Shake-up plan for Angus Alive puts jobs at risk

Cash-strapped sports and museums service set to cut staff

A proposed management shake-up across sports centres could see jobs slashed in a bid to balance the books of Angus Alive.

The arms-length organisation which runs the sports and museums services for Angus Council plans to cut jobs by more than 15% after it announced losses of almost a quarter of a million pounds last year.

A number of roles will also be rebranded under the plans contained in a leaked document seen by The Courier.

Chiefs at the organisation have confirmed that staff have been contacted regarding the “review” but claim it is “too early to speculate on employee numbers”.

The consultation document claims that employees will be “innovative and enthusiastic”, but staff have previously reported that morale was at “an all-time low” among employees.

The proposal is the latest cost-saving exercise which has already seen attractions across the county opening just three days per week from November until March.

Jobs could be slashed across Angus sports centres under proposals currently out to consultation with staff at underpressure sports and culture organisation Angus Alive.

The arms-length external organisation, which runs museums and sports centres for Angus Council, is considering a move which could see the number of jobs reduced in the management structure at leisure facilities across the county from 43 to 36.5, a reduction of more than 15%.

Proposed changes in the current set-up include a move away from seven facility managers and 16 duty managers to 17 operations supervisors and seven sports advisers.

The number of customer advisers will be reduced by one from seven to six, although crèche assistants will remain unchanged at five.

A leaked consultation document from Angus Alive admits that achieving savings are one of the drivers of the process, and argues that the proposals will “develop our services by reviewing which services should stop, reduce, continue or be introduced” and will “deliver efficient and innovative services”.

Angus Alive chiefs also state that another aim of the process is that all employees will be “innovative and enthusiastic, ambitious and high performing, and adaptable and resilient”.

A spokesperson for Angus Alive said: “A review of sports centre operations has been undertaken and we are now consulting on the proposals for this area of the business.

“All duty managers and leisure attendants have been contacted as this review moves into the consultation phase.

“We are following our managing workforce change policy and therefore, as we are in the consultation phase where we invite employees in scope for feedback, it is too early to speculate on employee numbers as there may be further changes as a result of the feedback.”

Last year, the cash-strapped organisation announced that it had plunged into the red by almost £250,000, amid reports that staff morale was at “an all-time low”.

In a bid to balance the books, winter opening hours were cut back in a move which saw attractions across the district open just three days a week from November until March.

Concerns were expressed at the time that the move could also impact local businesses if museums were not open to attract visitors.

A review of sports centre operations has been undertaken and we are now consulting on the proposals for this area of the business. ANGUS ALIVE SPOKESPERSON

Picture: Paul Reid. Montrose swimming pool could be among the attractions to see staff cuts.