Tender for the Provision of Sport and Leisure Services in Fylde

Fylde Borough Council has undertaken a procurement for a leisure services operator to deliver investment in, and management of, key swimming facilities across the Borough. The scope of the contract includes:

• St Anne's Swimming Pool
• Kirkham Pool

The procurement exercise sought to secure a long-term operating and investment partner, with proposals including both operational delivery and associated capital investment in the facilities. Following the completion of the procurement process, the Council approved the appointment of a preferred operator and the associated investment strategy for both sites. To ensure continuity of service pending completion of the final contractual arrangements, Fylde Borough Council has entered into an interim agreement with the operator. This interim arrangement will expire on 30 June 2026, after which the full contractual agreement is expected to be finalised and executed.

Additional information: The original contract notice FYLD001-DN751966-22520712, published on 15 November 2024, stated an intended contract duration of 10 years. Following completion of the procurement process and consideration of the preferred delivery model, Full Council on 27 January 2026 approved Option C, which included:

• Enhanced capital investment in facilities; and
• Appointment of the preferred operator under a revised commercial model.

As part of this approved option, the contract duration was extended to 15 years to:

• Ensure long-term financial sustainability of the operating model;
• Reflect the scale of capital investment and lifecycle requirements; and
• Enable delivery of the Council's strategic leisure and community objectives.

The published contract award therefore reflects the approved 15-year contract term, as authorised by Full Council.