Enfield Council has been in discussion with Fusion Lifestyle, which runs leisure centres in Enfield, for a number of weeks to ensure leisure services across the borough can reopen safely and as quickly as possible.
During those discussions, Fusion Lifestyle asked Enfield Council to subsidise the reopening of the borough’s leisure centres and pay additional costs over and above those laid out in the contract.
Enfield Council was not prepared to pay Fusion Lifestyle even more taxpayers’ money for leisure service provision that was part of an existing contract, and which in our view should have been provided once the government announced leisure centres could reopen from 25 July.
As a result of these discussions all four of our leisure centres will reopen in the coming weeks. Albany and Southgate centres will provide ‘health and fitness’ services.
Southbury and Edmonton centres will open their swimming pools in addition to providing health and fitness services.
Enfield Council will not be paying a subsidy to Fusion Lifestyle.
It is critical that Fusion Lifestyle ensures the leisure centres are clean and safe for all users, this includes Enfield residents and swimming clubs, that work is taking place now.
Enfield Council has worked to ensure Fusion Lifestyle reopen up leisure centres and swimming pools in the borough, while demonstrating fiscal responsibility at a time when Council budgets are under extreme pressure.
Additional information
So far COVID-19 has cost Enfield Council an estimated £64m, to date government support is estimated as being £27m. The government pledged to cover local authority’s COVID-19 costs, meaning the government owes the people of Enfield an estimated £34m.
Southbury Leisure Centre will reopen during the week commencing 17 August, its pool will reopen week commencing 24 August
Southgate Leisure Centre will reopen during the week commencing 17 August
Edmonton Leisure Centre will reopen during the week commencing 24 August, its pool will reopen during the week commencing 31 August
Albany Leisure Centres will reopen during the week commencing 24 August.
Leisure Centre provision was originally outsourced by a previous Council administration in 2010.