Efficiency savings of £2m in five years
flexibility to respond to changing priorities.
“Whilst there are no specified break clauses, the contract provides the council with the option to voluntarily terminate the agreement at any point at its sole discretion.
“The successful bidder will deliver an enhanced sport, physical activity and well-being service across the life of the contract introducing a range of new community-led individual and family oriented programmes of activities and events aimed at increasing participation, reducing health inequalities and improving well-being.”
Efforts would also be made to attract national, regional and local sporting events to raise the profile of Stirling.
Ms Burlet said they decided on the tendering move after consulting more than 1000 people from the area on the framing of a “sport, physical activity and wellbeing strategy”.
The council had a “legal obligation” to demonstrate best value , she added.
However, the council’s SNP say legal advice obtained by MP Steven Paterson indicated there was no legal reason for the tendering process.
SNP Group Leader Scott Farmer said: “At the beginning of this process, senior Labour councillors gave false assurances that the tendering process would not lead to privatisation. Now they are proposing that they grant a 25-year contract to a private firm to run what is currently operated by a partner organisation. This is a real threat to the value-for-money service people currently receive. I call on Labour councillors to think again – their current privatisation agenda will not be forgiven by residents of the Stirling area.”