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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Sports and Leisure Management Limited Outsourced Services

Watford Borough Council · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 05:31.

Opportunity overview

Watford Borough Council intends to enter a deed of variation with Sports and Leisure Management Limited (the Contractor) as the outsourced provider of leisure management services. SLM acts as the principle in providing leisure services from the council owned premises at Woodside, Central and the paddling pool at Cassiobury Park. SLM will act as agent of the council, with SLM providing leisure services on behalf of the council in the council’s name. The Underlying Contract was originally procured under Procurement Notice Watford Sports facilities operation services 2017/S 049-089978:, published on 10th March 2017. The opportunity to change the status, follows the successful litigation taken by Chelmsford City Council in 2022 and subsequently HMRC revised its guidance in 2023 in relation to the VAT treatment of leisure services provided by local authorities.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Sports and Leisure Management Ltd

Matched by exact name
Contract value
£63m
Awarded
Not supplied
Contract signed
6 Jul 2025
Award ID
038405-2025-1
Status
active
Identifier
02204085
Location
Leicestershire, UKF2, LE10 3EY, United Kingdom

Classification

  • CPV98330000 — Physical well-being services
  • CPV92000000 — Recreational, cultural and sporting services

Lots

  • The Authority appointed the Contractor to provide the leisure services pursuant to the Underlying Contract and Leases for the management and operation of the Council's leisure portfolio. The Authority intends to enter a deed of variation with the Contractor to modify the Underlying Contract, the effect of which will be the following: •To identify the agency agreement between the parties, the extent to which the Contractor will act as the Authority's Agent, and areas where it will act as Principal; •The Operator shall be appointed as the Authority’s Agent to provide the Leisure Services and Maintenance Services (together the “Agency Services”) but shall continue to carry out other services (specifically, food, beverages and retail) as an independent supplier to the Authority (the “Supplier Services”); •The Restated Leisure Management Agreement does not materially alter the risk position of the parties;Value not stated

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
ocds-h6vhtk-055b8a
Status
complete
Procurement Method
limited
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method Details
Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
Why this procedure was chosen
This VTN gives notice that the Authority is entering into a deed of variation (the "Contract") to make certain changes summarised in this VTN. A procurement procedure is not necessary on the basis that the award of the Deed of Variation of the Underlying Contract is permitted pursuant to Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Underlying Contract concerns the provision of a range of operation, management and related services, by the Contractor, in relation to four sports and leisure facilities and two theatres. The Underlying Contract will be varied for the adoption of an agency model for the future operation and management of the four sports and leisure facilities. Under the current structure, the Contractor acts as Principal in the supply of leisure facilities to the public, so that the Authority is not making the supplies of leisure services. Under the new agency model, the Contractor would make supplies to the public as an Agent of the Authority. This modification is being made in accordance with regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Namely, the proposed modification is not substantial within the meaning of regulation 72(8) on the basis that: 1. the modification does not render the Underlying Contract materially different in character - the proposed modification remains limited to the same type, scope and nature of services, where the services will be delivered to the same facilities. The modifications only concern contractual changes to establish an agency model for VAT purposes so that the Contract to provide leisure services to the public on the Authority’s behalf and other ancillary modifications. 2. the Council has satisfied itself that the modification does not introduce conditions which would have (a) allowed for the admission of other candidates, (b) allowed for the acceptance of another tender, or (c) attracted additional participants in the procurement procedure - the change to an agency model for VAT purposes does not change the service requirement or the way in which those services are provided, and is unlikely to have changed the outcome of the procurement. 3. The modification does not change the economic balance in favour of the contractor in a manner which was not provided for in the contract – The Authority has satisfied itself that the new agency model and VAT arrangement does not impact on the Contractor’s Operating Costs and Management Fee under the Underlying Contract, which remains reflective of market costs and does not amount to an over-compensation of the services to be provided. The agency model will allow for a more certain financial position to the Authority and will provide a greater surplus share than previously anticipated. 4. As per our comments at 1. above, the modification does not extend the scope of the contract. For the reasons set out above, the proposed modification does not constitute a substantial modification and is permitted by regulation 72 of the Concession Contracts Regulations 2015.

Covered By

GPA

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Classification

Id
98330000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Physical well-being services

Procedure reasons

Entry 1
Id
D_PROC_RESTRICTED
Scheme
TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL
Description
No tenders or no suitable tenders/requests to participate in response to restricted procedure
Entry 2
Id
D_TECHNICAL
Scheme
TED_PT_AWARD_CONTRACT_WITHOUT_CALL
Description
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Has Options
No
Description
The Authority appointed the Contractor to provide the leisure services pursuant to the Underlying Contract and Leases for the management and operation of the Council's leisure portfolio. The Authority intends to enter a deed of variation with the Contractor to modify the Underlying Contract, the effect of which will be the following: •To identify the agency agreement between the parties, the extent to which the Contractor will act as the Authority's Agent, and areas where it will act as Principal; •The Operator shall be appointed as the Authority’s Agent to provide the Leisure Services and Maintenance Services (together the “Agency Services”) but shall continue to carry out other services (specifically, food, beverages and retail) as an independent supplier to the Authority (the “Supplier Services”); •The Restated Leisure Management Agreement does not materially alter the risk position of the parties;

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Name
Price
Type
quality
Description
50
Criterion 2
Name
Quality
Type
quality
Description
50
Criterion 3
Name
Price
Type
cost
Description
50
Criterion 4
Name
Quality
Type
cost
Description
50

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery Location

Description
LONDON

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKI

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
92000000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Recreational, cultural and sporting services

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-153797
Name
Watford Borough Council

Roles

buyer
reviewBody

Address

Region
UKI
Locality
Watford
Postal Code
WD17 3EX
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Town Hall, Three Rivers House Northway,

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
REGIONAL_AUTHORITY
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Regional or local authority
Entry 2
Id
07
Scheme
COFOG
Description
Health

Identifier

Legal Name
Watford Borough Council

Contact

Name
Mitchelle Kasimu
Telephone
+44 1923226400

Additional Contact Points

Entry 1
Telephone
+44 1923278381
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-153798
Name
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd

Roles

supplier

Address

Region
UKF2
Locality
Leicestershire
Postal Code
LE10 3EY
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
2 Walting Drive, Sketchley Meadows, Hinkley

Details

Scale
large

Identifier

Id
02204085
Legal Name
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd

Award information

Award 1
Id
038405-2025-1
Status
active

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-FTS-153798
Name
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd

Related lots

1

Contracts and changes

Entry 1
Id
038405-2025-1
Status
active
Award ID
038405-2025-1
Date Signed
7 Jul 2025, 00:00

Value

Amount
63,000,000
Currency
GBP

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Watford · UKI · WD17 3EX · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKI

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-055b8a-2025-07-08T19:05:04+01:00compiled ·