Activities offered at the Brentwood Centre could be extended once a new provider has been chosen to run leisure services.

Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council are commencing the procurement of a new combined management contract for their leisure facilities and services.

The new operator will have responsibility for The Brentwood Centre, The Hartswood Pavilion and King George’s Playing Field in Brentwood, as well as two leisure centres in Rochford.

The new combined leisure contract will include an opportunity to broaden the scope of services to include a community outreach programme.

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Brentwood Council says this outreach programme would aim to “better tackle inactivity and health inequalities and to make a stronger contribution to the delivery of wider health and wellbeing”.

Councillor Vicky Davies, who sits on the cross-party leisure working group, said: “At the end of the day although it’s a joint contract we do stand alone at the end of the day for the benefits that we’re going to receive.

“And I think there’s a great potential for improvement and perhaps increasing extending the services and the activities that already are on offer in Brentwood.  I think it’s quite exciting actually and I’m glad to be part of that process.”

Core to the new deal will be options being brought to the council later on to improve the fabric and layout of the Brentwood Centre.

Councillor David Kendall, who also sits on the working group, added: “The important thing is that to me it reflects the needs of Brentwood residents and also Rochford residents.

“There are differences in terms of what’s required particularly with regards to the Brentwood Centre.”