Strategic Leisure -Management Services in Sport, Leisure and Culture

Partnership Improvement


Specialist leisure management expertise for leisure operators/local authorities Strategic Leisure is the premier Strategic Consultancy providing services to the voluntary, public and commercial sport and leisure sectors. It has worked with more than 50% of UK local authorities, all leisure operators and many leisure Trusts. It has a reputation for excellent standards of services. Strategic Leisure have created a specialist and dedicated Management Services team headed up by experienced Associate Director Andre Thomas. Since its inception, �Management Services� has developed a suite of services that will provide Strategic Leisure�s clients with the competitive advantage required to stay one step ahead of the competition. Strategic Leisure understand a strong relationship between Leisure Management Operators and Local Authorities is fundamental to sustainable success. We recognize that both organizations are principals in there own right. Striking the right balance between operator autonomy and Local Authority control is the challenge and is at the heart of the success of Leisure Management Partnerships.



Key Issues and Challenges The UK leisure market is currently under scrutiny to deliver against a challenging agenda to improve performance and participation in sport to meet well-being and wider social benefits. The Government has set challenging targets to increase participation by 1% year on year for the next 15 years. Both �Game Plan� and the �Carter Review� identified UK leisure provision performs unfavourably when compared with peer group nations in terms of sporting and health outcomes and per capita funding for sport. Nationally, the network of sporting provision is fragmented, complex and diverse with a range of public, private and voluntary sector providers operating within locally determined structures. Sport and Leisure Management contracts are often complex and monitoring regimes and monitoring often cumbersome and resource intensive. Whilst Leisure Management Contract documents often identify high-level corporate and leisure objectives, few output specifications set out quantifiable targets or benchmark reporting requirements that would enable the Local Authority to measure the extent to which the partnership is performing, and whether it is providing value for money. The resources available to Local Authorities to effectively monitor and manage their partnerships is often insufficient. Continuity of personnel is a major issue, and often smaller Local Authorities do not have officers in post with the specialist knowledge and experience to manage the relationship with the leisure management partner to ensure value for money is delivered.



What is 'Partnership Improvement'? Strategic Leisure understands that a strong relationship between Local Authorities and Leisure Management Partners is fundamental to sustainable success. Our Partnership Management Services team: Support and enhance the monitoring arrangements of leisure management partnerships by drawing upon industry best practice and contemporary approaches to the management of contracted third parties Design and implement quality assured standard models of management (e.g. QUEST, TAES etc) and embed them into the leisure management partnership for the benefit of all Utilise our in-depth knowledge of the local authority leisure function and its business and an understanding of what the leisure management partners can and cannot do Achieve a common understanding between customer and partner and develop a shared approach to the Monitoring of the partnership Use Industry Service Quality tools as the basis for demonstrating ongoing value for money and service improvements Manage consistency and conformance with standards and procedures Achieve flexibility in service arrangements, including contracts, in order to deal proactively with unexpected changes and demands Establish suitable baselines from which to track performance relating to service delivery and service improvement Update the leisure management partnership plans to reflect required changes and the provision of new services and facilities


How Does it Work?



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Why Choose Strategic Leisure? Strategic Leisure is the leading Sport and Leisure consultancy in the UK, we have significant experience of advising Local Authorities across the whole spectrum of Best Value / CPA, assisting in the achievement of continuous improvement by having regard to the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of their service delivery. Our methods, systems and procedures have developed mutual trust and confidence between Local Authorities and Leisure Management Operators. We hope we have the opportunity to work with you to demonstrate that our reputation for turning visions into reality is justified.



Contact us Please contact us to discuss your needs and requirements or detail any of the services offered and find out how we can provide the optimum solution to your circumstances. Contact Andre Thomas, Associate Director: tel 020 8639 0660 or email andrethomas@strategicleisure.co.uk

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