Joint review of sport, leisure and cultural services

About Live Borders

Live Borders is the leisure, sport and cultural trust for the Scottish Borders, delivering services on our behalf. The trust is a charity, funded through a management fee from us, income from services and commercial operations, and grant funding from other sources.

We own almost all the properties operated by Live Borders.

Background

A joint review of sport, leisure and cultural services and facilities took place during 2023, focusing on the quality, quantity, accessibility, affordability and sustainability of services and facilities. The independent review concluded with a report to Full Council in November 2023, resulting in the development of a Joint Transformational Change Programme to progress a number of recommendations.

In May 2024, a special meeting of Full Council considered the ongoing challenges being experienced by Live Borders and it was agreed to progress an options appraisal to review the trust model and consider the return of some or all services to us to help establish a sustainable model.

In June 2024, Full Council agreed to move to a Single Member Trust model and in principle to return two services to our control - Active Schools and Sports Development.

An independent review of services and associated facilities by consultants with extensive experience of working with local authorities and sport and culture trusts has taken place during early 2025. They were tasked by Live Borders and ourselves with objectively identifying options which will help Live Borders deliver accessible, relevant and cost-effective services from a sustainable property estate.

Laidlaw Memorial Pool and Fitness Centre in Jedburgh was also included in the review as a Council-owned facility which was operated by a separate community trust until its recent closure.