Celtic Leisure (CL) was established in April 2003 to manage leisure facilities on a non- profit distributing basis. CL currently manages 7 venues: 6 Leisure Centres and a Theatre / Cinema within the Borough of Neath Port Talbot employing some 200 staff on a permanent basis.
CL is an independent organisation working in partnership primarily with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and whilst CL receives a management fee for providing the service the majority of income that is generated comes from paying customers. CL is a Registered Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee. Any surpluses generated by CL are reinvested back into the organisation to improve the service.
CL is a Social Enterprise and has a Board of Trustees which comprises of 2 Employees, 2 Neath Port Talbot Council Representatives, and 6 Representatives from the Wider Community.
CL retains a public sector ethos, but combines this with a greater commercial focus in order to increase the number and range of customers for its services. The Charity aims to grow its generated income to secure its long term sustainability, while reducing its dependency on public funding.
CL’s Vision Statements are: “To Make Neath Port Talbot the Most Active Borough in Wales” and “For the Delivery of Exceptional Theatrical, Cinematic and Participatory Experiences”. In conjunction with its Objects and Powers these summarise what the Charity is all about; ensuring that all sections of the community take part in sport, regular physical activity and/or cultural experiences.
Objects
The Charity’s objects are:
- The advancement and support of education, culture, arts and heritage;
- The provision or assistance in the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interest of social welfare, such facilities being provided to the public at large;
- The promotion and preservation of good health through community participation in healthy recreation.
Powers
To further its objects the Charity may:
- Maintain and manage leisure centres, cultural venues and associated leisure facilities open to the public;
- Promote equality of opportunity for all sections of the community;
- Provide and assist in the provision of money, materials or other help;
- Organise and assist in the provision of conferences, courses of instruction, exhibitions, lectures and other educational activities;
- Publish and distribute books, pamphlets, reports, leaflets, journals, films, tapes and instructional matter on any medium;
- Promote, encourage, carry out or commission research, surveys, studies or other work, making the useful results available;
- Provide or procure the provision of counselling and guidance;
- Provide or procure the provision of advice;
- Alone or with other organisations seek to influence public opinion and make representations to and seek to influence governmental and other bodies and institutions regarding the reform, development and implementation of appropriate policies, legislation and regulations provided that all such activities shall be confined to those which an English and Welsh charity may properly undertake;
- Enter into contracts to provide services to or on behalf of other bodies;
- Acquire or rent any property of any kind and any rights or privileges in and over property and construct, maintain, alter and equip any buildings or facilities;
- Dispose of or deal with all or any of its property with or without payment and subject to such conditions as the Trustees think fit (in exercising this power the Charity must comply as appropriate with the Charities Act 2011);
- Borrow or raise and secure the payment of money for any purpose including for the purposes of investment or of raising funds, including charging property as security for the repayment of money borrowed or as security for a grant or the discharge of an obligation (the Charity must comply as appropriate with the Charities Act 2011 if it wishes to mortgage land);
- Set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves against future expenditure;
- Invest the Charity’s money not immediately required for its objects in or upon any investments, securities, or property;
- Arrange for investments or other property of the Charity to be held in the name of a nominee or nominees and pay any reasonable fee required;
- Lend money and give credit to, take security for such loans or credit and guarantee or give security for the performance of contracts by any person or company;
- Open and operate bank accounts and other facilities for banking and draw, accept, endorse, issue or execute promissory notes, bills of exchange, cheques and other instruments;
- Accept (or disclaim) gifts of money and any other property;
- Raise funds by way of subscription, donation or otherwise;
- Trade in the course of carrying out the objects of the Charity and carry on any other trade which is not expected to give rise to taxable profits;
- Incorporate and acquire subsidiary companies to carry on any trade;
- Subject to Article 4 (limitation on private benefits):
23.1 Engage and pay employees, consultants and professional or other advisers; and
23.2 Make reasonable provision for the payment of pensions and other retirement benefits to or on behalf of employees and their spouses and dependants; - Establish and support or aid in the establishment and support of any other organisations and subscribe, lend or guarantee money or property for charitable purposes;
- Become a member, associate or affiliate of or act as trustee or appoint trustees of any other organisation (including without limitation any charitable trust of permanent endowment property held for any of the charitable purposes included in the Charity’s objects);
- Undertake and execute charitable trusts;
- Amalgamate or merge with or acquire or undertake all or any of the property, liabilities and engagements of any body;
- Co-operate with charities, voluntary bodies, statutory authorities and other bodies and exchange information and advice with them;
- Pay out of the funds of the Charity the costs of forming and registering the Charity;
- Insure the property of the Charity against any foreseeable risk and take out other insurance policies as are considered necessary by the Trustees to protect the Charity;
- Provide indemnity insurance for the Trustees or any other officer of the Charity in accordance with, and subject to the conditions in, Section 189 of the Charities Act 2011 (provided that in the case of an officer who is not a Trustee, the second and third references to “charity trustees” in the said Section 189(1) shall be treated as references to officers of the Charity); and
- Do all such other lawful things as may further the Charity’s objects.
CL is currently responsible for the operational management of six leisure facilities and one cultural venue including:
1. Aberavon Leisure & Fitness Centre
8 lane 25m Pool with Rising Boom
Teaching Pool
Health and Fitness Studio
Dance/exercise to Music Studio
Cycling Studio
4 Court Sports Hall
2. Neath Leisure Centre
25m Swimming Pool, Teaching Pool and Flume (Water Slide)
Health and Fitness Studio
Health Spa
Squash Courts
3. Neath Sports Centre
8 Court Sports Hall
Health and Fitness Studio
Strength and Conditioning Gym
Playing Fields
Astro Turf Pitch
4. Pontardawe Leisure Centre
4 Court Sports Hall
Dance/exercise to Music Studio
Health and Fitness Studio
Official Hammer Strength® Strength and Conditioning Gym
6 Rink Bowls Hall
5. Vale of Neath Leisure Centre
Health and Fitness Studio
Strength and Conditioning Gym
Free Form swimming Pool with Flume (Water Slide)
Dance/Exercise to Music Studio
6. Pontardawe Swimming Pool
Stand Alone 25m, 6 Lane Pool with separate Teaching Pool
7. Gwyn Hall
393 Seat main auditorium including Dolby 3D digital cinema
Studio – multipurpose space used for dance, rehearsals, conferences as well as small scale performances
73 seat cinema POD screening films in digital 3D and 2D
Cafe/Bar
During a ten year tenure CL has invested in a number of local authority facilities to improve both the facilities and the services offered to customers.
Where | When |
Neath Leisure Centre - Gym Layout and New Kit | 2008/09 |
Neath Leisure Centre - Gym Improvements | 2010/11 2012/13 |
Vale of Neath - New Gym and Kit | 2008/09 |
Neath Sports Centre - New Gym and Kit | 2009/10 |
Neath Sports Centre - Strength and Conditioning Gym | 2012/13 |
Ultima Fitness Modular Gym | 2010/11 |
Pontardawe Leisure Centre Gym Improvements - New Gym Kit | 2010/11 2012/13 |
Group - IT Network | 2008 |
CL’s key focus has been to establish sound foundations for leisure based activities and continues to work towards the objectives and strategies laid out in NPTCBC and the Welsh Government documentation:
- Climbing Higher
- Next Steps
- Our Healthy Future 2009
- Neath Port Talbot’s Community Plan 2010-2020
- Community Sport Strategy