John Laing & Fusion Lifestyle win leisure and cultural services contracts
Two organisations have been chosen by the London Borough of Hounslow as preferred bidders for its leisure and cultural services contracts.
At a meeting of Hounslow Council’s Executive on April 29, John Laing Integrated Services, a division of John Laing plc, and Fusion Lifestyle were officially selected. For legal and commercial reasons, this announcement could not be made until now.
The selection of providers for the borough’s leisure and cultural services represents one of the biggest contracting exercises for Hounslow Council in recent years.
Cllr Peter Thompson, the leader of London Borough of Hounslow, said,“This council is clear in what it is trying to achieve. People want us to use the local taxes we collect wisely, and to invest their money to improve local services, local facilities and the quality of life for everyone in this borough. People want good quality parks, leisure centres and libraries, and we will see that they get it.”
Cllr Adrian Lee, lead member for leisure and culture, at Hounslow Council, said: “We are pleased to announce these two new partners as our preferred suppliers of leisure and cultural services in the London Borough of Hounslow. They both have proven track records of delivering excellence and innovation in service delivery.”
John Laing Integrated Services will run two portfolios of services, namely parks management - which includes grass cutting, burials, cemeteries and allotments; and libraries, arts and heritage services - which includes responsibility for the borough’s 11 libraries, Redlees studios and Paul Robeson Theatre. Fusion Lifestyle has been chosen to run leisure centres, community venues, school holiday play schemes and the borough’s sports development service.
Staff from CIP - the council’s current leisure provider - are being consulted about their transfer of employment to the new partners.
While John Laing Integrated Services and Fusion Lifestyle have been chosen as the council’s preferred bidders, they do not become its official contractors until a period of contractual clarification has been completed.
June 3, 2008