SLC client, Malvern Hills District Council, has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for improving services to the public sector and its citizens by the Improvement and Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE) for its management of the re-procurement of their leisure services.
SLC acted as a strategic advisor to the Council throughout this process, assisting in the development of a Sport and Leisure Strategy in 2013/14 and production of tender documentation during the procurement.
The Council had previously had no strategy to guide the future provision of its leisure services or how it would sustain the delivery of its existing provision, and differing levels of service and facility quality were being experienced throughout the district. As a result, the Council recognised the value of developing a strategy which determine the direction of their future provision.
In 2013, SLC was appointed to support the Council in the development of a Sport and Leisure Strategy which would define how the Council would support sport and leisure provision in the future. It was developed within the context of the Council being committed to improving the quality of life for all of its communities within an environment of change and financial constraint. The Strategy identified key priorities for the Council in the future through its new ‘deal’ with the community and a clear three-pronged policy position on what it would continue to do, what it was support and enable other to do, and what it would no longer do.
Following the adoption of this Strategy, the Council commenced its leisure facility procurement, with targeted ongoing support from SLC. The procurement generated c. £7 million revenue savings and £1.6 million capital savings of the contract period whilst also delivering significant community benefits.
The community outreach function provided by the operator as part of the contract, for example, is expanding the reach of the service from the traditional ‘centre based’ model out into the community. This is particularly significant given the rural nature of the district and limited nature of the Council’s built leisure portfolio. The impact of the Council’s work in reducing the overall cost of public service through a sustainable solution that is continuing to deliver an improved service to local residents is clear, and makes them worthy recipients of the Certificate of Excellence.
Duncan Wood-Allum, who led the work for SLC with Malvern Hills DC said, “We’re delighted to have played a contributory role with the Council to enable them to achieve this national recognition. Nothing gives us greater satisfaction than seeing our clients succeed in delivering great financial savings and wider outcomes – even more so if they are recognised for their innovative approach.”