Newham Council is due to start a new 10-year partnership with GLL, the UK’s leading leisure and cultural charitable staff-owned trust, which runs services under the Better brand. The collaboration promises to increase physical activity levels and improve the customer experience for residents in one of London’s fastest growing boroughs.
The council is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of residents, as outlined in the local authority’s ‘Building a Fairer Newham’ objectives, to make the borough healthier and to support people to age well. This is particularly in relation to improving life expectancy; increasing satisfaction with services and reducing loneliness and isolation. Maximising the use of our leisure assets and green spaces provides a huge opportunity to impact on the wider determinants of health.
Not-for-profit GLL will use its wealth of experience and socially purposed business model to enhance the leisure service – investing in grassroots sports, facilities and accessible activities to improve life in the borough - for existing and new customers.
Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “Our new partner GLL shares our ambition to achieve sustainable results in addressing health inequities through increasing activity levels and improving the overall well-being of our residents.
“This change will benefit all of us. It aligns with our corporate priorities; 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham (2024-2027), the Well Newham approach and more generally, our values of putting people at the heart of everything we do.
“I look forward to seeing what the future brings but there is no doubt, the health and wellbeing of all residents will, as always, be a central focus.”
Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said: "We are very much looking forward to bringing Newham's customers and colleagues back into the GLL family and sharing the benefits of our socially purposed business model through this return to a long-term partnership with Newham Council - a dynamic and forward-thinking borough.
"In addition to helping local residents get more active and offering staff great training and development, we will be extending opportunities to talented local athletes through our annual GLL Sport Foundation Awards - now in their 16th year."
“We look forward to working with the staff of activeNewham who have operated these community facilities for the last 10 years.”
Beyond the centres, the contract will also support residents to be active in community settings, including green spaces, as part of the Active Communities programme – as well as supporting the 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham strategy.
Leisure service users will initially notice 'GLL' and ‘Better’ branding appearing in centres and an enhancement to the look and feel going forward to enhance the customer experience. Bookings will be available seven days in advance on the Better_uk app.
Further details of the transfer are being communicated with customers and staff in the forthcoming days.
