A DECISION on the future of Grimsby Ice Rink is set to be made at a full meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council next Thursday - with the likelihood that its closure is now imminent.
The recommendation from portfolio holder for health
and wellbeing Cllr
Jane Hyldon-King and director of health and wellbeing Stephen
Pintus is that: The Ice Rink
at Grimsby Leisure Centre be closed as soon as reasonably practicable.
A report to councillors reads as below
The council
has been through an extensive process of
engagement over a considerable length
of time in an attempt to secure a
commercially viable ice rink operation in the borough.
This has included investing in, and continuing
to operate a
“temporary” ice rink for two years in order to
allow further time for a commercial option to
be achieved. (The two- year period ended in
August 2016).
The Ice
Rink is operated at a loss and the council is
currently absorbing costs in respect of
the hire of the ice rink chillers and
maintenance and repair
which it cannot afford
indefinitely.
The council
needs to achieve further efficiencies
within the health and
wellbeing portfolio
and this decision allows the
council to support as cost
efficient sport and leisure
service.
Grimsby
Leisure Centre has been operational
since 1975. The building is largely
original, having only one major change
during its life. The second sports hall
was removed to enable the
development of Grimsby Auditorium,opening in
1995.
Since this date, only operational/internal
modifications have been made.
In 2008/09
the Council commissioned a strategic review
of all its sports and leisure
assets.
The report followed the Sport England guidance at that time and provided
a programme of replacement/refurbishment
and removal, based on a needs
assessment and future demographic profiling.
One of
the recommendations within
the review concluded that an ice rink was best served
via a private sector/commercial
development instead of public sector
subsidy.
In 2013 the
Council responded to the changes in
refrigeration materials. From December
2014, the use of R22 gas became illegal.
This substance was the main
refrigerant of the Grimsby leisure centre
ice rink.
The council undertook not to replace the ice rink, but it did
commit to hiring/leasing
a temporary
ice pad and refrigeration unit for a two-year period, the aim being to give the
commercial market a further opportunity
to consider this area for investment.
The report
recommending the
installation of a temporary ice
pad also noted the limited
life span of the GLC and the associated
maintenance costs for the fabric of
the building.
The two-year contractual period for the ice pad
expired in August 2016.
The contract is
being extended on a short term basis, with
the costs being met by the
council to
allow time to consider
the views and
proposals from key stakeholders,
primarily the Grimsby Ice Hockey Club.
Various
models and commercial options have
been proposed and reviewed over recent
years and to date no
option has come forward to
replace the ice-rink at no
cost or subsidy to the council.
Since
2009 dialogue has taken place with a
number of commercial ice rink operators
including a proposed joint venture
scheme being put forward in September
2012.
As a result of the
subsequent due diligence work, the council
determined that it would not be in its
interests to enter into that arrangement
and work on this proposal ceased
The council
subsequently entered into further
dialogue with other
potential ice rink
developers, two of which, when previously
contacted in 2010/11 were not in a
position to develop an ice rink in the area
without a capital
contribution from the
council.
Both organisations expressed an
interest in
developing a facility
within the borough and present ed
different models for development and operation.
However, these options were based
on the council providing land or
buildings at market value to facilitate the development, which
the council has been unable to facilitate.
Since the installation of the
temporary pad there have
been no proposal’s received by the council
Following representations from
the Grimsby Ice Hockey
Club in July 2016,seeking
clarification of the future of
Ice rink, meetings were held
to consider alternatives.
As Lincs Inspire Ltd are the
exclusive contracted provider of the
facility and solely responsible for revenue
and pricing, the Ice Hockey Club were
advised to work in conjunction
with Lincs Inspire to generate proposals
to maintain the Ice Rink as a viable
going concern.
Lincs
Inspire have
supported the Ice Hockey Club in this
endeavour as best they can.
There
has been extensive email correspondence
between the council and Grimsby Ice Hockey Club.
The
Grimsby Ice Hockey Club proposals are wide-ranging in nature and make suggestions
counter the drop-off in the number
of people ice skating. In general the
proposals require the council
to invest in anticipation that subsequent
usage increases sufficiently to recover that investment.
The
proposal from Grimsby Ice Hockey Club is
progressive in its
approach. However it was predicated on
the following (summarised) changes:
* NELC
capital investment into the facility
infrastructure in excess of£115k
(including tractor, new floor,Perspex
protection, barriers, air-handling
replacement, toilets refurbishment,
new skates).
*Various
changes to Lincs Inspire operational
activity and further NELC investment
into the site, some of which
affected all Grimsby Leisure Centre,
totalling an increased income of £25 -
£27K and an unspecified further
capital and revenue costs for NELC
(including but not limited to the
reinstatement of kitchen, café , car park
charges) and operational costs/losses
for Lincs Inspire (including but limited to new marketingproposal,
ice disco sessions and modification
of skate and swim membership).
* Potential
isolation of the ice rink facility
within the centre itself, including the
necessary changes to site access and
security in order to allow independent
operation.
Many
of the proposals from
Grimsby Ice Hockey Club were considered at a scrutiny panel meeting in
July 2016
These
primarily focused on the following
themes:
1. Income
Generation
2. Operational
Management
3. Facility
and Access modifications
4.
Membership/Pricing/Promotional
All 42 members of the council are due to attend Thursday's meeting which is open to the public
