Impulse Leisure ask top councillors for £250,000 one-off grantTOP Thurrock Councillors have demanded Impulse Leisure supply them with a business case before handing over £250,000 in a one-off grant.
A report to the council’s Cabinet meeting asked members to “agree a request from Impulse Leisure for a one off payment of £250,000 in 2009/10 from the council reserves”.
Impulse Leisure is the charitable trust, which manages the council’s three leisure centres at Corringham, Blackshots and Belhus Park.
The money would be used “to assist with the significant increase in utility costs and the budget pressures on Impulse Leisure’s low level of reserves”.
Cabinet did agree a new funding and management agreement between the council and Impulse at £600,000 a year, for the next five years starting in the next financial year (2009/2010).
However, members were worried about the lack of reserves held by the trust, its future security as a viable organisation and what measures were being taken to cut costs.
Councillor Ben Maney said he was “concerned how close Impulse is to bankruptcy”, adding: “If we give this money, will it survive?”
And Coun Steve Veryard added: “It’s worrying that they seem to be investing beyond their means, will £250,000 be enough?”
Council Leader, Coun Terry Hipsey, said members wanted to see a full business case from Impulse Leisure so they could be assured that the trust was viable and that the £250,000 one-off grant would secure its long-term future.
The issue will be considered again at the meeting of the Cabinet in February.
Thurrock Gazette
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