Dorset Council has launched a consultation on future management arrangements at Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre (QELC) in Wimborne.
Dorset Council does not own the leisure centre at Queen Elizabeth School, but the Council manage and subsidise its community use at the cost of over half a million pounds each year. This means the funding of QELC is far higher than any of the eight leisure facilities the Council owns, which have to share what’s left of the £1.7m per year leisure centres budget.
There is a good level of alternative leisure provision in the local area to QELC, with a high number of public leisure facilities within a 20 min drive time, including three owned by Dorset Council. There are also several large private and budget leisure clubs within a 10-mile radius; and this high level of competition continues to have a negative impact on the centre’s trading.
In short, a third of Dorset Council’s overall leisure budget is currently being spent on one leisure centre that the Council doesn’t own, in an area that already has a very good supply of leisure provision. This current arrangement at QELC raises the question as to whether this is fair to the Dorset Council Taxpayer, and/or provides value for money.
Therefore, the Council is considering withdrawing from the management agreement at QELC.
We understand pulling out of QELC could lead to the Queen Elizabeth School Foundation Trustees having to make significant changes to the way the centre operates. So, we have launched a consultation that enables the Council to fully understand the potential future impact on users, clubs, and employees.
The Council needs to find out how users, clubs and stakeholders would be impacted if Dorset Council were to withdraw from the current management agreement. We also want to find out if there are any unforeseen impacts of the proposals and, if so, whether these can be mitigated.
The survey will close on Sunday 7 November 2021. The results will be fed back to Dorset Council members, who will aim to make a final decision by the early part of 2022.
No decision will be made until we have heard and considered the views of those affected. The Council would need to provide two years’ notice to withdraw from the management agreement.
Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services, said:
“At a time when all our Council budgets are stretched, we are struggling to justify continuing to spend so much on a facility that we don’t own, in an area that already has many leisure opportunities.
We recognise that, if the school is unable to make alternative arrangements for the future management of the facility, there may be an impact on both employees and users of QELC. Therefore, it is important we carry out this consultation exercise so we can properly consider the views of those who may be most affected by the proposed withdrawal of our management.
If you are a resident of the Dorset Council area or a regular visitor to QELC as an individual, part of a group or an employee, then we want to hear your views. Please fill out the survey before the 7 November, after which we will collate the feedback, publish our findings and report back to elected members, who will make a final decision on our future with QELC. Thank you for your input.”
What has ownership got to do with the cost of running it? You do not explain. Is the high cost of running related to the size when compared to other sites? You do not say. It is a useful community asset and there is no other facility in Wimborne, a town of 16,000 people.
When responding to the consultation, it’s important for all Dorset residents to be aware that we do not own the facility when a third of our overall leisure centre budget (which is Dorset Council Tax payer’s money) is being spent to manage it, as opposed to the eight leisure centres we do own and are responsible for that cost much less. It also needs to be recognised that, as we do not own QELC, it is not our facility to close. Therefore, in the event we do decide to stop managing QELC, the school is free to look at other ways that the site could be operated and maintained in the future without Council involvement – James
who owns the leisure centre? I swim there frequently and would miss it greatly my children all loved going to activities there I think Wimborne needs this facility especially as we should be encouraging people to travel less and take some congestion off the roads .Also there has been a hugh amount of new housing in Wimborne which I am sure will lead to more users of the centre please do all you can to maintain this lovely centre for the local community and the students ,the school really needs the support to manage the centre they woiuld lose a lot of money if the council withdraws
Whilst I agree that the ownership is important – any significant capital investment in a building not owned by the Council should be questioned – I don’t think you answer Mike Greenland’s question. Why is the cost of running QELC so much higher than the costs of running other (very comparable) leisure facilities in the Dorset Council area?
This would be a great pity. I have used QE for at least 15 years and it provides everything I need, and pyhsicaly and mentally.
Both my wife and I would be lost without it surely there must be alternative ways to save this money.
Maybe cut down on ridiculus cycle tracks?
Please note that funding for cycleways for Wimborne has come from central government for the sole purpose of developing sustainable travel infrastructure. It cannot be used for leisure provision.
Surely you cannot close such a brilliant facility, it is used by young and old.
The local Doctor Surgeries advise us to go for exercise following surgery to help us recover fully.
Do you want us to travel further, causing more pollution.
Please look at decision this sensibly
It’s not our facility to close Ginna – it belongs to the school. We’re consulting to find out the impact of QELC closing in the event that the school cannot keep it running if we choose to stop managing it – James
As the recent Local plan DC suggested you could get from Colehill to Dorchester in 15 minutes by public transport I would like clarification of where these alternative sites are both DC owned and public and private.
There is a map on the second page of the survey that shows where alternative leisure facilities are based in the area – James
I contacted QE for swimming lessons for my son and the beginners classes already have 70 on the waiting list. If you remove this facility, what happens to the children looking for this very important skill. What is being done about the significant pressure this puts on other centres.
How do we get to a situation where Dorset Council are now saying that the money subsidy is too much and not before now or even entered into such an agreement?
The current agreement was made between the school and East Dorset District Council. When the latter was wrapped up in 2019, Dorset Council inherited the management contract – James
I believe that everything possible needs to be done to maintain this important facility for the town and the community. With the increase in housing development in the area, it is an asset that that will be surely be used more. I’m not sure that older local people will necessarily be able to go outside of the town via public transport for activities and certainly not children who can currently access the leisure centre by walking or cycling. And what about the pupils of the school? Where will their PE classes be held. Is QE School not advertised as being a good choice for those choosing a sports career in the future? Please don’t let it close.
I imagine that it is a case of expediture exceeding income. Would it not be possible to increase income by simply charging more for the facility. If you compare the price of services at the QELC with similar facilities in the area you will find QELC extremly competitive The facility is good and much appreciated in the area. More attention should be given to finding alternative soutions to Council withdrawal.
Shame on you !
This leisure centre is an absolute necessity to the community for health, education and wellbeing. Has the council considered we need to recover from what we have just experienced in our lives – a deadly pandamic which has affected all of us in one way or another. It is important we return to health and maintain our health for the future, we are still living with it and god forbid it may happen in the deadly way again. By dealing with our own health and wellbeing, it will, in return help the already overburdened NHS. How can you put a price on this type of provision?
Education; Our children and indeed adults need to learn to swim – we are surrounded with water.
I travel 25 mins to the best and only facility available.
The cynical side to me that this was always going to be the plan i.e EDDC > DCCs intention – run it down and shut it – shame on all of you
With respect JS, shouting “Shame on you!” when no decision has been made and we are actively asking users, employees and local residents for their views is unfair. We have a responsibility to all Dorset residents to ensure that public money is being spent responsibly; to not consider the future costs of managing QELC would be financially irresponsible, just as it would be reckless for us to not consider the potential community impact of the centre closing down. These are not reviews and/or decisions we take lightly, hence why we are out to public consultation – James
So, the first major impact of Dorset Council on the Wimborne area following abolition of EDCC is to attempt to close the town’s major leisure facility (and as a consequence save less than .2 % of DC’s £300m plus budget) with all the negative effects this will have on the general health and wellbeing of the local population, QE school not to mention the environment with all those extra car journeys (for those who own cars ) to find comparable facilities across the county . All this to save less than .2% of DC’s £300m annual budget .
It’s clear from the documentation and comments provided by DC to date that they are only interested in finding reasons for withdrawing from the agreement. I haven’t been able to find anything in the documentation that looks at why the dual use was set up in the first place or any positives for the current arrangement . DC seem to make a huge deal of it being dual use (“we don’t own”) and so not under their full control . Who has an issue with this apart from DC . I haven’t met a single QELC user that sees joint use with the school as a “constriction” as DC state. In fact to the contrary many users see sharing with the school as a positive in developing a broader sense of community within the Wimborne area . IT seems to me that It is the DC obsession that they need to fully own leisure facilities for them to be of value that is the problem. Have DC looked at the original reasons and background for setting up the dual use agreement in the first place and planning for it (to run until 2086) or do they now think they know better without doing this ?
It’s also disingenuous for DC to claim that “it is not our facility to close….” DC Know full well that QE School will almost certainly have to close the public facility if DC cancel the agreement.
QELC is the only major leisure centre in the Wimborne area. Try driving to the Dolphin Centre, or any of the other facilities listed for that area in 20 minutes during the rush hour. How about non car drivers and groups ? Do DC really want more road traffic criss crossing the county in search of leisure centres
Have DC looked at how they might be able to encourage more use of QELC rather than seeing it as a liability from EDDC which is my impression
It’s good the DC are initiating a public consultation but I see nothing In the background information provided that suggests they have an open mind on the issue. For users that read this what do you think about meeting up to discuss how we can provide further coordinated input into the consultation process. If I see sufficient interest on this comments board I will try to arrange something
With all the buildings going on in and around Wimborne ,there will be a lot of people and children wanting to use the leisure facilities.
Maybe have you considered raising the fees. I cannot see a problem there .
The town is being ruined enough and now you are talking about closing QE leisure centre.
By withdrawing from the agreement, DC would show ignorance of Wimborne’s needs, especially related to health and well-being. At this time of unfettered housing expansion around the town, more, not less, accessible leisure and social facilities should be on the agenda. Look to the future and have consideration for local people, their community and their environment – attending facilities out of the Wimborne area would be an exclusive, costly and polluting nonsense.
First of all I would point out that the people of Wimborne are also Dorset Council taxpayers so fairness to us must also be considered. I find the suggestion to stop funding QELC quite bizarre at a time when the Dorset Council have allowed a massive housing development which contrary to the claim was for local people will in fact bring in many many more people (together with the additional council tax income) to Wimborne. Is it not therefore appropriate that as QELC serves such a big population it should receive the appropriate funds. QELC is a great facility and the pool is second to none – I have been using QELC virtually since it opened and continue to visit 3-4 times a week. Whilst it’s true there are facilities elsewhere the nearest councul swimming pool is Ferndown which is an 8 mile rouind trip by car which is only going to aggravate the already congested roads in the area – trying to match bus time tables to leisure facility timetables is a non starter. Private fitness facilities rarely include a decent sized (25m) swimmimg pool, and are more expensive than council facilities. I feel it would be extremely unfair and discriminatory to take such a large council tax from Wimborne only to divert those funds to pay for leisure facilities at Dorchester, Wareham, or Weymouth, with nothing for Wimborne. To abandon QELC would be totally contradictory to the Government’s directives to maintain and improve the health of ALL the population and reduce emissions of CO2. What is going to happen to the School use of QELC – is that funding just going to be passed on to the education budget (also public funding). Surely there are models of funding and pricing which could be designed without withdrawing completely. If such an alternative is not found I would consider that to be a failing of Dorset Council to meet it’s obligations to all residents. It is unthinkable to not provide leisure facilities in a town the size of Wimborne and it would be seen as once again the east of the county being sacrificed to enhance the west.
Is the full report that was given to councillors relating to the findings of the consultation available please?
The current version of the report (and the appendix that contains the consultation results) can be downloaded at https://moderngov.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=651&MId=5184&Ver=4 – James