A local businessman has criticised Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to choose a Somerset company to manage its investment in leisure services.
Jim Anderson, who runs Ripon metal recycling firm K A Anderson, said he was ‘utterly dismayed’ the council had not chosen a local company to handle the management of the project.
Mr Anderson said plenty of firms have had a hard time during the pandemic and it was wrong to award the contract to Somerset company Alliance Leisure.
Mr Anderson, whose business has been running for 40 years, said the contract should have gone to a local company.
He said:
“You see plenty of business struggling in Harrogate now.
“I just think there are lots of good local firms that could do the work. I think whatever the work, it should be given to them especially now.”
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Alliance Leisure will be tasked with progressing schemes, which include a refurbishment of Harrogate Hydro and a new leisure centre in Knaresborough, until they are ready to be constructed.
The company, which was awarded the contract without a competitive tender process, will be responsible for project management and business planning.
The contract does not include construction and the council has said the vast majority of the investment will be given to companies “within the region throughout the construction supply chain”.
An e-mail seen by the Stray Ferret from Michael Constantine, head of operations at the council, defended the decision to appoint Alliance Leisure.
It said:
“We are proposing to use Alliance Leisure as they have readily available, procurement compliant, specialist experience which, despite the range of local businesses in the borough, is not easily identifiable at a more local level.
“Alliance Leisure have experience of working within region having recently assisted Hambleton District Council with a leisure redevelopment.”
The council borrowed £1.7 million for design and business cases for the scheme.
It is not known if this is the precise sum being paid to Alliance Services.
It comes as last week the council announced that its preferred site for the new leisure centre in Knaresborough was the existing leisure centre site on King James Road.
Senior councillors are expected to discuss the matter at a cabinet meeting next Wednesday (December 2).
