Leisure services tender process underway

Dudley Council is inviting organisations to put in bids to run the borough’s leisure service.

Dudley Borough Leisure Service receives a significant subsidy each year. With the council under financial pressure, and as part of the medium-term financial strategy, the council agreed in March the need to review the operating model and explore the option to outsource the service.

Initial evidence suggests the council could reduce, if not eliminate, the subsidy and the decision has been taken to carry out a tender exercise to outsource the leisure service to see if bids received support this.  

While no decision has yet been made, if it is agreed to outsource to an external leisure provider, the council will continue to ensure the service provided remains at a high level.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “We know the important role our leisure service has in our community, but the council needs to make financial savings so is exploring options to reduce the amount of money currently used to subsidise the service.

“No decision has yet been made. This will be a rigorous process to first see whether bids support our initial evidence and, if they do, to then find the right people, experts in this field, to run this important service.

“The centres will continue to offer the vast range of services and facilities throughout the process and beyond.”