on 6th December 2005.

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Background Papers (DoEL)

Godalming Leisure Centre – Mechanical and Electrical Plant Appraisal – Services Design Partnership April 2004
Structural Condition Inspection Report – Godalming Leisure Centre – Cooper & Withycombe Consulting Engineers – April 2004
Structural Condition Inspection Report – The Barn - Godalming Leisure Centre – Cooper & Withycombe Consulting Engineers – October 2004

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CONTACT OFFICERS:

Name: Peter Maudsley Telephone: 01483 523398

E-mail: pmaudsley@waverley.gov.uk

Name: Julie Maskery Telephone: 01483 523432

E-mail: jmaskery@waverley.gov.uk

Comms/O&S3/05-06/051