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Administrative timetable

Final report

21 November 2024: The SAU has published its report providing advice to Sheffield City Council concerning the proposed subsidy to Sports and Leisure Management Limited. The report sets out the SAUs evaluation of Sheffield Councils Assessment of Compliance of its proposed subsidy with the requirements set out in the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

• Final report (21.11.24)

Request from Sheffield City Council

11 October 2024: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from Sheffield City Council concerning the proposed subsidy to Sports and Leisure Management Ltd. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.

The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of Sheffield City Councils assessment of whether the subsidy complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.

Information about the subsidy provided by Sheffield City Council

Sheffield City Council wishes to support healthier lifestyles amongst the people of Sheffield by supporting the provision of good quality health, leisure and wellbeing facilities at accessible prices (including concessions). Having conducted an open and competitive process to select an operator for 13 Council-owned facilities in Sheffield between 2025 and 2040, the Council has recognised that loss-making facilities may need to be supported through subsidy. This referral relates to a proposed subsidy of up to 14.5 million over 15 years for this purpose to Sport and Leisure Management Ltd.

The Councils policy objective of the subsidy is focused on addressing an equity objective, namely the Council intends the subsidy to:

• contribute to healthier lifestyles amongst the people of Sheffield by providing access to good quality health, leisure and wellbeing facilities at accessible prices (including concessionary pricing)

• help to improve the economy specifically in and around the facilities, by increasing footfall and thereby contributing to the local economy by increasing the number of potential customers

The Council considers this subsidy to be a subsidy for services of public economic interest (SPEI).

Information for third parties

If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAUs evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning the proposed subsidy, please send your comments on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).

Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission

The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with the Sheffield City Council. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to the Sheffield City Council together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to grant or modify the subsidy or its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with the Sheffield City Council using the email address provided above.

The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance.

For further details on confidentiality of third-party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.

Contact

• CMA press team: 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk