At a time where the leisure market is in turmoil and facing unprecedented challenges, this city’s Labour took the brave step to bring our leisure service back into the Council. Something we have sought to do for many years and we have finally been able to do it and we are going to ensure that it’s a service fit for our city.
Like the St Sidwells Point is a cutting edge example of how Leisure Complexes will be build in future, the new service will be unique and lead the way in how leisure services should be run. We are looking to make access to the centres more flexible, a service as diverse and welcoming as our city.
Labour took the brave step to bring our leisure service back into the Council. Something we have sought to do for many years and we have finally been able to do it. Cllr Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Physical Activity
As with most Councils previously the service was run on behalf of the Council by a private provider under a long term contract. The decision by the Labour Group to take back the leisure service into the Council control provides an opportunity to move away from the traditional model and towards an innovative alternative which is not only dynamic but also unique.
An example of the difference in the way the new service operates, what it is aiming to achieve, is the way it has responded to the lockdowns. Centres were required to shut but the service didn’t grind to a halt. Instead it set up a large range of online exercise sessions throughout the weeks, which have proved very popular and they were able to provide it free of charge.
Exeter Leisure will offer a membership which is built, customized and controlled by you, not the centre. You will be able to add and remove the activities you want to take part in and also the people they want to take part with. Of course you will also be able to pay as go too for those who prefer. We are listening to what current users want as well as what people across Exeter are looking for, what they would like to see in the new service.
When the centres can get back to full service we will continue to provide what Teams, regular and occasional users need and expect. More than that as you would expect from this Council we are looking at ways to expand the service, going beyond the traditional service confined to the centres or pitches and reaching out to communities and supporting people to get fitter in ways that suit them.
We will make the service as flexible as possible making it accessible to everyone, I am looking forward to seeing people in communities, in parks in our centres and of course in St Sidwells Point our flag ship centre.
We are welcoming everyone to use the new service in whatever way works for them.