What we do

Key Facts

The Taunton Deane contract in Somerset is for 15 years and comprises six leisure facilities, including three swimming pools, three sports halls, three fitness gyms and dance studios, a young people's fitness facility, twelve court indoor and outdoor tennis facility, 18 hole golf course, cafeteria, events, functions and conferences venue, toning tables facility, sauna and steam facilities. The Taunton Deane contract has 379 employees and has been operating since the Leisure Trust was established in 2004, currently turning over £4.4 million. The contract ends in August 2019. For 12 years, prior to the Leisure Trust formation, we traded as a highly successful 'in-house' Direct Service Organisation winning two contracts through Compulsory Competitive Tendering. Furthermore, Taunton Deane's Sports Services underwent Government Best Value inspection in May 2003 and was judged 'Good' with 'Excellent' prospects for improvement. This put the organisation in the top ten per cent of sports services in the country.

In 2006 Tone successfully tendered for the South Hams Leisure Contract. This 10 year contract comprises four leisure facilities, as well as sports and healthy lifestyles. Facilities include three swimming pools, four sports halls, four fitness gyms and dance studios, two cafeteria, four squash courts, ATP and outdoor pitches, three creche, indoor bowls rink, outdoor lido and tennis courts. This contract currently turns over £1.6 million and runs until 2016. We successfully TUPE transferred over 300 employees in December 2006.

Both of these clients, Taunton Deane Borough Council and South Hams District Council, have faced increasing economic challenges in recent years and reducing the leisure subsidy cost has been a key driver with regard to outsourcing the leisure services. Tone have demonstrated that the organisation has the ability to generate significant cost savings, whilst simultaneously maintaining and improving the quality of the services it provides, as well as increasing participation rates in physical activity.

Partners we work with

Tone have a strong partnership approach to work in any community and would embark to engage with the local PCT, Youth Service, community organisations, sports partnerships, strategic partnerships, clubs and educational establishments. Tone also work closely with local tourism service departments and agencies in areas of high tourism, such as South Hams.

The central role of our Community Development Team is to increase participation in sport and physical activity of all kinds, whilst also addressing issues of health, crime and social inclusion, often working with organisations such as the NHS, schools, charities, sports governing bodies and regeneration initiatives. We work in partnership with government bodies to deliver government initiatives relating to sport.

Seeking funding

Over the past four years Tone has been successful in levering in over £700,000 of external funds for a range of partner organisations, community development initiatives, Health and Well-being programmes and facility improvements.

Projects include the development of diversionary Youth Night programmes through regional Crime Reduction Partnerships, respite care programmes and inclusion programmes, Young people's fitness facility developments, elderly care activity programmes, mental wellbeing initiatives, and community play projects.

Our Approach

Tone have a primary objective to increase activity participation for the whole community, providing affordable and accessible leisure services. We have increased participation in both contracts, by over 10% in Taunton Deane and over 15% in South Hams in the last 3 years.

Tone have particular experience in working in rural and semi-rural areas in Somerset and Devon. Tone provide "Active Villages" programmes in three Devon districts, Mid Devon, South Hams and North Devon, developing and facilitating activity programmes in villages (population 500 to 2,000) utilising facilities in the village locations.

Tone believe Sports Development services provide a catalyst which ensures hard to reach groups have greater opportunity to engage in health and sporting activity. Well executed programmes in facilities and in local communities encourage hard to reach groups, in particular those in areas of high social need, disadvantaged and rural deprivation. Sports development activity programmes reduce health inequality and improve community cohesion through partnership working with local authorities, agency partners, Sport England and the NHS.