- By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter funded by New Zealand on Air
Auckland Council has awarded new contracts for 20 pools and leisure centres, consolidating operations under two providers and ending Belgravia Leisure.
At a recent meeting of the council’s revenue, expenditure and value committee, councillors awarded new contracts for two suppliers to manage the operation of 20 outsourced pools and leisure centres.
Community Leisure Management will oversee 13 centres, while YMCA North Incorporated will manage seven.
Three operators were previously involved, including Belgravia Leisure, which was not re-awarded a contract.
The new contracts follow the Governing Body’s decision to proceed with an enhanced partially outsourced model.
The council’s community director, Rachel Kelleher, says the new contracts gives the council a chance to reevaluate performance metrics.
“Those contracts had been in place for some time and had an element of sort of legacy to them.”
She says the new agreements also ensure Auckland Emergency Management has access to the facilities in emergencies.
“We saw during the significant storm events that those sites can play a key role in supporting communities during times of need.”
Kelleher says the new contracts have a stronger approach for managing performance issues and provides options for penalties.
Councillor Greg Sayers asked about the specifics of access during an emergency.
“[Are] any of them required to be opened and available for providing civil defence type services,” Sayers asked.
Kelleher confirms the contracts ensure the ability to access the centres to be used as civil defence centres or community shelters.
“That has been written in the contracts with a negotiation position of a two-week access with the potential to extend that out if that’s needed depending on the scale of the event,” Kelleher says.
