CONCERNS have been raised ahead of tomorrow's special meeting where councillors will discuss a proposal that will see leisure facilities and functions in Denbighshire delivered by a not-for-profit trading company.

UNISON Cymru Wales, the trade union representing leisure service staff, has asked Denbighshire County Council for detailed evidence to prove it has "properly considered" alternatives to outsourcing leisure facilities for a second time.

Facilities, to come under the council-owned company, include the county’s seven leisure centres as well as the Prestatyn Nova, Rhyl's new SC2, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl Events Arena and events function, North Wales Bowls Centre, Rhyl Town Hall, Ruthin Craft Centre, Llangollen Pavilion, 1891, Café R (Ruthin) and Strategic Leisure.

During the special meeting on May 30, members will consider a report [by the Corporate Director: Economy and Public Realm] which seeks the Council’s view in respect of the draft Business Case for establishing a Local Authority Trading Company, for a range of previously agreed “in scope” leisure related activities/function.

A spokesperson from Unison Cymru Wales said: "A previous attempt by Denbighshire Council to set up an arm-length company, Clwyd Leisure, ended in bitter rows over costs and poor standards of leisure facilities, culminating in the closure of the Rhyl Sun Centre.

"It is imperative councillors are absolutely confident the business case for setting up a trading company is sound and it has published a series of questions it wants Denbighshire councillors to answer. These include, whether councillors have fully explored current powers to raise additional funding which would allow leisure services to remain in-house.

"The union also wants to know if things go wrong for a second time, will the taxpayer be saddled with bailing services out?"

Unison is commissioning an independent study on whether Denbighshire’s proposals represent the best interests of the community and leisure staff.

Hugh McDyer, Unison Cymru Wales regional organiser, said: “Denbighshire’s Clwyd Leisure enterprise was a miserable failure. Just six years later, outsourcing is again being considered.

"Transferring local services out of democratic control denies local people a say in how services are run.

"We don’t believe councillors would support this scheme if all options had been thoroughly explored and that’s why we’re commissioning our own authoritative report into how local people can be provided with the best possible leisure facilities.

"We want to want to work with councillors and it seems sensible they pause for thought before embarking on what could prove to be another costly mistake.”

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The report which is going to Council tomorrow includes a Business Case which considers the different legal options for providing these services, including the maintenance of the status quo whereby services will continue to be delivered through the existing service provision.

“There are a number of legal models that could have been used, but further to a full assessment of the options we are satisfied that a not for profit Local Authority Trading Company limited by guarantee that is wholly owned by the Council, is the best option to achieve the savings and provide the Council with a level of control.

"The assessment of the options has included the Council’s Audit, Head of Finance, Head of Legal Services, Head of Leisure Services, Corporate Director for Economy and Public Realm and elected Members through Cabinet.

“The proposed delivery model will have the same level of subsidy at the start of its operation as it does currently.”