Extra costs fears as council ends contract

Ards and North Down Council’s decision to take back control of leisure services by the start of the next tax year was disowned by DUP and independent councillors at the recent full meeting of the local authority.

Independent councillor Tom Smith referred to a report which spoke about the potential increase in cost connected with insourcing leisure after the decision to end the contract with the private company Northern Community Leisure Trust (NCLT).

He said: “When this council took the decision to bring the current north Down leisure facilities in-house, I opposed that because it was the more expensive route.

“I have said it will be a financial disaster for the ratepayers, and here we are, with just a few lines in a report saying there could be extra costs – not even more costs but extra – so it will be much more expensive by the looks of it.”

He asked council officers what kind of extra costs the council would face. An officer replied : “The costs wouldn’t be known at this stage, or indeed if there are any additional costs. What this is doing is highlighting a potential risk.”

Mr Smith said: “It certainly doesn’t rule out increased costs, and if there are increased costs, then who is to blame, because they certainly weren’t identified when we made the decision.

“If we need to know the extra costs by the time we take over then it is far too late. Personally, I would be running back to NCLT to see if they still have an offer on the table, because I do think for the ratepayer it is going to be a bad deal.”

The main facilities that will return to council management include Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex, Bangor Sportsplex, Queen’s Leisure Complex, Holywood, sports grounds/pitches and development services across the northern part of the borough.

SDLP councillor Joe Boyle said: “I am not in the business of raising alarm bells unnecessarily with the ratepayers. No elected member wants any ratepayer to pay any more than they have to. Councillor Smith has to realise we are living in an ever-changing business world, there have been drastic costs increases, and we have to manage this the best way we can.

“I wish Covid was gone but actually in the real world, it hasn’t gone, and as a council we are still dealing with it, and still dealing with staffing issues and costing issues from it.

“This pressing buttons and raising alarm bells for ratepayers is careless, it is mismanagement. At this point in time, we shouldn’t be jumping up and down about costs that aren’t there.”