A leisure centre discount scheme backed by Somerset Council will officially come to an end on New Year's Day 2027, officers have confirmed.
The Passport to Leisure scheme was originally created by South Somerset District Council, and provides discounted leisure centre memberships to people in full-time education or receiving a range of benefits (including housing benefit and universal credit).
Somerset Council inherited the scheme in April 2023 after the district council was abolished, with more than 200 people in the former South Somerset area currently possessing a passport for various leisure sites in their local area.
But the council has now decided to formally end the scheme in favour of the leisure operators providing their own discounts to eligible residents.
Around 200 people apply for the passport to leisure every year, which gives a discount of 25 per cent off the standard pricing at the participating venues.
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Five venues are currently participating in the scheme:
- Buckler's Mead Leisure Centre, Yeovil
- Chard Leisure Centre, Chard
- Goldenstones Leisure Centre, Yeovil
- Westlands Sport and Fitness Centre, Yeovil
- Wincanton Sports Centre, Wincanton
A total of 213 people currently have active passports, of which 108 are from Yeovil and the surrounding village, 55 from Chard, Crewkerne or Ilminster, 40 from Bruton, Castle Cary or Wincanton, and ten from Langport, Martock or Somerton.
Denis Groves, the council's culture and leisure officer, said that the number of passport holders had fallen as a result of the Octagon Theatre's ongoing closure and the devolution of Westlands Leisure Centre and the Yeovil Recreation Centre to Yeovil Town Council.
He elaborated in his written report: "Ceasing the scheme will simplify, align and improve consistency to the council’s approach to concessionary leisure pricing.
"In addition, there are benefits to the council including the necessary releasing of administrative capacity, along with some cost savings.
"Concessionary leisure pricing discounts already exist and are duplicated within the leisure facilities managed by the council’s partner operator Freedom Leisure, as well as another leisure facility not owned by the council and operated independently by LED.
"An alternative to the scheme will therefore continue to be delivered directly by the leisure facility operators.
"This decision enables the council to save the costs and the time involved
administering the scheme, without a loss of the benefits to existing scheme members."
LED Leisure (which runs Buckler’s Mead Leisure Centre) and Freedom Leisure (which operates the other four sites) both currently have their own discounts - with the latter having an obligation to provide one under its contract with the council (which runs until 2036).
Mr Groves added: "New passport to leisure cards will not be issued after January 1 ,2027.
"The passports are valid for a year from the issue date; however to tie in with pricing structures, all current passports would have an expiry of one year.
"This provides fair notice to all five centres and to the passport holders, which will enable everyone to change to the new scheme providers."
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