Swimming, outdoor spaces and active travel top of Sheffielders’ list for £100 million leisure improvements

It comes as Sheffield Council sets out a new leisure strategy that will see £100 million invested in facilities over the next 30 years and the city’s biggest leisure provider hands back all of the major sport and entertainment venues to the council.

This week, councillor Terry Fox, leader of the council, agreed themes for the strategy based on the consultation which he said included more than two thousand survey participants and targeted sessions and focus groups with more than 300 people.

He said: “It was really important that we heard views from people across the city and specifically the groups who we know face barriers to getting active. We need our people at the heart of our decisions and the way we shape services for them, and that’s exactly what this exercise was about.

“That has given us some very clear priorities that we know will make a difference to people’s lives in Sheffield. Sport and leisure supports wellbeing in so many ways so it’s vital that what we have on offer is top quality, accessible for everyone and gives people choices. We’ve committed £100 million in investment for this, and that’s what we are now working towards and looking forward to delivering.”

The six key themes are: investing in an active Sheffield, inspiring sporting achievement, active communities, active children and young people, active environments, and connecting health and wellbeing.

Councillor Alison Teal, executive member for parks, wellbeing and leisure, said: “The themes we have identified will deliver results and improvements for all our communities and we’re confident that we are creating a very exciting and inclusive future where people can experience and enjoy sport and leisure in Sheffield and get active in a way that suits them and meets their needs.”

A detailed consultation report will be published in the coming months, the council said.

Who will run Sheffield’s major leisure facilities?

Last week, Sheffield City Trust confirmed it would hand back all of the city’s major sport and entertainment facilities – including Sheffield Arena, City Hall and Ponds Forge – to the council and wind up by 2024, after running them for more than 30 years.

The council is funding a £7 million gap to help it reach that date and ensure a “smooth transition” as well as a £4 million pension deficit, after several years of financial difficulty and relying on the council to stay afloat.

MORE LEISURE: Why Sheffield City Trust has called quits on Sheffield’s leisure and entertainment venues after three decades

The council said it would be “business as usual” for the trust up to that point and most staff will be transferred to the new provider.

Who will take on the facilities from 2024 is not yet known.

In a council meeting this week, David Hollis, of the legal and governance team, said the venues are expected to go out to tender this year.

He added that soft market testing is currently taking place and a procurement strategy is due to be announced in spring.