Tony Bass Email and Phone Number

Leisure consultancy business. Providing services and skills to the public and voluntary sector.Leisure facilities, sport and physical activity, health and fitness, outdoor recreation, arts and culture. Supporting local community projects by promoting ACTIVE LOCAL LEISURE.

Wisbech - Currently providing project support to Wisbech Cricket & Hockey Club re. pitch and pavilion refurbishment programmes.Other - Available to support hockey and other sports facility development/refurbishment projects.York - Provided feasibility study for City of York HC for a potential new two-pitch facility in the city.Bury St. Edmunds - Completed Bury St. Edmunds project in 2016. As Project Manager led the delivery a new floodlit artificial turf hockey pitch at an Independent School in West Suffolk. Raising over £600,000 through a club loan scheme and external grant awards, the resultant two-pitch facility now provides a permanent home for the club and is now an England Hockey Performance Centre.

Providing specialist strategic sports and leisure advice and project management services

Provided project support to fund raise, build and open new local community swimming pool in association with a local charity and school.

An original Board Member of Suffolk's County Sports Partnership (one of Sport England´s 45 CSP´s nationally). Working with partners to make Suffolk England's "Most Active County".Key areas - Supporting national governing bodies (NGB's); strategic co-ordination; workforce and business development; children and young people; health and well being; promotion and marketing.

Provided strategic & operational managment of company (100 FTE), successfully leading initial 4 yrs trading period, reducing local authority's Management Fee (£1M) subsidy from 54% to 25%.Led facility management continuity programme & opening of new £13M leisure centre.Undertook feasibility & facilitated £500k re-development of heath & fitness facility/leisure centre. New management contract with local Parish Council to open & manage new sports facilities (£25k).Won Chamber of Commerce Med/Large Business Award & Police/Crime Prevention Award for community youth programme & achieved 90% plus levels of customer satisfaction year on year. Secured £100k, external funding to establish youth diversionary anti social behaviour programmeInstigated community health walks programme to promote active & health lifestyles (volunteer led).

Interim role to establish new Leisure Trust & facilitate transfer of Services from Council. Set up Leisure Trust as company & charity & established Trustee Board & governance arrangements.Directed separation & transfer of services to new Trust including (TUPE) staff (100 FTE). Developed 5 year Business Plan & secured 10 yr Management Agreement with Council (£5M).

Strategic & Operational Lead Officer for Leisure & Cultural Service Department (120 FTE).Directed & implemented Leisure & Cultural Service Options Appraisal (£3M service budget).Secured £3.3M external funding grant for major leisure centre re-development programme.Developed & published Council´s first medium term Cultural Provision & Service Delivery StrategyDeveloped integrated Leisure & Cultural Service Dept. by amalgamating 6 service areas (£2.7 M).Key facilitator role in the development of a major (£10M+) horseracing based heritage project, including the establishment of a specialist Trust, asset management & fundraising.Management Team - Chaired Options Appraisal Working Group for Council´s revenues & benefits service (30 FTE) & implemented Council´s initial Equality & Diversity Scheme.

Direction & control of central leisure & cultural services team & facility operations (100 FTE).Introduced open plan receptions, fitness suites, indoor soft play & IT into leisure facilities (£300k).Fully refurbished & developed district´s outdoor play provision, including new park (£250k).Introduced Sports Development, Arts & Heritage Officers & new community grant scheme (£150k).Opened restored historic house (£3M), providing Tourist Information Service & events venue.Facilitation role for a National Treasure heritage project in partnership with a local museum.Developed & opened community youth drop in centre (£80k).

Provided specialist advice on leisure management contract development & tendering.Developed new specification/contract format for £1.6m budget leisure & cultural service.Designed new leisure management contract documentation for new £4M swimming facility.Lead In House specialist leisure trading arm (80 FTE), winning 1 grounds maintenance (£100k) & 2 leisure management contracts (£1.4M) cutting operational deficits by 25%.