HERITAGE, CULTURE, LEISURE AND SPORT SCRUTINY MEETING - COVID-19 - Sports Services Impact and Recovery - Meetings, agendas, and minutes
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HERITAGE, CULTURE,
LEISURE AND SPORT
SCRUTINY MEETING
COVID-19 – Sports Services Impact and
Recovery
Date of Meeting: 16 July 2020
Lead director: Ivan BrowneUseful information
◼ Ward(s) affected: All
◼ Report author: Andrew Beddow
◼ Author contact details: andrew.beddow@leicester.gov.uk
◼ Report version number: DV1
1. Summary
1.2 The HCLS Report firstly, sets out the impact of COVID19 on the service in
terms of customers, finance and initial thoughts on implications including the
effect on projected membership and usage growth, and impact on the
approved leisure centre capital programme.
1.3 Secondly, the report sets out how the service plans to recover from the impact
of COVID and reopen the facilities and services in order to begin to redress the
detrimental impact and to operate facilities safely in line with current guidance.
The report highlights potentially service implications that may have an impact
on customers that are currently being considered and finally gives an overview
on how local sports organisations are tapping into the support that is available
via local and national funding and support programmes and toolkits.
COVID Impact
1.4 Following the Prime Ministers announcement on Friday 20th March for gyms
and leisure centres to close, all the Council’s Leisure Facilities closed on
Friday evening.
1.5 All leisure centres memberships and direct debits have been frozen. 1300
Customers have cancelled their membership which equates to a loss of annual
income of c£380k per annum.
1.6 The Service was budgeted to achieve £5.4 million income last year and
overachieved this target accruing £5.77 million of income. The performance of
the Service has improved significantly over the last three years. Sports
Services currently generates c.£480k income per month and therefore the
current closure will have a significant impact on projected income for the year.
1.7 It’s important to note that the £5.77 million generated last year was
achieved with all leisure centres working without any restrictions. It is inevitable
that when centres reopen each centre will have restrictions on the number of
customers that are able to access the gym, class or swimming pool at any one
time in order to ensure social distancing. The impact of these restrictions will
mean that each leisure centre will have reduced income capacity but may have
similar levels of expenditure.
1.8 COVID guidance from relevant leisure and sport national governing bodies has
been fully considered as part of the risk assessment process and the revised
operation procedures. Trade Unions have also been consulted in regard to theCOVID 19 revised risk assessments and operating procedures.
1.9 Prior to the COVID pandemic Sports Services had previously reported that it is
on track to save the £1.2 million saving by 2021. The impact of COVID on
Sports Services financial performance is significant and the progress achieved
over the last three years will take some time to regain. Nationally, the view is
that it will take up to three years for the leisure centre sector to recover from
the COVID outbreak.
2. COVID impact on Leisure Centre Capital Programme
2.1 Cossington is on track to be completed by August 2020 and work at Aylestone
Leisure Centre to extend the gym and fitness facilities commenced on June 29,
2020.
2.2 Evington Leisure Centre - Factors around COVID are affecting contract
finalisation on this project, however subject to contract finalisation we will look to
commence site works as soon as practical.
3. COVID Recovery Plans
3.1 The Council has in place a corporate COVID risk assessment process that will
need to be completed for all Council buildings, facilities and Services to be
undertaken before sites could be considered for reopening. We have completed
this process with colleagues in Estates and Health and Safety in order to reopen
Humberstone Heights Golf Course, Saffron Lane Athletics Track and Bowls and
Tennis facilities. We have taken a cautious and measured approach to
reopening the golf course and this approach will be applied to all our facilities
when the government announcements allow leisure centres and gyms to
reopen.
3.2 On the 20 May Humberstone Heights Golf Course was reopened to the public,
after nearly two months of closure. Memberships remain frozen while we run a
limited service, with footgolf and pitch & putt currently unavailable. The phased
opening up of the course will enable the course to increase its capacity and
occupancy safely. As of the 8 June the course is now back to 80% capacity with
memberships unfrozen.
3.3 Following the opening of Outdoor Sports Facilities Golf Course we are now
completing the same process for the leisure centres. Football Investment
Strategy facilities will remain closed until the national guidance for football
allows for further restrictions to be lifted to allow competitive football to return.
3.4 Football Teams and Clubs will be directed towards delivering training and
coaching in small groups on grass. Managers will pro-actively work on the risk
assessment process for the FIS facilities over the summer period and take on
board national guidance as it develops to set a time frame for reopening the FIS
facilities.
3.5 Activity on Parks has increased following the easing of lockdown restrictions,
particularly with football and cricket. Where training is taking place by affiliatedfootball and cricket teams, they are adhering to NGB guidelines and NGBs have
been proactive by communicating with clubs, reminding them of how they can
participate in their sports safely within a Covid-19 environment. Recreational
sport by the community at large is proving difficult to police with frequent reports
of the public not adhering to government and NGB guidance, social media
messages have been issued to remind the public of the need to keep to social
distancing. Parks resources are being stretched with staff often being faced with
conflict when dispersing or splitting up groups not adhering to government
advice, with most issues of non-compliance now being referred to the Police.
Activity on parks is being kept under review with the possibility that more
restrictive action may need to be considered.
3.6 National guidance on COVID and leisure centres and gyms has been produced
by UK Active to support all Leisure Centre Operators develop the safe systems
of work and risk assessment process and managers are using this guidance to
support our own Leisure Centre COVID risk assessment recovery plans. At the
time of producing this report the risk assessment and revised operating
procedures to re-open dry-side activities for the gym, group exercise and
racquet sports have been shared with the Trade Unions and corporate health
and safety team have given their approval.
3.7 At the time of writing the HCLS report, the government had not set a date to
reopen leisure centres and gyms and we do recognise that in reality for
Leicester this may not be for some weeks/months when the restrictions are lifted
to allow leisure centres in Leicester to reopen.
3.8 Adjusted procedures for swimming pools are being worked up and approval
request for wet-side activities will be submitted when we are ready to do so over
the next couple of weeks.
3.9 The government have indicated that they may be prepared to consider re-
opening leisure centres and gyms around mid-July, however the local lockdown
situation in Leicester may have an impact locally and put back this date for all
city-based gyms and leisure centres.
3.10 Sports Services are aware that any government announcement that leisure
centres and gyms can reopen will create a level of public expectation on the
service to reopen and therefore its important that we work closely with
colleagues in EBS and Health and Safety to ensure all the necessary risk
assessments and safe systems of work have been approved and are in place
prior to reopening.
3.11 The impact of COVID 19 on the operation and programming of our leisure
centres is significant. The next section of the report provides a level of detail on
the phased plan to reopen leisure centres and details on the types of restrictions
that will be in place to protect staff and customers.
3.12 Phased re-opening Plan for Leisure Centres
Phased programme:
• Soft launch programmes to test new operating processes with a 5-step opening
approach:- Step 1: Outdoor Provision – already commenced – (opening outdoor sports
provision still subject to national guidance from sports bodies)
- Step 2: Gym, Group Exercise Dry-Side, Casual Badminton & Table Tennis
- Step 3: Lane Swimming, General Swimming & Swimming Clubs
- Step 4: Swimming Lessons, Dry-Side Courses, Group Exercise Wet-side &
the wider pool programme.
- Step 5: School Swimming, Catering & other activities.
• The phased approach allows the service to concentrate on getting its core
health & fitness offer up and running. Followed by a controlled swimming pool
programme.
Phased centres:
• Staff members may have shielding or self-isolation requirements and therefore
resources to operate leisure centres will be stretched. To mitigate this, the plan
is to operate 6 leisure centres on re-opening.
• New Parks Leisure Centre is proposed to open on reduced opening hours, a
month after larger leisure centres across the city due to their product offer,
limitations around social distancing and mitigation on staffing cover.
• To assist with cleanliness & hygiene measures all leisure centres will close for
one hour during the day at off peak time to complete deep cleaning of all areas.
This is in addition to increased cleaning regimes throughout opening times.
3.13 Reception
• No cash, card only, all transactions prompted as contactless payment
• To avoid customer congestion / queues, customers must register and book
online only (very limited in-centre or over the phone on case by case basis)
• Management barriers outside centres where busy sessions
3.14 Gym
• Reduced gym capacity with pre-booking for sessions
• Depending on the centre, some may run 60 min sessions with 30 min closures
to clear the gym and allow for cleaning
• Potential of relocating gyms to sports hall to give more space for equipment /
customers, this will disrupt the programme in sports hall
• No induction for the gym by the FI, therefore anyone who wants an induction
goes online for an induction
• No water fountains
• Potentially no dry side changing rooms or showers, toilets only.
3.15 Group Exercise/Studio
• Reduced capacity in classes, potential of relocating classes to sports hall or
outside
• The membership base may not come back, therefore class programme will
naturally reduce
• Changing area for wet side will be limited, therefore aqua classes may be limited
• Looking at online group exercise on-demand service, so people can login with
their membership and access a library of group ex classes online at home
• Soft equipment will be removed from the studios, so mainly hard surface
equipment remaining so the classes will adjust in content
3.16 Swimming Pool Operation• Swimming lessons will be provided at a reduced level for stage 4 upwards
(those swimming 25m) and at very reduced ratios in foundation stages in
teaching pools.
• General swim very reduced capacity, including lane swimming, with 60-minute
book in-advance sessions.
• Advance booking for all sessions, based on changing room capacity, for
example only 10 swimmers at Evington LC per hour.
• Potentially changing rooms, toilets only, no showers. Or a message of turn up
pre-changed and go home in wet costume with “poncho” towel for kids in
swimming lessons
3.17 Other considerations
• Due to coach proximity and cleaning / hygiene of mats and soft equipment, no
gymnastics or trampolining courses when we reopen.
• No squash courts will be open, but we will operate badminton or table tennis.
• Club hire will come back in line with NGB guidance.
• Culture of customer cleaning in addition to staff cleaning, for example education
to customer on taking spray bottles, cleaning their weights or gym machine
before and after use.
• Pricing, where we provide a product, we will maintain our pricing level and
membership fees, however we will give customers the option to continue to
freeze during this period of uncertainty.
4.0 Supporting Customer and residents during the pandemic.
4.1 Sport Services have continued to engage with our customers during the
pandemic via the existing Active Leicester social media channels. The
#KeepingLeicesterActive campaign is providing daily updates on the Active
Leicester social media channel and weekly newsletter with tips on maintaining
positive physical and mental health during the pandemic. Over the coming
months a new digital platform will be provided, whereby members can stream
exercises classes from home, within their existing membership.
4.2 The impact of COVID 19 on local community sports clubs and groups across the
country has been significant. Many sports clubs have concerns as to their future
viability largely due to the loss in revenue and the inability to retain members.
Outlined in Appendix 1 is a breakdown of the various options that sports clubs
can tap into in order to receive help and support.
4.3 We produced a survey at the start of the pandemic to better understand the
impact covid-19 was having on our local stock of community sports clubs. 30
clubs completed the survey in total and all reported concerns over loss of
income and their ability to recoup that loss without financial support. A lot of
clubs also reported that they were concerned about whether or not they would
be able to convince members to return to their club when government guidance
allowed that and were concerned at how difficult it was going to be to recruit
new members in the future.
4.4 38 Leicester City based local community sports clubs/organisations applied for
funding from the Leicestershire and Rutland Sport SOS Emergency Fund. 11
clubs were successful in securing financial support via this grant. The totalamount of funding secured by Leicester City based sports clubs from this fund
was £20,014. In total 89 sports organisations (a variety of private/community)
accessed rate relief from Leicester City Council. 43 organisations accessed
retail discount, 17 accessed small business rates relief and 2 accessed 100
discretionary relief.
4.6 The most recent Active Lives data which was released by Sport England in April
2020 (covering activity levels between November 2018 and November 2019)
and details what percentage of residents in Leicester City are active, fairly active
and inactive on a typical week confirmed that in Leicester City 55.9% of the 16+
population were achieving 150+ minutes of physical activity per week (active),
13.5% were achieving between 30 minutes and 149 minutes (fairly active) and
30.7% were achieving less than 30 minutes (inactive). In a similar survey
conducted at local level by Leicestershire and Rutland Sport covering the first
covid-19 lockdown it was reported that 31% of adults (aged 18+) in Leicester
were active (150+ minutes) during a typical week in lockdown, 55% were fairly
active (30-149 minutes) and 14% were inactive (less than 30 minutes). This
shows a clear reduction (25%) in the percentage of adults meeting the CMO
guidelines of 150+ minutes per week during the covid-19 lockdown. There is a
significant increase in the percentage of fairly active adults (41.5%) and a 16.7%
reduction in the number of inactive adults. The Leicestershire and Rutland Sport
survey was conducted with a much smaller sample size (1/3 of the sample size
of Active Lives).
4.7 In a national survey conducted by Sport England to track physical activity
attitudes and behaviours during the covid-19 lockdown (April – May) on average
33% of adults reported doing more physical activity than usual and 38%
reported doing less. In the equivalent survey administered by Leicestershire and
Rutland Sport 40% of Leicester City residents reported doing more physical
activity during a typical week in lockdown compared to pre covid-19 and 49.2%
reported doing less. The residents that reported they had done more physical
activity during lockdown suggested that the main reasons for this were that they
needed something to do and that they had more time to do physical activity. The
residents that reported they had done less physical activity than usual during
lockdown suggested that this was because they were unable to do their usual
activities.
4.8 The national Sport England survey reported that the most popular physical
activities undertaken during the covid-19 lockdown were walking, cycling and
jogging and this is consistent with what Leicester City residents reported. The
most common reasons reported for taking part in physical activity were;
managing physical and mental health and more time to do physical activity.
Residents in Leicester City that reported they had done more physical activity
during lockdown in the Leicestershire and Rutland Sport survey suggested that
the main reasons for this were that they needed something to do and that they
had more time to do physical activity as they were working from home or not
working normal hours. The residents that reported they had done less physical
activity than usual during lockdown suggested that this was because they were
unable to do their usual activities.4.11 When comparing children’s lockdown physical activity habits to pre covid-19 on
a typical day 39.4% of children in Leicester City did more activity and 33% did
less.
4.12 When restrictions are lifted Leicester City residents reported on how the
following would impact on their physical activity levels.
• 72.7% intended to be more active when they can see more than one person
outside of their own household
• 42.6% intended to be more active when swimming pools and gyms re-open
• 33.9% intended to be more active when a more regular work pattern resume
• 27.5% intended to be more active when recreational sport returns
4.13 The above demonstrates that when the sport and leisure facilities across
Leicester City are able to re-open the public intention is to make full use of them
and play an important role in supporting residents return to an active lifestyle.
5. Recommendations
5.1 HCLS to note and provided feedback on the impact of COVID 19 on the service
and the progress in re opening outdoor sports facilities and plans in place to
reopen leisure centres.
5.2 HLCS to also note the additional support being provided via social media
platforms and the wider support available to community sports clubs and teams
that is available to city-based sports clubs and organisations as outlined in
appendix 1.
5.3 To note the impact of COVID on participation and activity across the city.APPENDIX 1 Guidance for Sports Clubs/Groups – During Covid-19
Stage Guidance Website Link
Stage 1 Clubs/Groups should check if they are eligible for https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder
any of the standard government support –
staffing costs/business rates/small business
grants and sick pay rebate.
Stage 2 Clubs/Groups are then encouraged to check how Grants - https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus/coronavirus-
Leicester City Council are administering grants business-support-grant-funding/
and providing advice and support during the
pandemic. Advice/Guidance - https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus/
Stage 3 Clubs/Groups can access FREE business advice to Online Toolkit - https://bizgateway.org.uk/our-services/support/coronavirus-
work through how they can manage the finances covid-19/
of their organisation during and after the virus
has passed. They can also complete a short form Business Support Request Form -
to identify their challenges and request business https://llepcovid19forms.evolutive.co.uk/(S(ckhynkdlglhnckddhwnhoedu))/For
support from experts who are keen to help. mPreApp1.aspx?m=1&utm_source=partners_form&utm_medium=email&utm_
campaign=partners_form
Stage 4 Club/Groups can then explore the support and Sport England - https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-
resources available from sports organisations help/coronavirus/funding-innovation-and-flexibility
such as Sport England, their respective National
Governing Body and Leicestershire & Rutland National Governing Bodies -https://www.lrsport.org/ngb-support-for-clubs-
Sport. and-organi
Leicestershire and Rutland Sport - https://www.lrsport.org/
Stage 5 Club/Groups can then explore the support and Digital Growth Support -
resources available through a range of additional https://www.ebusinessclub.biz/Events?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LL
organisations which will add value to all of the EP%20Monthly%20update%20April%202020%20-
information accessed at each of the stages above. %206%20April&utm_content=LLEP%20Monthly%20update%20April%202020%
20-%206%20April+CID_300445f9a88f4027fc4fab49ba5ca6de&utm_source=Ema
Club Matters-
https://learn.sportenglandclubmatters.com/course/view.php?id=71Sport Structures - https://www.sportstructures.com/about-us/covid-19-how-
we-are-supporting-the-sector/
Guidance for Sports Clubs/Groups – Post Covid-19/Return to Sport/Physical Activity
Stage Guidance Website Link
Stage 1 Clubs/Groups should check the government https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-
guidance on a phased return to sport and on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation
recreation to understand what offer (if any) they
can provide.
Stage 2 Clubs/Groups should then check advice/guidance Sport England – https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-
and make use of the resources of specific sports help/coronavirus/return-play
sector organisations such as Sport England/Club
Matters, CIMSPA and their respective National Club Matters -
Governing Body. https://learn.sportenglandclubmatters.com/course/view.php?id=71
CIMSPA – https://www.cimspa.co.uk/library-and-guidance/coronavirus---
cimspa-briefings/reopen-sport-and-physical-activity-sector-facility-reopening-
guidance
National Governing Bodies - https://www.lrsport.org/reboot-ngb-support
Stage 3 Clubs/Groups encouraged to make the most of Online Toolkit - https://bizgateway.org.uk/our-services/support/coronavirus-
the business/organisation support available. covid-19/
Business Support Request Form -
https://llepcovid19forms.evolutive.co.uk/(S(ckhynkdlglhnckddhwnhoedu))/For
mPreApp1.aspx?m=1&utm_source=partners_form&utm_medium=email&utm_
campaign=partners_formStage 4 Stay connected with funding opportunities, Funding - https://www.lrsport.org/fundingfinder
webinars, workshops and keeping up to date on
what's happening in the sector. Webinars -
https://www.lrsport.org/events?query=&radius=national&postcode=&type%5B
%5D=course&date=-
1&from=&to=&sport=&campaign=&programme=&submit=Filter
Adapting your delivery - https://www.lrsport.org/adapting-your-delivery311
Stage 5 Club/Groups can then explore the support and Digital Growth Support -
resources available through a range of additional https://www.ebusinessclub.biz/Events?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LL
organisations which will add value to all of the EP%20Monthly%20update%20April%202020%20-
information accessed at each of the stages above. %206%20April&utm_content=LLEP%20Monthly%20update%20April%202020%
20-%206%20April+CID_300445f9a88f4027fc4fab49ba5ca6de&utm_source=Ema
Club Matters-
https://learn.sportenglandclubmatters.com/course/view.php?id=71
Sport Structures - https://www.sportstructures.com/about-us/covid-19-how-
we-are-supporting-the-sector/
Stage 6 Clubs/groups encouraged to raise the profile of LRS social media handles - https://www.lrsport.org/social-media-links
their offer and share when they are reopening via
social media. Leicester City Council – @ActiveLeicesterYou can also read
