Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      At a special meeting on 12th February 2009, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed revenue estimates for 2009/10 including £500,000 for the establishment of a corporate thematic budget to finance those elements of crosscutting work, which could not be delivered solely within functional budgets. Accordingly, as part of the Council’s Sustainable Development Action Plan 2009-2011, an application was submitted to the corporate thematic budget to support the delivery of a waste characterisation study for a range of council premises in the order of £35,000.

      Delays in assigning the corporate budget have meant however, that the waste characterisation study cannot be completed fully within the 2009/2010 financial accounting period, resulting in an estimated £18,000 underspend. Chief Officers considered this underspend at their meeting of 23rd September 2009 and recommended that it be used to support other crosscutting work contributing towards the corporate strategic theme of better care for Belfast’s environment – a clean, green city now and for the future and as outlined within the Sustainable Development Action Plan.

      Accordingly, as part of the Council’s energy conservation and carbon emission reduction activities, Chief Officers recommended that the £18,000 corporate strategy budget underspend be used to replace the pool cover and associated mechanism at Andersonstown Leisure Centre subject to Committee approval. The cost of a replacement pool cover and associated mechanism is estimated at £15,000.

Key Issues

      The existing pool cover at Andersonstown Leisure Centre is 9 years old. Due to a collapse of the boom however, a complete new cover and housing is now required.

      The Department of Finance and Personnel Public Sector Energy Campaign (PSEC) has identified that swimming pools are large energy consumers and, with rising energy costs, ensuring that the pool water evaporation rate is as low as possible is imperative.  High pool water evaporation rates occur in the absence of a pool cover, necessitating a high ventilation rate in the pool hall in order control humidity levels. High evaporation rates also increase the pool water-heating load leading to increased energy consumption and elevated energy bills.

      The single most effective means of reducing evaporation from a pool is therefore via the installation and operation of an effective pool cover. Indeed, given that most swimming pools are unused overnight, but many maintain heating and ventilation regimes suitable for daytime occupancy, it is estimated that a well-fitting pool cover can reduce night-time energy usage by as much as 90%, giving overall energy savings of around 25%.

      Research conducted in 1994 by The Sports Council, The Institute of Sport & Recreation Management (ISRM) and the Institute of Leisure Amenity Management (ILAM) has shown a swimming pool similar to Andersonstown, in Cardiff City Council installed a pool cover and the payback period on their investment was estimated at 1.6 years. Pool covers generally pay for themselves in energy savings alone in less than three years.

Resource Implications

      Financial

      Facilities Management have given estimated costs of £15,000 to replace the pool cover on the main pool at Andersonstown. On approval they will seek competitive quotations for this cover.  Maintenance costs of £100 per year can be provided from existing budgets

      Human Resources

      N/A

      Asset and Other Implications

      N/A

Recommendation

      It is recommended that Members approve the use of the £18,000 corporate strategy budget underspend to replace the pool cover and associated mechanism at Andersonstown Leisure Centre

Key to Abbreviations

      PSEC:   The Department of Finance and Personnel

                    Public Sector Energy Campaign

      ISRM:    The Institute of Sport & Recreation Management

      ILAM:    The Institute of Leisure Amenity Management”

            The Committee granted the approval sought.