Cabinet, on 24 January 2024, resolved to:

1.       Award a ten-year contract (with a five-year extension option) for managing and developing the Council’s three leisure centres, Hinksey Outdoor Pool and the Oxford Ice Rink to Serco Leisure Ltd, subject to officers completing necessary due diligence and pre-contract negotiations; and

2.       Delegate authority to the Interim Executive Director (Communities and People), in consultation with the Head of Financial Services (Section 151 Officer), Head of Law and Governance (Monitoring Officer) and the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Parks to:

            i)        complete due diligence, contract negotiation and final contract terms prior to the award of the contract;

           ii)        agree, subject to the limits set by procurement law and the Council’s Constitution and for a maximum period of 2 months from the contract start date, interim arrangements for the delivery of the contract services by Serco Leisure Ltd where necessary to allow them to complete contract mobilisation after 29 March 2024;

         iii)        vary the current contractual arrangements with Fusion to enable them to continue to provide essential members data systems and related back-office support functions for a period of up to 2 months to ensure the continuation of these specific functions and ensure a smooth transition, to the end May 2024, only should the need arise; and

         iv)        establish necessary service and corporate staff arrangements for the effective commissioning, delivery and management of the leisure services contract.