On 8 February 2018, 11 Local Authorities and organisations from across England enjoyed a day of learning, knowledge transfer and engagement with SLC’s Directors on Optimising your Leisure and Cultural Procurement. Amardeep Gill from Trowers & Hamlins LLP was also on hand to offer his legal expertise.

The session was designed to provide a platform for best practice, sharing of lessons learned and promote the development of more effective partnerships, leisure and cultural contracts and outcomes.

The following key themes were explored at the Think Tank based on delegates’ key needs:

  • establishing need to shape leisure and cultural strategies and any subsequent pre-procurement strategy
  • exploring opportunities to achieve wider strategic outcomes through leisure and cultural procurement
  • key insights from local authorities coming to the end of their existing operational contracts
  • achieving better outcomes and reduced subsidies / positive management fees.

The following local authorities attended; Brighton & Hove City Council, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils, Dorset Councils Partnership, Elmbridge Borough Council, Gloucester City Council, London Borough of Redbridge, Stevenage Borough Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Thurrock Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Waverley Borough Council.

The event tackled challenging issues such as data ownership and measurement, intelligent contract monitoring and exit management. SLC’s Directors facilitated the day using case studies from recently completed SLC procurements including Watford Borough Council, Worcester City Council and East Northamptonshire Council. These all demonstrated how a leisure and cultural procurement can secure a quality partnership focusing on outcomes and delivering and outstanding result on their management fee, driving out significant cashable savings on the previous contract.

In the afternoon, SLC ran ‘surgeries’ where delegates were divided into small groups to discuss their own leisure and cultural service challenges. The themes of the sessions included the current leisure market, Leisure Procurement scope, re-procuring mature contracts and optimising social and financial procurement outcomes.

Feedback from the session was outstanding with a 96% overall satisfaction rating including comments such as:

  • “Very informative”
  •  “Today was very helpful and informative and addressed all of my expectations and needs”
  •  “Excellent day with quality subject matter”
  •  “A well-structured and informative session. I can’t think of anything to improve.”

SLC has been running industry leading Think Tanks since its inception in 2010 and is running its next session on Transforming Leisure and Cultural Provision in Sheffield on March 21 2018.

The focus of this Think Tank is to provide a more informed approach to delivering leisure and cultural services sustainably by exploring the various stages of the transformation journey.

It also provides an opportunity to meet with colleagues from other authorities, organisations and experts involved in the transformation of their services in a challenging financial climate.

Further details are available on request.

For more information call us on 01444 459927 or email info@slc.uk.com