Adur Community Leisure’s Prolonged Closure Statement

We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support from our members and the public since the recent press coverage surrounding our request for local authority financial support. Our statement below wishes to address some of the inaccuracies we have seen in the media.

Who we are?
Adur Community Leisure (ACL - charity number 1112020) is a registered charity primarily set up to deliver ADC’s leisure service on a 30-year contract.

ACL is governed by a board of volunteer trustees (Directors) who are local residents and have an interest in the health and wellbeing of our community. The trustees have no financial benefit from the company, for example they do not receive any of the surpluses.

ACL is managed by Impulse Leisure; who are a non-profit distributing organisation who provide management support for two charities in the UK – Adur Community Leisure (ACL) and Thurrock Community Leisure (TCL). As a registered charity ACL operates as business-i.e. maximise surplus, with 100% of those surpluses being reinvested back into the services, facilities or health improvement programmes.

ACL and similar organisations in the leisure industry, are Social Enterprises promoting inclusive leisure and community health & wellbeing with over 500,000 visitors per year.
Over the last 15 years those surpluses and the operating budgets have resulted in approximately £5 million being invested in the facilities and equipment. The facilities have been immeasurably improved since ACL took over in 2005.

ACL has been at the forefront of the community, providing health and fitness services through all its activities with the aim of improving the physical and mental wellbeing of those that live in the Adur area. Throughout these years, ACL has played a huge part in reducing the strain on NHS services, through the provision of Health Referral Schemes which prevent, maintain and cure illness, injury and mental health conditions. This is a vital resource for the Adur community and enables patients who use the scheme to improve their quality of life. Without these services we would expect to see increased strain and cost to the NHS, increased waiting times and appointments for GPs, hospitals, physiotherapists and other health professionals.

Alongside, it’s extensive Health Referral Schemes, ACL offers a range of services to all ages of our community, these include Grub Club – Sessions designed to combat holiday hunger which are available to parents/carers and guardians, who are struggling to feed their children in the school holidays by providing children with free healthy meals, cooking skills and fitness sessions; Swimming Lessons – Teaches all ages a necessary lifesaving skill, and boosts water confidence, which is incredibly important due to our proximity to the coastline; Junior Gym sessions for 11-15 year olds which help to tackle anti-social behaviour and childhood obesity; Short Breaks Activities for children and young adults with additional needs, these sessions include trampolining, fun days and gym; Shift the Timber – targeting overweight men, providing specific nutritional advice and guidance to weight loss through healthy eating and football; Over 60 sessions which reduce social isolation and improve health and fitness levels and improve quality of life. Other activities ACL provide to tackle obesity, health inequalities, sedentary lifestyles and sports performance include racket sports, team sports, trampolining, Mighty Mites fitness sessions for the under 5’s, public swimming, holiday activities and clubs, gym sessions, fitness classes for all ages, junior activities including coaching.

ACL are also a host to a variety of free sessions all designed to benefit the community, these include Memory Café – for those who are suffering from Dementia and their carers and Save a Baby’s Life Courses – A workshop aimed to teach basic emergency skills to anyone who cares for a baby. They are also host to over 140 local clubs, groups and organisations who use the facilities regularly.

What has been achieved?

In 2005 ACL took over the three Local Authority facilities, namely Lancing Manor, Southwick and Wadurs. These circa 1970’s buildings did not reflect the modern leisure needs of the community, as well as costing the local Authority £800k annually an amount which was increasing on an annual basis. Impulse Leisure took immediate investment loans to the value of over £2m needed to modernise the current facilities to make them fit for purpose. The agreed management fee in 2005 was £450k saving an immediate £350k from that prior to takeover.

ACL continued to invest in ADC’s facilities and leisure services to the total value of £4.9 million. Despite the ongoing investments ACL had also managed to continually reduce the Management fee from £450k to £125k with a forecast prediction of operating at a zero-management fee by 2023. These reductions enabled ADC to redistribute these funds to other departments.

Why are we in this position?

Over the years surpluses and reserves have been used to undertake service and facility improvements. Prior to the closure, ACL were operating with low levels of reserves due to recent competition, whilst servicing some loans taken to invest in the facilities. However, positive financial achievements in early 2020 were being seen the months leading up to the government enforced closure. The impact of COVID-19 and prolonged period of closure has had a significant impact on the financial position of ACL and all other leisure providers throughout the UK.

It is obvious that any business without income during this closure period, will need some financial support. The Government support, particularly the Coronavirus job retention scheme (furlough) has been useful in reducing staff cost expenditure.

Despite all efforts, ACL has not been eligible and been unable to access other major Government supplied support packages.

As a last resort, ACL approached their Local Authority (Adur District Council) for financial support.

However, we appreciate that like many local authorities ADC has limited funds and many competing priorities for those funds.

What is really required locally and nationally is ring-fenced Government funding to help LAs to support their local leisure operators. CLUK (Leisure Trust trade body) report that nationally 67% of organisations similar to ACL are non-viable within 12 months.