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ESPH Wealden District Council - Leisure and Active Wellbeing Service Contract (ESPH696)

Wealden District Council · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 06:56.

Opportunity overview

The Contract is for the operation of Crowborough Leisure Centre, Hailsham Leisure Centre and Uckfield Leisure Centre. The Contract also includes the design and delivery of a new Active Wellbeing Service of facility-based and neighbourhood-based programmes. Crowborough Leisure Centre is a wet and dry side leisure facility that was built in 1986. It is located within Goldsmiths Recreation Ground in Crowborough. The facility is owned by Crowborough Town Council and is on a long term lease to the Authority. It is situated in the north of the district and attracts visitors from nearby settlements including Buxted, Mayfield and Rotherfield in addition to those living and visiting the town itself. Dry side facilities at Crowborough Leisure Centre include a 70-station gym, a 4-court sports hall, 2 multipurpose studios, 1 spin studio and a café. Wet-side facilities include a 6-lane, 25m swimming pool with a movable pool floor and an 84-seat spectator viewing area. There is also a health suite with a sauna and steam room. Hailsham Leisure Centre is owned by the Authority. Originally built in 1985, it is situated in the town centre of Hailsham and consists of both wet and dry-side facilities. Dry side facilities include an 80-station gym, 3 multipurpose activity studios, 1 spin studio, a soft play centre, 3 treatment rooms, 1 meeting room, an 8-lane ten pin bowling alley and a café. Wet-side facilities include a 4-lane 25m swimming pool with an integrated teaching pool and a sauna. Uckfield Leisure Centre is owned by East Sussex County Council and managed by the Authority on a long-term lease basis. Built in 1987, Uckfield Leisure Centre is a dual-use site shared with Uckfield College, a secondary school and sixth form for pupils aged 11 to 18. 2.The centre contains both wet and dry leisure facilities. Dry side facilities include a 46-station fitness gym, 1 squash court, 2 multipurpose activity studios, 1 spin studio and a 4-badminton court sports hall. Wet-side facilities including a 4-lane leisure pool, a 5m splash pool and a flume with water catch. The Operator shall deliver an Active Wellbeing Service of Facility-Based and Neighbourhood-Based programmes. This will shall support the Authority’s strategic objectives for the service and contribute towards its wider local strategic priorities, extending the reach and impact of the Services beyond the Core Facilities. The Active Wellbeing Service shall meet the following required outputs: 1. An increase in the number of residents from target groups participating regularly in sport and physical activity. 2. A range of high-quality facility-based and neighbourhood-based programmes aimed at residents who are inactive or not engaging regularly in sport and physical activity 3. A decrease in physically inactive residents 4. An increase in the number of volunteers and volunteering opportunities 5. Increased opportunities for access to sport and physical activity opportunities within priority localities 6. Increased opportunities for access to sport and physical activity opportunities in community settings outside of the core leisure facilities Commencing on 1 April 2027, the Contract is for 10 years, with an option to extend, which may be exercised by the Authority in consultation with the Operator, for a period or periods of up to 5 years. The total possible Contract duration, including extension provision, will therefore be 15 years.

Classification

  • CPV92000000 — Recreational, cultural and sporting services

Lots

  • Lot LOT-0001AED 67.5m · Source currency differs from tender

Documents and notices

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
ESPH696
Status
active
Published risks
Depending on the basis of award of contract (traditional or agency) the Council reserves the right to vary the contract at its discretion or if updated guidance is received from HMRC on the validity of the agency model for the services provided.
Above Threshold
Yes
Procurement Method
open
Main Procurement Category
services
How to submit
All return documents for Conditions of Participation and Invitation to Submit Initial Tenders, and any subsequent tender stages, must be submitted via the council's eProcurement Portal, In-Tend. The Council's procurement portal is available here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/esph/aspx/Home
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure

Procedure

Features
The Authority is using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, (Section 20 PA23). A staged procedure has been devised consisting of up to two stages. Stage One of the process comprises a combined Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and Invitation to Submit Initial Tender (ISIT). The Authority will assess the Initial Tenders and reserves the right, at its sole discretion and subject to receiving a satisfactory Initial Tender Base Bid in response to the ISIT, to award the Contract at this stage. Notwithstanding the Authority’s right to award the Contract, on the basis of an Initial Tender Base Bid, following assessment of Initial Tenders the Authority may consider that negotiation is necessary in order for the Authority to receive the best and most comprehensive proposals from the Bidders. If this is the case a maximum of three Eligible Bidders will be progressed to Stage Two. If there are fewer than three Eligible Bidders the Authority reserves the right to proceed with any number less than that. Pursuant to Section 24 PA2023, the Authority reserves the right to refine the award criterion for this procurement, as set out in Section 7, as part of this competitive flexible procedure, and this may include refining the indication of the relative importance of the award criteria. The Authority may also modify the procurement in accordance with the provisions of Section 31 PA 2023.

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Expected award period

Ends
2 Dec 2026, 23:59

Tender Period

Ends
27 Mar 2026, 12:00

Communication

Future Notice Date
1 Dec 2025, 23:59

Enquiry period

Ends
13 Mar 2026, 12:00

Special regime

concession
lightTouch

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
LOT-0001
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Amount
67,500,000
Currency
AED
Including VAT
81,000,000

Renewal

Description
Commencing on 1 April 2027, the Contract is for 10 years, with an option to extend, which may be exercised by the Authority in consultation with the Operator, for a period or periods of up to 5 years. The total possible Contract duration, including extension provision, will therefore be 15 years.

Award criteria

Weighting Description
The award criteria will be based on a split between cost and quality as 40 percent and 60 percent respectively. Quality will be assessed using the following criteria: Service Quality - 8% Facility Development - 8% Active Wellbeing Service - 8% Asset Management - 8% Programme Development and Innovation - 7% Sustainability - 7% Marketing and Pricing - 4% Staffing, Training and Development - 4% Performance Monitoring - 3% Social Value - 3% For the 40% allocated to cost the Tender Price submission for the Initial Tender Base Bid will be evaluated on the basis of the annual average Management Fee for the whole Contract term and scored to reward Bidders offering the most favourable management fee payment to the Authority

Criteria

Criterion 1
Name
Simple description
Type
price
Description
The award criteria will be based on a split between cost and quality as 40 percent and 60 percent respectively. Quality will be assessed using the following criteria: Service Quality - 8% Facility Development - 8% Active Wellbeing Service - 8% Asset Management - 8% Programme Development and Innovation - 7% Sustainability - 7% Marketing and Pricing - 4% Staffing, Training and Development - 4% Performance Monitoring - 3% Social Value - 3% For the 40% allocated to cost the Tender Price submission for the Initial Tender Base Bid will be evaluated on the basis of the annual average Management Fee for the whole Contract term and scored to reward Bidders offering the most favourable management fee payment to the Authority

Contract period

Ends
31 Mar 2037, 23:59
Starts
1 Apr 2027, 00:00
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2042, 23:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
LOT-0001
Related Lot
LOT-0001

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKJ22
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKJ22
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Additional Classifications

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

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
L-1
Description
Full tender documents are available from the Council's e-tendering portal.
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Entry 2
Id
conflictOfInterest
Description
Not published
Document Type
conflictOfInterest
Entry 3
Id
084365-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK4
Description
Tender notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
tenderNotice
Published
18 Dec 2025, 13:00

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
044482-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Published
30 Jul 2025, 17:11

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Status
scheduled
Due
23 Aug 2025, 00:59
Description
The Council are at an early stage in development of its proposals for the Leisure and Wellbeing Contract and seeks input from the market as to what might be the most advantageous way of packaging and scoping this future procurement opportunity. Prior to undertaking the formal procurement process, which is currently targeted for commencement in December 2025, the Council is seeking to undertake a preliminary market engagement exercise to review in summary: i. Delivery of an outreach programme of community-based outreach services and activities ii. Contract length iii. Views on procurement route iv. Potential risk allocation v. Potential investment schemes and funding options vi. Views on Agency Model and how this might be explored through the tender process vii. Views on potential variant bids The Council wishes to engage with experienced leisure / active wellbeing facility operators and service providers to inform the upcoming procurement process. The Council wishes to understand the current issues and opportunities facing the market in the delivery of these services. The Council has issued a questionnaire for interested operators to complete and is available at the Council procurement portal here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/esph/aspx/Home The deadline for submitting preliminary market engagement questionnaires is Friday 22 August 2025.

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-PPON-PXRN-7814-TGXG
Name
Wealden District Council

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKJ22
Country
GB
Locality
Hailsham
Postal Code
BN27 2AX
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Vicarage Lane

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Identifier

Id
PXRN-7814-TGXG
Scheme
GB-PPON

Contact

Name
Stephen Bottomley

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Hailsham · UKJ22 · BN27 2AX · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKJ22 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-05698e-2025-12-18T13:00:42ZPreliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·