A NOT-FOR-PROFIT company has won the race to take on the day-to-day running of a council leisure centre.

Freedom Leisure has been chosen to operate Portslade Sports Centre in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council with a six year contract to start on April 1.

The company will be investing £300,000 to update the centre, bringing in a new computerised booking system, new indoor cycling studio, improved catering offer and new fitness equipment.

The company also plans to bring in a range of energy conservation measures to reduce CO2 emissions by 43 tons.

The search for new operators was launched last year after the council admitted that the 40-year-old site, which costs the council around £116,000 a year to maintain, required almost £500,000 worth of improvements.

Existing members at Portslade Sports Centre will have their membership carried over to Freedom Leisure with no increase in fees or break in membership.

Members will also be able to upgrade to a seven site membership that covers all the centres operated by Freedom Leisure in partnership with the council.

Freedom Leisure area manager Chris Lovelock, who will oversee the site, said: “The site has great potential for upgrade work and by improving facilities and working closely with our neighbouring sites, we are confident the leisure provision here will improve ten-fold for members and visitors,”

Geoffrey Bowden, Brighton and Hove City Council’s chairman of the economic development and culture committee, said: “We are delighted to welcome Freedom Leisure to manage the Portslade Sports Centre and are looking forward to seeing it modernised and updated.”