That the contract for the operation of Parks Tennis Courts for a 5-year period commencing April 2024 be awarded to We Do Tennis CiC (Reg No. 11457528).

In October 2021, the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced a funding pot of £28million that will see public park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back into life for the benefit of the community. Of this total sum, grant funding of more than £280k has now been invested by the LTA to improve Parks Tennis Courts across Wirral.

Consequently, Wirral Council has a significant opportunity to attract an operator where the facility can act at the community hub for the operator. To have a consistent approach in the delivery of tennis across the borough the same operator delivering all activity is preferable.

Elected Members asked officers to procure an operator to deliver Parks Tennis across the borough as this represented the least financial risk to the Council. Evidence supporting this decision demonstrating that a flexible charging model and gate access system are not a barrier to participation.

The Services were commissioned using the open tender procedure which was conducted in accordance with Council’s Contract Procedure Rules and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

This procurement exercise involved publishing this opportunity on The Chest. Bids received were scored based on:

·  Quality – 30%

·  Social Value – 10%

·  Price – 60%

The award of the contract to We Do Tennis CiC (Reg No. 11457528) is in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria.

The financial value for this contract is based on an income share, 35% of all pay and play and annual pass income, is estimated at £18,900 in year 1 and is expected to increase in subsequent years as the operator becomes more established locally.

Income received by the Council would be re-invested in the Parks Tennis Courts as per the terms of the Lawn Tennis Associations Grant Funding agreement – which requires that all Parks Tennis courts are kept to a ‘Good’ standard for play.

The new contract will begin following approval.

Elected Members were advised of the following alternative options for the delivery of Parks Tennis.

Operating Models - Park operating models are typically defined as:

1.  National Tennis Operator led – an outsourced model to oversee all delivery, managed by contract.

2.  Local Tennis Operator led – an outsourced model to oversee all delivery, managed by contract.

3.  LA led with Tennis Operator support – partly outsourced specific delivery strands, e.g. just coaching.

4.  LA led - resourcing the management of the delivery model to drive sustainability, coaching, local links, marketing, SLA management etc.

At the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (19 June 2023) elected members agreed to option 2 – Local Tennis Operator Led.

The decision has been taken under Part 3 Section C - Overview and Scheme of Delegations of Authority to Officers as the decision is not reserved to a Committee or Sub-Committee and the Director is satisfied that paragraphs 2(a) to 2(c) apply.

Background Papers

·  Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee – Future of Parks Tennis - Implementation and procurement of the future operating model – 21 July 2022

·  Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee – Future of Parks Tennis - Implementation and procurement of the future operating model update - 19 June 2023

·  Invitation to Tender (ITT) Scope and Contract Specification for the supply of the Services.