Our work areas and experience: Culture, Sport and Leisure

What We Offer

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Our projects deliver multi-million pounds of revenue savings and investment together with a best value outcome.

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A comprehensive service for leisure and cultural services (leisure centres, arts, museums and libraries) from an initial business case to delivery of a procurement, trust, collaborative partnership or re-negotiation with your existing contractor.

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Delivery of new governance models for libraries, arts, museums and leisure.

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Modern tax-efficient (NNDR and VAT) out-put based documents from our tried and tested suite of best value documents or if you prefer, fine-tuning standard form documents.

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Support during a procurement or trust process in view of the new Public Contracts Regulations, recent UK and European case law and especially the impact of these on evaluation criteria and process and challenges. We have used the negotiated route, and also the new competitive dialogue.

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Support in updating your current arrangements with a trust or contractor, taking account of best value and financial constraints, CAA and Audit Commission Guidance and achieving revised arrangements which are more robust, include effective governance and are resilient in the current market.

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To diagnose and resolve any legal issues e.g, on State Aid, with your current provider or the Charity Commission.

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Detailed advice and support with human resources, Code on Workforce Matters and Pensions Direction and their impact on your process and documents.

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Support and advice on effective structuring of capital investment and the property arrangements, including landlord and tenant repairing split, break clauses and other key provisions.

Track Record

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In 2009, we completed three leisure procurements for Selby (to Wigan Leisure and Cultural Trust), Northumberland (its Berwick facility to Tees Active Limited) and Gravesham (retained by GCLL its existing trust).  Each procurement levered in multi-million pound investment and significant cashable revenue savings.  We also advised on a proposed externalisation of a golf club using the competitive dialogue.

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In 2006-8 we delivered six procurements for Bristol, High Peak, Kettering, Rushcliffe, Spelthorne and Staffordshire Moorlands.  Each procurement delivered major capital investment and cashable revenue savings.  We gave specialist advice to in-house teams on several more projects.

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Pre-2006 we were pioneers in best value leisure procurements and delivered procurements for Newham and Fareham.

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We delivered the first transfer of a wider cultural trust (including libraries) from Hounslow to a charitable group (CIP for whom we act) in 1998.  In 2008, we supported CIP in a successful transfer to new contractors.

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We have delivered numerous trust transfers for local authorities and trusts including Hertsmere (which had spent over £40 million on leisure), Dover and  East Northampton (in each instance from Leisure Connection to a trust), Ellesmere Port & Neston, Neath Port Talbot, Nuneaton & Bedworth (in each instance from in-house to a trust) plus advised on and other leisure and wider cultural trusts.  We have subsequently supported local authorities and trusts in updating their partnerships to reflect best value.

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We have advised local authorities and public bodies on business case analyses, an Olympic project, issues with the Charity Commission, state aid, legal structures, lottery and funding.

Client feedback is that our projects deliver above their expectations because of our approach and well drafted and comprehensible documents; all of which provide our clients and the service providers with an effective structure for their future partnership.

Other work areas:

Confidential Assignments

Human Resources and TUPE

Local Government and General

Partnering and Shared Services

Procurement

Property and Commercial

Social Care

Please contact us if you need any legal services not listed.