Herefordshire best in class for public leisure services
Hereford Leisure Centre has been rated fifth in the country for public leisure services and has joined Ross Swimming Pool in being rated as within the top one per cent of public leisure facilities nationwide.
This accolade comes from Quest, the UK quality scheme for sport and leisure, who are completing the latest round of external inspections on Halo-operated leisure facilities in Hereford, Ledbury, Ross, Bromyard and Leominster.
All of the county's public leisure facilities managed by Halo have now been inspected and the overall scores put Halo within the top 10 per cent in the UK, with Hereford Leisure Centre ranked as equal fifth.
Halo, a social enterprise and registered charity, manages leisure centres on behalf of their major partner Herefordshire Council. It is one of only two companies to have achieved accreditation for all centres and at a "highly commended" level, the other being Sheffield International Venues.
Alex Haines, manager of Hereford Leisure Centre, said: "We have made consistent progress year on year, both in terms of service and support systems. However, the most rewarding part, as manager, is having the commitment of the staff. Without their support, we would not have achieved this level."
Councillor Adrian Blackshaw, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for economic development and community services, said: "When we set up the trust for Halo leisure, we wanted it to achieve the highest possible standards and this external inspection shows they certainly have.
"People in Herefordshire are fortunate to have such splendid leisure facilities across the county and I would encourage everyone to make full use of them so Halo can continue to build on their success," he added.
Jon Argent, chief executive of Halo Leisure, said: "I'm delighted that Alex and his team have seen their hard work rewarded. This is an example of partnership working at its very best and shows how councils can work with organisations like Halo and in return gain top-class leisure facilities for the public. Our aim is to be recognised as a model of best practice in the leisure industry, so we are delighted with the results of these independent inspections," he added.
For further details on using Halo leisure facilities, log onto the website at http://www.haloleisure.co.uk/
