Council seeks fissure with Fusion over pools problems

Numerous issues with Fusion-run swimming pools in Haringey have angered civic centre bosses, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Tottenham Green Pools and (inset) leisure provider Fusion Lifestyle

Haringey Council has announced plans to end its deal with Fusion Lifestyle for the running of the borough’s leisure centres.

The civic centre hopes to agree a “negotiated exit” of Fusion from its contract with the council – which still has nine years left to run under a 20-year deal signed in 2012 – following a string of problems at the centres.

It comes shortly after the local authority began a review the borough’s leisure provision in the wake of pool closures at Tottenham Green and Park Road, Crouch End.

The pools at Tottenham Green have been closed since the end of last year and may not reopen until the end of 2023 amid an ongoing failure to fix problems caused by the flooding of electrical systems. Residents have also complained over dirty facilities at the centre, and in 2019 four people had to be taken to hospital following a chlorine gas leak.

In an announcement on Wednesday (9th), council leader Peray Ahmet and cabinet member for culture, communities and leisure Emily Arkell revealed that the authority was “seeking to agree a negotiated exit of Fusion from its contract with the council”, despite claiming to have enjoyed a “good working relationship” with the company over the last decade.

They added: “We are keen to find an amicable way forward, and council representatives have met with Fusion this week to explore the timeframe for the transition.

“As a result of this process, we hope to deliver services which are more accountable to residents and where future concerns and maintenance issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

“This will also form part of our ambition to move towards a joined-up leisure and wellbeing service, giving residents access to the full range of support they need to live active and healthy lives.”

As well as the centres in Tottenham Green and Park Road, Fusion runs a third leisure centre at Broadwater Farm. It previously managed New River Sport and Fitness in White Hart Lane, but the facility was brought back under the council’s control in 2021.

If the council exits the deal with Fusion, it could insource the remaining centres or hand their management to an alternative provider.

Alessandra Rossetti, leisure services spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat opposition group, said: “This move is very welcome and long overdue – Lib Dems in Haringey have been calling for months for an exit from this contract, which has served the borough extremely poorly.

“Fusion’s performance has been below significantly below an acceptable standard for a number of years, with filthy centres, broken equipment and frequent closures. [This] news can only be good for residents, and the council now needs to carefully consider how our leisure centres can be best operated, and contracts managed, going forwards.”

Fusion Lifestyle has been approached for comment.

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