Agenda item

With reference to article 8 of the minute of the meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee of 17 June 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provided an update on the request to the Finance and Resources Committee for funding to undertake major repairs to or replacement of the heating and ventilation plant at the Beach Leisure Centre.

The report advised that the Beach Leisure Centre was the City Council’s largest and best used leisure facility attracting approximately 260,000 visits per annum. Due to the age of the facility however, there were now issues in relation to the general condition of the fabric of the building and some of the mechanical and electrical installations.    The report advised that it had been recognised for some time that the ventilation plant within the facility was in need of attention, however in the light of ongoing budgetary pressures, this had proved difficult to remedy.   A condition survey of the building had been undertaken in March 2009 to determine the extent of the problems with the heating and ventilation plant.   This had led to recommendations for a number of areas of work.  The survey had identified that there were three options for the Centre’s ventilation system, namely:-  (a) remedial works at the cost of approximately £630,000, which would not offer the ability to recoup costs through energy efficiencies and could possibly identify other areas of shortfall which would require further investment;  (b) replacement of the ventilation units and implementation of a number of energy efficiency measures costed at approximately £1.5m;  and (c) for no work to be undertaken, which would likely result in the Centre continuing to over extend its limited repair budget in order to maintain services, and could ultimately result in catastrophic failure of the equipment.   It was noted that both options (a) and (b) would involve a degree of closure of the site and the associated reduction in admissions and income, although the report noted that consideration could be given to whether a total Centre closure would be required, or whether certain parts of the Centre could be kept open while work was ongoing.   It was thought that any works could take up to 24 weeks to complete.  

The report advised that when the matter had been considered by the Finance and Resources Committee on 17 June 2010, that Committee had resolved that “the Council agree in principle to meet the cost of replacing the heating and ventilation equipment at the Beach Leisure Centre and remit to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee to consider alterations or changes to its budgetary plans to enable the expenditure involved (estimated to be £1.5m) to be met”.   The report noted that although the Education, Culture and Sport elements of the non-housing capital programme had been reviewed, officers had not been able to identify anything within the programme for the current year which was neither underway nor essential.   It was, however, felt that the risk associated with not committing to carrying out the work at the Beach Leisure Centre was significantly great enough that the project should be retained on a reserve list for the non-housing capital programme, in order to be considered as a priority project for future years.   The report noted that meantime it was proposed to monitor the condition of the heating and ventilation plant in order that Sport Aberdeen could report any further deterioration of the equipment and any growing risk to the facility to the Council.   The scope for funding the work would then be reconsidered as part of the capital prioritisation process for the years 2011/12 and beyond within the Council’s non-housing capital programme.  

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the feedback from the Finance and Resources Committee;

(b)       note the proposal to monitor the condition of the heating and ventilation plant at the Beach Leisure Centre, in order that Sport Aberdeen could report to the Council any further deterioration of the equipment;  and

(c)        retain the project on the reserve list for the non-housing capital programme, for consideration as part of the capital prioritisation process for the years 2011/12 and beyond.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice-Convener, moved the recommendations contained in the report.

Councillor Laing moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Cooney:-

            that the Committee –

            (a)       note the feedback from the Finance and Resources Committee;  and

            (b)       recommend to Finance and Resources Committee that it alter its decision of 17 June 2010 and agree to replace the venting and heating systems at the Beach Leisure Centre and implement energy efficient measures at the facility using money from reserves.

There followed a brief recess to obtain advice from the Head of Finance on the advisability of meeting the costs of the proposed amendment from the Council’s reserves, which was not available due to the lateness of the hour.

On a division, there voted:-  for the motion (13) – the Convener;  the Vice-Convener;  and Councillors Boulton, Corall, McCaig, Noble, Reynolds, Jennifer Stewart, Kevin Stewart, Kirsty West, Wisely and Yuill;  and Mr. G. Bruce;  for the amendment (3) – Councillors Cooney, Crockett and Laing;  declined to vote (1) – Councillor Farquharson; absent from the division (3) – Councillors Collie and Laing; and Mr. P. Campbell.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.