Freedom to take over leisure sites

Cllr Paul Dendle, Arun District Council cabinet member for leisure and amenities, shakes hands with Ivan Horsfall Turner, MD of Freedom Leisure. Freedom will run the new pool in Littlehampton SUS-150710-090749001

Arun District Council has appointed Freedom Leisure to manage and operate the two Littlehampton sites, together with the Arun Leisure Centre, Felpham, and Bersted Park Community Centre.

Freedom will take over from Inspire Leisure, set up by Arun in 2006 to run leisure services but controversially excluded from tendering for the new ten-year deal.

An Arun spokeswoman said the council ‘was looking for a provider which could deliver top quality facilities and customer services and bring innovative, fresh ideas to the centres’.

Councillor Paul Dendle, Arun cabinet member for leisure and amenities, said: “We are delighted to be working with Freedom Leisure and feel confident in its ability to deliver a superb service to our communities.

“Freedom Leisure demonstrated a very strong community and sports development ethic and we believe it will prove an excellent partner in helping us deliver Arun’s priorities. We are particularly looking to improve health and wellbeing among the whole community and priority groups including the disabled, older people and very young children.”