GL1 Leisure Centre bosses given pay rise before closure

The bosses who closed a leisure centre were given a pay rise while the trust was in debt, it has emerged.

GL1 closed in September after charitable trust Aspire decided not to extend its contract with Gloucester City Council and began liquidation.

The council has three bidders to run GL1 in Gloucester and hopes to secure one by the end of the month.

Bosses said the 10% rise was given across the whole trust due to the cost of living crisis.

Aspire representatives explained at a meeting at North Warehouse on 19 October why it closed.

Chairman of trustees Robin Bown said they had no adequate going concern statement which meant they could not have their accounts audited.

They also had no pension bond so were liable for any ongoing pension and had accrued a debt of £500k from 2021 which made it difficult to trade.

However, figures show that Aspire spent £1.6m on staff in 2022/23 and budgeted for more than £2m this current financial year.

The meeting was told how a 10% pay rise was given across the whole trust due to the cost of living crisis.

But councillors questioned why the chief executive and senior management were also given the pay rise at a time when the trust was clearly struggling financially.

The city council has provided £1.5m in financial support to the trust since 2019.

Cllr Sajid Patel said it "did not make sense" to give the rise to bosses when they were in financial difficulties.

"It's absolutely irresponsible and outrageous for the board to be awarding the CEO and other senior management rises when they are in financial trouble," he said.

"On the one hand they're in financial difficulties and on the other they are giving themselves pay rises."

Aspire bosses said at the end of September that they had to take the difficult decision to go into liquidation as they felt unable to trade legally.

The charity said it had faced increasing financial pressures in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic and the rapid rise in utility costs and inflation.

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