Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Ellsmore –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         that in 2017, without prior permission from the City of Sydney, Belgravia Leisure engaged in a contract with Fitness Passport, a private company that provides access to gyms and leisure facilities for its members;

(ii)        that the City ordered Belgravia Leisure to remove City facilities from the Fitness Passport program, with Fitness Passport members losing access from 1 February 2022;

(iii)      that Belgravia Leisure has advised that Fitness Passport users represented 4 per cent of attendances at City of Sydney facilities between October and December 2021;

(iv)      that Fitness Passport holders were given 56 days’ notice of removal of City of Sydney facilities;

(v)       that Fitness Passport holders were offered a 30 per cent discount on City of Sydney 360 memberships until the end of June 2022, bringing the cost of membership down to $20.65 per week;

(vi)      that this discounted rate is still one-third higher than the Fitness Passport rate;

(vii)     that a Fitness Passport member electing to receive a discounted 360 membership will pay $118.65 more by the end of June than they would have under the Fitness Passport program;

(viii)    that many healthcare providers participate in the Fitness Passport program, and the removal of this service has removed many healthcare workers’ affordable access to leisure facilities in the City of Sydney; and

(ix)      that a petition opposing the removal of the Fitness Passport program received over 82 signatures; and

(B)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i)         write to the Chief Executive Officer of Belgravia Leisure to seek compensation for City of Sydney residents who are Fitness Passport users to ensure that they receive suitable redress for the cost of the changed program;

(ii)        investigate any legal avenues the Council may have as a result of this removal of service in order to support our residents; and

(iii)      inform Council of the action taken on this issue via a further CEO Update.

The motion was lost on the following show of hands –

Ayes (3)          Councillors Ellsmore, Scott and Weldon

Noes (7)          The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Gannon*, Jarrett*, Kok and Scully.

*Note – Councillors Gannon and Jarrett abstained from voting on this matter. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 9.4 of the Code of Meeting Practice, Councillors Gannon and Jarrett are taken to have voted against the motion.

The motion was lost.

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