Flintshire Councillors demand transparency over Aura contract dispute

A group of 17 Flintshire County Councillors has raised serious concerns over the council’s handling of discussions with Aura Leisure and Libraries, as the county prepares to transfer its leisure and library services to a new council-owned trading company.

In an open letter to the council’s chief executive, Neal Cockerton, councillors from three parties expressed frustration at being denied access to key documents, including the latest draft agreement with Aura, which the council has declined to share with elected members.

The council is set to take over the management of leisure, library, play, and museum services from Aura at the end of October.

Aura, a social enterprise that has been running these services since 2017, declined a new contract offered by the council earlier this year, prompting the authority to create its own trading company, Flintshire Libraries and Leisure Limited, to take over the services.

The move has sparked growing concerns about the impact on the community and staff, especially given Aura’s strong track record, which includes welcoming over 1.5 million visitors to its facilities in 2023.

In their letter, the councillors called out the council’s refusal to provide them with the latest draft agreement, despite a resolution by the Education, Youth & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee that such documents should be shared with elected members.

“We are alarmed that a precedent has now been set that democratically approved recommendations of scrutiny committees can be ignored,” the letter states.

The councillors also questioned the decision to withhold the draft funding agreement, which Aura had refused.

“What possible justification can be provided for continuing to withhold the latest draft agreement from elected members?” they wrote, emphasising that this lack of transparency raises “serious questions about governance, democratic accountability, and transparency.”

Financial and Legal Concerns

The councillors’ concerns echo broader criticisms of the transition from Aura to the council-owned company.

Critics, including Community Leisure UK CEO Kirsty Cumming, have questioned whether the council has adequately planned for the complex financial and operational challenges of taking the service in-house.

One key issue is the potential loss of rate relief enjoyed by Aura as a social enterprise, which could cost the council an additional £447,000 per year.

Plaid Cymru’s North Wales MS Llyr Gruffydd has also raised concerns about whether the transition will generate the savings Flintshire County Council hopes for, particularly given the financial challenges facing local authorities across Wales.

“My concern here is whether taking this service in-house will make the savings or maintain the services currently provided,” Mr Gruffydd said.

The councillors’ letter highlights the same fears, warning that moving to a Local Authority Trading Company at such short notice risks severe service disruption.

It notes that there is speculation regarding unreasonable terms within the draft agreement, including a 30-day break clause, which they argue is damaging to the council’s reputation.

Staff and Community Impact

While the council has reassured that Aura staff will be transferred to the new company on the same terms and conditions, there remains anxiety among employees and the community. Aura’s services, including leisure centres, libraries, and play areas, are a vital resource for the county’s residents, particularly children who benefit from swimming lessons and holiday programmes.

Aura’s post-pandemic recovery has been praised, making the council’s decision to end the partnership all the more contentious.

“Aura’s record speaks for itself,” said Mr Gruffydd, who added that it was disappointing to see a Labour-led council stepping away from a worker-run enterprise model, which has been supported by the Welsh Government.

Council’s Response

Flintshire County Council has acknowledged the challenges in reaching an agreement with Aura but maintains that it is focused on ensuring a smooth transition by the 31 October deadline.

A council spokesperson recently stated: “A new contract was offered to Aura, which has been declined. The Council is disappointed that agreement could not be reached on a longer-term arrangement given the commitment by members and officers.”

The spokesperson added that the council’s priority is to “minimise disruption for service-users and provide assurance to Aura employees.”

However, with just days before the handover and councillors still denied access to key documents, concerns are mounting.

The group of councillors, which includes members from Flintshire People’s Voice, True Independent, and the Liberal Democrats, concludes their letter with a request for urgent access to the funding agreement offered to Aura.

They warn that continued refusal could have serious legal, financial, and operational consequences for the council.