Council leisure centre membership contract torn up
Discussion
Long running saga for local residents, but essentially many of us signed a very clear contract back in 1995 that stated we would pay £39.50 each month and "for all subsequent months" to use North Herts council leisure facilities.
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Peterpetrole said:
Long running saga for local residents, but essentially many of us signed a very clear contract back in 1995 that stated we would pay £39.50 each month and "for all subsequent months" to use North Herts council leisure facilities.
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Peterpetrole said:
Do I have a compo claim?
Cheers
Cheers
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Yes, they owe you at 50k in compensation for the emotional distress.
Joking aside, it is impossible for anyone to answer your question without seeing the full contract you signed and, probably, knowing what agreements are in place between the old and new owners.
Thanks, I assure you the contract is perfectly clear, just two brief sides of A4, there are no get outs in it, the key bit is as I said is who the contract is with. Joking aside, it is impossible for anyone to answer your question without seeing the full contract you signed and, probably, knowing what agreements are in place between the old and new owners.
Is the council still on the hook, I think they should be? What is the legal status of the phrase "on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
Peterpetrole said:
Long running saga for local residents, but essentially many of us signed a very clear contract back in 1995 that stated we would pay £39.50 each month and "for all subsequent months" to use North Herts council leisure facilities.
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Your contract is with City and District of St Albans. The operator is just there agent. They have changed agent i would assume the contract would give them the right to do that. Your contract is unaffected unless there is specific wording in the contract which allows for a price change. At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Write to the operator copy the council refusing to pay the higher price saying they have no contractual right to make changes. If they refuse to agree you can then go to court for damages.
MustangGT said:
I would say the contract expired in 2021 when the company was liquidated and not immediately replaced, a 3 year gap is significant.
Were you paying £39.50/month all through that period?
If so, who were you paying and did it change in 2021?
It's a long saga, but actually there was another operator before this year, they'd been there maybe 15 years, who were kicked out by the council for being rubbish. Were you paying £39.50/month all through that period?
If so, who were you paying and did it change in 2021?
Don't know why it took until 2021 for the company to be dissolved.
Yes I was paying £39.50 every month until this year when they (council) tore the contract up.
Sebring440 said:
Peterpetrole said:
Long running saga for local residents, but essentially many of us signed a very clear contract back in 1995 that stated we would pay £39.50 each month and "for all subsequent months" to use North Herts council leisure facilities.
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Peterpetrole said:
Do I have a compo claim?
Cheers
Cheers
Peterpetrole said:
I think it's about 52 or something, not sure, I stopped paying due to the breach of contract.
Looking at an inflation calculator £39.50 in 1995 is now the equivalent of £79.34, looks like it is still a good deal. You can't really have expected to pay the same monthly cost for 30-60 years?Peterpetrole said:
Long running saga for local residents, but essentially many of us signed a very clear contract back in 1995 that stated we would pay £39.50 each month and "for all subsequent months" to use North Herts council leisure facilities.
At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
do you want to buy some magic beans???At the time, the contract was with "St Albans Leisure Ltd on behalf of the City and District of St Albans".
St Albans Leisure Ltd was dissolved in 2021 and from 2024 "Everyone Active (Sports and Leisure Management Ltd) has been appointed as our new leisure management operator"
https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/leisure-operator-ch...
This new operator has put all the prices up, when I thought at the time in 1995 I was signing up for life at £39.50 a month (which for what was offered in return was never actually great value, just that inflation would make it cheaper over time).
Do I have a compo claim? Is there some council equivalent to TUPE that means contract / liabilities have to be transferred over to new operators?
Cheers
Do you think it is reasonable to pay the same amount now as back in 1995?
Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
Edited by ATG on Thursday 21st November 16:09
ATG said:
Do you think it is reasonable to pay the same amount now as back in 1995?
Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
I'm conscious of the above, yes, I'm also conscious that the Chief Executive of St Albans City Council is paid £125,000 per year.Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
Edited by ATG on Thursday 21st November 16:09
In reality, I made little use of my membership for many years and the Council has done fantastically well out of me, it was always my "rainy day" membership for the future. So no I don't feel remotely guilty in my case, can't speak for others whose contract was torn up.
Peterpetrole said:
ATG said:
Do you think it is reasonable to pay the same amount now as back in 1995?
Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
I'm conscious of the above, yes, I'm also conscious that the Chief Executive of St Albans City Council is paid £125,000 per year.Remember that this isn't about you versus "the council". It's you versus everyone else who pays for the council to do anything or receives any of its services.
Loads of councils are under a great deal of financial strain. Many are closing schools, libraries and leisure centres to desperately try to consolidate their ability to deliver core services.
Within that context, being peeved that the council is trying to increase a price after ... thirty years ... seems a bit special.
PS I do have some sympathy, though. It sounds like the council is reneging on the original agreement. It's just that that agreement was an unbelievably stupid offer from the council in the first place. They should never have put council tax payers of the future on the hook for honouring that contract.
Edited by ATG on Thursday 21st November 16:09
In reality, I made little use of my membership for many years and the Council has done fantastically well out of me, it was always my "rainy day" membership for the future. So no I don't feel remotely guilty in my case, can't speak for others whose contract was torn up.
If you think you have some sort of case then you should have a lawyer look over your contract. I don't think you will be in line for any compo though!
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Yes, they owe you at 50k in compensation for the emotional distress.
Joking aside, it is impossible for anyone to answer your question without seeing the full contract you signed and, probably, knowing what agreements are in place between the old and new owners.
Here we are:Joking aside, it is impossible for anyone to answer your question without seeing the full contract you signed and, probably, knowing what agreements are in place between the old and new owners.
Edited by Peterpetrole on Thursday 21st November 16:54
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