The sheer scale of the challenge facing local authorities in the UK has been the subject of much national debate. Despite unprecedented pressure from central government to slash budgets, local authorities began 2013 with a new responsibility for public health – a remit that includes promoting healthier lifestyles and encouraging people to be physically active. Within this landscape, local authorities are turning to partner organisations that can secure funding for major leisure facilities without the requirement for significant capital expenditure or ongoing subsidised support.
Developers of leisure services are responding with solutions that both unlock financing and deliver leisure centres with the capability of standing on their own two feet – as the three ambitious projects showcased in this feature demonstrate.