RECOMMENDATIONS aiming to get the best out of Calderdale Council’s leisure outlets will soon be considered by the authority’s Cabinet.

Members of the council’s Strategy and Performance Scrutiny Board recently received a detailed review of the strategy, resources and overall leisure provision in the borough, the work being undertaken by a cross-party review group with officers.

The group looked at what the council was doing well, and at what more could, or should, be done to improve the way the Calderdale operated its leisure provision.

They considered ten recommendations the group made and added another one aimed at its staff.

These range from creating a commercial business plan and better marketing to further developing links with health partners.

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Coun Paul Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) said councillors wanted to be able to generate income from facilities so it could be put back into services, but the age of some of the authority’s buildings was an issue.

It was pointed out that a new leisure centre and swimming pool was being considered by Cabinet on the leisure centre site at North Bridge, Halifax, and improvements had been made at other sites.

In September, councillors agreed to commit more than £900,000 to allow detailed design work to get under way.

Coun Rob Holden (Ind, Ryburn) said the council needed to get smarter, working with other groups and community organisations, for example Ripponden and Todmorden tennis clubs were crying out to use courts.

Coun George Robinson (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) wanted to highlight a recommendation that partnerships with health services, such as GP practices, continue to be developed and Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said she believed the borough’s Health and Wellbeing Board offer to bring together social prescribers was exactly this sort of thing.

Officers advised that if a person was suffering with long term ill health and had a referral to the Better Living Team, from their GP or consultant they would receive three months free membership of a facility if its exercise regime matched their condition.

If they continued to use the service after this time they would become eligible for a discounted membership.

Coun Robinson said one thing the council did not do was shout loud enough about its successes and maybe there was a need for a change of marketing styles.

Coun Bellenger and Coun Lynn debated the merits of possible ways to benefit employees by offering various “bring a friend” options which would also drive further usage.

Members proposed some amendments to the original ten and added an additional recommendation that the Director of Public Services, Zohrah Zancudi, is asked to consider ways to improve leisure services offered to council staff with the goal of promoting a healthy workforce.

They said the Director may consider staff benefits such as complementary trials, a “bring a friend” scheme and an “introduce a friend scheme” offering discounted memberships for staff who introduce a

new member.