URL: https://mansfield.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1042

Decision Maker: Assistant Director for Health, Communities and Insight

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To approve the reduction of Leisure’s WMSFC car vouchers expenditure budget and off set the budget of TCM car parking income budget

Content: Resolved by the Assistant Director of Health, Communities and Insight.   That the reduction of Leisure’s WMSFC car vouchers expenditure budget and off set the budget of TCM car parking income budget be approved.     The Water Meadows Swimming & Fitness Complex (WSFC)/ Titchfield car park is owned and managed by the council’s town centre car park team (TCM) and is not within the demised land of the leisure management contract. It has been an historic leisure management contract requirement of the leisure operator (Serco Leisure) to provide a refund opportunity for all WSFC customers paying by cash for parking within this car park when utilising the WSFC as a customer or member of staff (when on shift). TCM introduced a car parking payment option via an app as an alternative to paying by cash, unfortunately this meant that customers could not receive a cash refund at WMSFC when parking with this option. This app introduction did see a reduction of the number of customer requests for a refund for parking at WMSFC. To improve the customer journey further and to reduce the costs of cash handling for the operator at WMSFC, the leisure operator requested for a system to be introduced, which the council agreed to. Where all WMSFC customers could enter their car registration details upon entry as a replacement to the cash ticketing option. This system (currently called Ringo) was introduced in August 2024 and has seen a great take up of use. Serco pay for the monthly costs of this scheme as it is cheaper than providing the cash on site for the operator.   Both of these new parking schemes have reduced over time the refund amount per month from Leisure to the leisure operator for car parking charge refunds. Previous averaging at £5750 (April- July 24) to now averaging at £1k per month.   With this new system in place it now provides the opportunity for a decision to approve changes to Leisure’s WMSFC car park vouchers expenditure budget (1119/4314) reducing itfrom £120,000 to £12,000 per year and the budget changes can take effect as soon as the decision has been taken. At the same time TCM income budget (1428/9314/CP00) from this car park have been reducing as more WMSFC customers converted to Ringo. This income has reduced this year by £48,000. It is therefore proposed for approval that the Leisure WM car park voucher expenditure budget saving will off set this income reduction within TCM budget code 1428/9314/CP00. As summarised below:   Budget name   Budget code Budget Leisure- WM car park vouchers expenditure budget   1119/4314 £120,000 (full year expenditure budget) TCM income shortfall from Ringo introduction -WMS&FC/ Titchfield car park only   1428/9314/CP00  -£48,000 Budget shortfall Leisure- WM car park vouchers expenditure budget   1119/4314 £60,000 (50% of overall budget) Total savings towards the council’s budget shortfall/ Budget reduction amount of WM car park voucher budget code Leisure- WM car park vouchers expenditure budget   1119/4314 New reduced Leisure- WM car park vouchers expenditure budget post decision will be £12,000 per annum   This results in a budget saving of £60,000 from Leisure’s car park vouchers expenditure budget and an amendment to the TCM income budget of £48k. Approval of these changes will result in full year savings of £60,000 and £15,000(3 months saving) in this current financial year (24/25), and these savings will support the budget shortfall of the Council. Going forward this budget will be £12,000 per annum (Leisure- WM car park vouchers expenditure budget 1119/4314).     To not adjust TCM budget with an off set of loss of income and provide a higher budget savings to support the council’s budget shortfall

Date of Decision: January 16, 2025