The leisure management contract contains a specification that clearly sets out the standards of service delivery that are expected of Leisure Connection. A brief outline of the service standards contained in the leisure management contract specification is given below:
Arts, Health and Sports Development
Leisure Connection is responsible for delivering a comprehensive arts, health and sports development programme for the district, through the employment of a dedicated team. In addition, the team must also deliver:
Exercise Referral Scheme
Hertfordshire Youth Games
Music in the Parks
St Albans Half Marathon
Availability
Leisure Connection is obliged to ensure that the various facilities are available for use by customers according to the published programme and the minimum opening hours outlined in the specification.
Cleaning
Leisure Connection is responsible for all aspects of cleanliness at the facilities and must ensure that all areas are maintained at a visibly acceptable standard of cleanliness. For clarity, visibly acceptable cleanliness is defined in the following downloadable document:
Customer Care and Communication
Leisure Connection is responsible for undertaking all customer care and communication activities in relation to the delivery of the facilities and services. As a minimum this should include:
Systems to ensure that all facilities and services record customer feedback and provide prompt responses
Systems to ensure regular liaison with and gathering of feedback from customers (including creating, implementing and managing effective customer forums and surveys)
Effective procedures to ensure that all customer feedback is reviewed and appropriate action plans are drawn up in response to the feedback.
Equipment
Leisure Connection must ensure that sufficient equipment, materials, supplies, fixtures and fittings are available and of suitable standard at all times for all the activities undertaken at the facilities. They must also ensure that all equipment is subject to a comprehensive and effective regime of inspection, testing, maintenance, repair and replacement throughout the term of the contract.
Health and Safety
Leisure Connection must comply with all health and safety legislation and any other relevant Legislation, and with all Council safety policies. Further, Leisure Connection must endeavour to comply with all relevant recommendations and in accordance with good industry practice.
Opening Hours
Leisure Connection must ensure that each of the facilities and services is open according to the published opening times or the minimum opening hours where these vary.
Pricing
Leisure Connection is free to set the prices for the facilities and services, with the exception of a small number of core prices that are set by the Council. The prices should be consistent across the facilities and also meet the following requirements:
residents of the district are able to take part in activities and use the facilities at prices which are no more than 90% of the equivalent prices for non-resident users; and
a concessionary pricing scheme is available for a range of specified resident user groups.
Programming
Leisure Connection must maintain a balanced programme of activities to encourage use of the facilities from all sections of the community. In addition, the programmes across the facilities should complement each other and provide an appropriate balance of activities throughout the district. The Council also require Leisure Connection to honour a number of protected bookings for clubs.
Staffing
Leisure Connection must at all times employ sufficient qualified and experienced staff for the proper performance of the facilities and services.
Date of last review: 02 August 2010