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15
Dec 2022
Harrogate council company to run leisure centres in Selby
An arm’s-length company set up by Harrogate Borough Council will run Selby’s leisure services from September 2024.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive met yesterday to approve a report recommending Brimhams Active takes over Selby’s services, which include Selby Leisure Centre, Tadcaster Leisure Centre and Summit Indoor Activity.
The arrangement will be on an interim basis whilst the new North Yorkshire Council, which comes into existence in April, undertakes a £120,000 review of leisure services with the aim of creating a countywide model for delivering leisure and sport by 2027.
Selby District Council will not renew its contract with Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, a charity that manages its leisure services.
Brimhams Active was launched by Harrogate Borough Council in August 2021 when it took over control of leisure centres and swimming pools in Harrogate, Starbeck, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.
Ripon's new leisure centre is among the facilities already run by Brimhams Active.
Harrogate Borough Council hailed the move as a “new vision for the future” of services and said it would save around £400,000 a year through business rates relief and VAT benefits.
Ownership of the company and the contracts of staff will transfer to the new North Yorkshire Council on April 1.
Cllr Michael Harrison, the Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate as well as executive member for health and adult social care, told the meeting yesterday:
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The Brimhams Active board includes managing director Mark Tweedie, Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Wallace Sampson, director of economy and culture Trevor Watson and councillors Sam Gibbs, Stan Lumley and Pat Marsh.
Of the seven soon-to-be abolished district and borough councils, Harrogate Borough Council is the only authority that uses an arm’s-length company to run services. Scarborough, Ryedale, Selby and Richmond outsource their services whereas Hambleton and Craven provide theirs in-house.
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