The review, commissioned by the Education, Sport & Culture Committee, found that while Beau Sejour generated £1.39m. annually in social value for the island and provided ‘significant’ public health benefits through physical activity and sport, several areas of the centre, including the sports hall, squash and outdoor tennis courts, and the David Ferguson Hall, were all under-used.
‘At the commencement of this review, we stated that we needed to collectively decide what the purpose and value of Beau Sejour was to our community, and then ascertain how this could be sustainably delivered in the future,’ the committee said.
‘This purpose and value have now been clearly defined through this consultation.’
The review found both the sports hall and squash courts were unoccupied for 75% of their available times, while the outdoor tennis courts were only used 4% of the time they were available.
The David Ferguson Hall was unused for nearly half the year.
As a result, the review found there was ‘strong’ interest in co-locating a variety of services from government, private and charitable sectors to maximise efficiency and create a ‘holistic’ community service hub. Conversely, the centre’s fitness and swimming facilities were highly used, and helped Beau Sejour to play a ‘strong’ role in rehabilitation and preventative health.
Operating costs were generally well-controlled, with secondary income sources above average.
The facility was found to be in good visual condition, aided by ‘satisfactory’ maintenance investment, and was seen as a ‘multi-functional’ hub for health, culture and community engagement.
In terms of Beau Sejour’s long-term sustainability, the review said a ‘proactive’ approach was required to balance economic viability with community benefit, as well as reviewing the various uses of the centre and how these were maintained, managed and financed in future years.
Marketing spend was currently low, which was possibly limiting growth and engagement with non-users, while ageing assets were requiring increasing maintenance, which risked becoming unsustainable.
The centre was dealing with higher than average staffing costs as a percentage of income, and these needed to be monitored and reviewed in light of industry and local norms.
An energy use review was also needed in order to shift the centre from oil to green alternatives.
It is expected the final two stages of the review will be concluded by the end of this year.
‘The committee looks forward to the second half of the review, which will analyse how we model the priorities and suggestions in a sustainable way, investigating how the services and facilities provided can play a transformative role in areas such as public health, social inclusion and civic engagement,’ ESC said.
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