CLACKMANNANSHIRE COUNCIL THIS PAPER RELATES TO ITEM 5 ON THE AGENDA Report to Clackmannanshire Council Date of Meeting: 3 November 2011 Subject: Alva Pool: Ochil Enterprises Business Case Report by: Head of Facilities Management 1.0 Purpose 1.1. At the meeting of the Council held on 30 June 2011, the Head of Facilities Management submitted a report "Vacant/Surplus Council Property and Buildings - Sales and Acquisitions Strategy" in respect of surplus vacant property held by the Council. The swimming pool at Queen Street Alva was one such property (site refalv236). The decision of the Council as regards the pool was that it be declared surplus to requirements, demolished and marketed together with site ALV20. 1.2. It was recorded in the Minute of that meeting held on 30 June 2011 that whilst the pool would close on the designated date, the Council would continue to operate a basic care and maintenance programme for a two month period to allow the submission and consideration of a business case to be put forward by Ochil Leisure Enterprises (OLE). 1.3 The Interim Business Plan submitted by Ochil Leisure Enterprises on 30 September (with further answers to questions submitted on 24 October 2011) has been analysed and considered, the findings of which are detailed in this report. 2.0 Recommendations 2.1 Council is recommended to note that the proposals contained in the submitted Interim Business Plan are not considered viable or sustainable such as to justify a different recommendation to that contained in the report to Council on 30 June 2011. 3.0 Background 3.1 In the Special Council meeting of 10 February 2011 Clackmannanshire Council approved the closure of Alva Pool. On 1 July 2011 the facility was closed. 3.2 The previous users of the facility have been largely offered alternative accommodation in Council facilities including the main two users (80% of customers), Alloa Swimming Club and Sports Development, who are reprovisioned in Tulliallan Swimming Pool. 11
3.3 At the Council meeting on 30 June 2011, Item 16, the Head of Facilities Management sought approval for the demolition of the pool and subsequent marketing of the site alongside the former Alva Academy site. This was approved on a division. Separate to the decision, the minute recorded that Alva Swimming Pool (Campaign) had been offered a period of 2 months in which to allow those who are compiling and putting forward a business case to show the "viability and sustainability" of that business case, both in financial and operational terms. 3.4 Ochil Leisure Enterprise wrote to the leader of the Council on 18 July 2011 to request an extension to allow a full business plan to be submitted. The Leader of the Council extended the period to submit a business plan to 30 September 2011. 3.5 The facility, whilst closed to the public, has been maintained in a care and maintenance order to minimise undue deterioration. As a result of the facility being vacant and maintained the Council currently spends some 8,000 per month ( 100,000 per annum). 3.6 On 30 September 2011 an Interim Business Plan was submitted. The primary purpose of the document is to secure ownership of the building and site by means of asset transfer from Clackmannanshire Council to Ochil Leisure Enterprises. 3.7 The interim business plan was submitted by OLE in so far as they considered they had insufficient time to submit a fully developed business plan. As a result many of the details and information that would normally be expected in a business plan were not presented. Supplementary detailed questions on the interim business plan were raised by the Head of Facilities Management including issues raised by Accountancy Services. In response OLE were unable to provide satisfactory details to many of the questions. 3.8 The submitted interim business plan is considered under the following criteria: Criteria Is the business viable and sustainable? Will financial support from the Council likely to be sought at a later date? "Interim" Business case The business case had indicative income and expenditure projections. The projections increase income significantly from previous 2010/11 Council operations (400-500%) with a reduction in opening hours (50 %) and costs (33%). It is the opinion of officers that this is optimistic, unsupported by adequate detail and likely to be unviable in the long term. Revenue: The interim plan does not include support from the Council but it is recognised that other community run pools do not operate without a public subsidy. 12 Capital: OLE recognise the need for capital upgrading and preliminary work to seek grant assistance is underway. It is likely that match funding would be required and the Council could be approached for capital support.
Value of asset/site Can the services be provided elsewhere? By transferring the building / site at nil value to a community group the Council would effectively write off the sale value of a 1.2 acre potential development site (subject to planning). The majority of previous swimming pool users have been re accommodated or offered alternative accommodation at Tulliallan or Alloa Leisure Bowl. Groups using the sports hall have the opportunity of using alternative and new sports facilities in Clackmannanshire, eg Alva Academy. One of the largest income generators is a new fitness club/gym facility which will be in direct competition with the Alva Academy less than 1 mile away. The business plan somewhat optimistically projects that a refurbished facility will then attract back users from new facilities elsewhere in Alva and Clackmannanshire. Start up costs / programme The interim business plan is presently lacking detail on start-up costs and timing of the required transfer. This period could be long to put firm plans and funding in place. Until this date the Council would be liable for the revenue costs of the facility ( 100,000 per annum). 3.9 Further, the interim business case argues that there is a lack of local facilities. Social prescribing by the NHS is stated as one reason to keep the facility however this fails to recognise established local facilities in Clackmannanshire. 3.10 Whilst retention of the pool would increase swimming capacity in the local area in the short term this would likely serve to undermine the viability of the Councils approved medium-longer term policy to replace the Leisure Bowl for the benefit of all of Clackmannanshire. Summary 3.11 The decision of Council and subsequent extension by the leader of the Council was to allow OLE to develop a business plan. This was to be viable and sustainable. The interim business plan presented whilst recognising the community involvement and significant work undertaken does not present in our opinion the basis for a viable business plan for the redevelopment of the facility or ongoing running where no public subsidy would be required. 3.12 The interim plan as presented is considered too ambitious and has a correspondingly high risk of failure. Insofar as community asset transfer typically involves no redemption (claw-back) clause, due to funding complications, then any failure of a project would likely involve a substantial public asset loss. Whilst recognising the good intentions and significant works undertaken the interim business plan is not considered viable and sustainable. 13
4.0 Sustainability Implications 4.1 The original recommendation to Council on 30 June 2011 was based on the Council being sustainable in the short and long term. In addition the current agreed Leisure Facilities Strategy (Council - December 2009) is to develop a replacement Alloa Leisure Bowl. Current Council financial planning does not include this and supporting the continued operation of the Alva Pool is considered to put this agreed strategy at risk. 5.0 Resource Implications 5.1 Financial Details 5.2 Revenue 5.2.1 The interim business plan expenditure from OLE is not fully inclusive of all costs that would be expected. Income is considered to be over ambitious and the opinion of officers is that the pool cannot operate at "break even" as presented. Equally a proportion of the proposed income generation would possibly come from groups using existing Council premises that would ultimately increase the public subsidy in these locations. 5.2.2 OLE are seeking charitable status and are at the start of the development process. The cashflows present indicative timescales for transferring the facility but this is optimistic and considered to be in excess of 6/9 months at best and any redevelopment would likely require significant pump priming of revenue and capital. Likewise, closure during a redevelopment is currently uncosted. 5.2.3 Current Council revenue costs are approximately 8,000 per month to maintain the premises without undue deterioration. The 2010/11 revenue saving was projected to be realised in the middle of 2011/12. Future care and maintenance funding is not included in the approved 2011/12 budget. Any extension given to OLE to develop a business case would require supplementary revenue budget approval. 5.3 Capital 5.3.1 The facility requires significant capital upgrading. OLE are in the process of seeking grant support from a variety of sources and the business plan is considered vague on potentially significant "match funding" that may be needed. The Council has not considered or approved any match funding. 5.3.2 If the facility is transferred to the community the Council will forego any possible future capital receipt in the sale of the 1.2 acre site for potential redevelopment (subject to planning). 5.3.3 The full financial implications of the recommendations are set out in this report. Equally, the analysis by the Financial Team is included at Appendix 1. Yes 5.3.4 Finance have been consulted and have agreed the financial implications as set out in the report. Yes 14
5.4 Staffing There are no council staffing implications of this report. The closure of the pool has been undertaken with no compulsory redundancies and staff redeployed within a wider Facilities Management restructuring. 6.0 Exempt Reports 6.1 Is this report exempt? Yes (please detail the reasons for exemption below) No 7.0 Declarations The recommendations contained within this report support or implement our Corporate Priorities and Council Policies. (1) Our Priorities 2008-2011 (Please double click on the check box ) The area has a positive image and attracts people and businesses Our communities are more cohesive and inclusive People are better skilled, trained and ready for learning and employment Our communities are safer Vulnerable people and families are supported Substance misuse and its effects are reduced Health is improving and health inequalities are reducing The environment is protected and enhanced for all The Council is effective, efficient and recognised for excellence (2) Council Policies (Please detail) Leisure Facilities Strategy - December 2009 8.0 Equalities Impact 8.1 Have you undertaken the required equalities impact assessment to ensure that no groups are adversely affected by the recommendations? Yes No 9.0 Legality 9.1 Should the Council accept the recommendation that the proposals contained in the submitted Interim Business Plan are not considered viable and sustainable such as to change the decision taken on 30 June 2011 then given that decision was taken within the last six months it cannot be altered or withdrawn unless specific conditions pertain (Standing Order 17.1). Otherwise, it is confirmed that in adopting the recommendation contained in this report the Council is acting within its legal powers. 15
9.2 It has been confirmed that in adopting the recommendations contained in this report, the Council is acting within its legal powers. Yes 10.0 Appendices 10.1 Please list any appendices attached to this report. If there are no appendices, please state "none". Ochil Leisure Enterprise - Interim Business Case Financial Analysis 11.0 Background Papers 11.1 Have you used other documents to compile your report? (All documents must be kept available by the author for public inspection for four years from the date of meeting at which the report is considered) Yes (please list the documents below) No Author(s) Interim Business Plan: Creating Jobs and Wealth - Improving Health September 2011 Supplementary answers to questions on the Interim Business Plan provided on 24 October 2011 NAME DESIGNATION TEL NO / EXTENSION Stephen Crawford Head of Facilities Management Extension : 2533 Approved by NAME DESIGNATION SIGNATURE Stephen Crawford Garry Dallas Head of Facilities Management Director of Services to Communities 16
APPENDIX 1 OCHIL LEISURE ENTERPRISE - INTERIM BUSINESS CASE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This paper provides comment on the financial information contained in the Interim Business Plan. Questions relating to the plan and the finance proposals submitted were answered in part on 24 October 2011 by OLE. Many of these questions were unanswered pending the development of a final business plan. This paper analyses the information presented by 24 October 2011 which is not fully detailed. 1.2 The plan is analysed and commented on in the following order: Expenditure: staffing costs, operational management costs, capital costs and funding; Income; and Sensitivity analysis 2.0 Expenditure 2.1 Staffing Costs 2 Full time (40hrs) pool attendant / maintenance and two part time (16hrs) along with a full time duty manager/supervisor (40hrs) are paid employees. This reflects the reduced opening hours. It has been assumed that volunteers will run the reception, cafe and back office, and it is questionable if this is realistic. If there are insufficient volunteers this will increase the staff costs. There would be a large commitment for every night to be covered in cafe and reception. Management is being contracted out but no costs are included in the business plan No staff costs are included in business plan for operating the proposed Fitness suite. In summary, there is a lot of reliance on volunteers with only staff costs built in for pool attendants and self employed swim instructors. 2.2 Operational Management Operational Day to Day Management - Management support is identified for logistics, compliance and financial management but there are no additional costs built into the projected expenditure. 17
2.3 Capital Costs Capital Grants are considered essential to owning the Alva Pool complex as a community pool and achieving income targets; Maximum awards detailed in business plan totals 2,585,000 with capital costs of projected investment range from 2,282,000 and 3,000,000 largely based on previous council feasibility studies; The business plan needs full grant awards from each funder and OLE have yet to commence the grant application process. Funding has been applied for to undertake business plan feasibility studies; The plan requires to secure the building from the Council, followed by the securing of funding for Capital Refurbishment. There are no alternative options within business plan if funding falls well below the target sum There are no indications on the success or otherwise of being awarded the grants from the proposed funders There is only a 300,000 difference from the maximum potential grants compared to the minimum capital costs leaving little room for manoeuvre; Failure to raise capital for refurbishment is quite rightly recognised in the submission as a high risk. 2.4 Income Income is shown as balancing Expenditure in the year with a slight surplus but there are a number of things that have not been taken into consideration at arriving at these figures. Start up costs exist prior to opening and are uncosted - plan seem to indicate that the building will operate in it's current condition prior to refurbishment No transition period for uptake of membership. Income assumed as beginning immediately. 180 Members for new establishment seems high No transition period for uptake of swimming lessons. Income assumed as beginning immediately. All classes for swimming lessons for 15 children assumed as being filled, with no allowance for children dropping out. Sensitivity of one child space in each class not being filled reduces the income by 1,120 per annum creating an instant deficit as there is no flexibility within Estimates Income from Sports Development has been assumed in the plan. Sports Development hire the pool for swimming lessons. If OLE is going to undertake swimming lessons in competition this possibly will negate the 8,640 income expected from Sports Development 150 children per week seems high for Soft Play, especially in start up Fundraising events has been assumed in the business plan - 5,000 per annum - 5 events a year @ 1,000 per time. This 18
does not seem realistic as people within the community may not be able to continually donate for fundraising events. Risk assessment of numbers of visitors stated as low in risk assessment submitted. It is our opinion this is a high risk. 3.0 Sensitivity analysis 3.1 The business plan income projections demonstrate that a movement of only 10% would see a deficit of 24,000, so there is no real flexibility within the expected income and expenditure account, as all expenditure for staffing and building costs still exist, whether or not income is achieved. 4.0 Summary 4.1 It is recognised that a lot of effort has been put into preparing the Interim Business Plan. However, the financial proposals are considered optimistic and not supported by detail to confirm viability. Finance & Corporate Services Clackmannanshire Council October 2011 19
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