DENBIGHSHIRE taxpayers could be set upwards of £800,000 under new a new management scheme for major attractions such as SC2 and the Rhyl Pavilion.

Leisure facilities and functions provided by Denbighshire County Council could soon come under the umbrella of a council owned, not for profit company as soon as April 2020.

Denbighshire’s Cabinet is to consider the proposals at its meeting this month, before making a recommendation to the full council in May.

The alternative delivery model (ADM) is being proffered in the hopes of trading more commercially while sustaining the facilities - as well as making savings for the council of £800,000 in the first year.

Graham Boase, corporate director for the economy and public realm, said: We are very proud of our leisure services in Denbighshire. Investment by the council over the past ten years has seen visitor numbers increase and our facilities are now first class and up-to-date, comparing favourably with the best leisure facilities in the industry.

“We have recognised the need for on-going investment at times of significant financial challenge, as we can clearly see the benefits to people’s health and well-being. We have also listened to the public as the demand for leisure sessions grew and continues to grow across the Council."

Whilst the consideration of ADM is new to the council, many other councils across the UK are already using similar arrangements to deliver a range of functions and the council has engaged extensively with these as the Denbighshire model has been drawn up.

Facilities which would come under the ADM would include the recently opened SC2, the Pavilion, 1891, the Events Arena and the Town Hall in Rhyl, The Nova and the North Wales Bowls Centre in Prestatyn, the Craft Centre and Cafe R in Ruthin as well as Llangollen Pavilion.

The company would also take over management of events functions, the county’s seven leisure centres and Strategic Leisure.

Mr Boase added: “This model will allow a more flexible, innovative and entrepreneurial approach to commercial leisure, whilst allowing the council to retain complete control through the creation of a brand new board that will be responsible for running the company.

“This will ensure the company continues to deliver a high quality leisure provision long into the future, but as the company would be solely owned by the council it will be the council that sets the priorities for the company and the level of service expected to be delivered.

“As such the public should see very little difference in terms of the quality of the services provided or the ‘look and feel’ of the facilities themselves.”

If the business case for the plan is supported by the cabinet they will recommend progressing with the new company to full council, after which a number of further decisions will be required over the summer and autumn to ensure the company is set up in a way that provides the council with the necessary controls.