Seaford Town Council is pleased to announce that the much-anticipated new tennis courts works are underway within The Salts Recreation Ground, in preparation for a spring opening – with this comes a fantastic opportunity to introduce coaching on site!
With a view to successfully increasing community tennis, the Town Council is now looking to engage a tennis coach to build a successful and thriving community tennis facility, affordable for families and inclusive for all, in line with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) requirements.
The three new full-sized courts will benefit from automated floodlights and gate access, which will work in conjunction with ClubSpark, an award-winning online sport management system ensuring an easy-to-use process for booking the courts. Toilets are within immediate proximity, as well as free car parking and a café.
The new courts have been made possible thanks to funding from Community Infrastructure Levy funds from Lewes District Council, the Lawn Tennis Association, Sport England, and Seaford Town Council.
The coaching opportunity now available is being offered as two different types of contract – a lease model or Town Council-operated model.
Under the lease model, the successful tennis partner will be charged an annual rental fee for exclusive rights to operate their coaching business, and provide community tennis, which will include family membership and pay and play sessions, within The Salts Recreation Ground. The tennis partner will manage the ClubSpark booking system and ensure a full business model for both tennis coaching and community tennis is in place. The Town Council will retain responsibility for the facilities on site – the inspection, maintenance and/or renewal of – but will work closely with the partner in doing so.
Under the Town Council-operated model, the successful coaching provider will join forces with the Town Council through a service level agreement. The provider will be entitled to use the courts for their coaching service, paying the Town Council an annual fee. The Town Council will manage the ClubSpark booking system, overall business model and the facilities on site, although will work closely with the provider to ensure they are able to contribute accordingly.
Under both models, in order to ensure a good balance is achieved between coaching provision and courts being available for general use by the public, the partner/provider will be entitled to use up to a maximum of 30 court hours per week, with a maximum of two of the three courts being used at any one time. All income received from the coaching sessions will be kept by the partner/provider.
An important aspect of either model will be to develop and deliver an effective, inspiring and sustainable community tennis coaching programme for people of all ages and abilities (adults, juniors, minors), to encourage local residents to play more tennis, engage new players and help people learn how to play the game.
For the lease model, the initial contract period is 1st May 2022 to 31st March 2027, (subject to works being completed on schedule), with a six-month probationary period.
For the Town Council-operated model, the initial contract period is 1st May 2022 to 31st March 2025 (subject to works being completed on schedule), with a six-month probationary period. There will be the option to extend the contract for a further 2 years to 2027, subject to review and both parties’ agreement.
For both models an annual review will take place at the end of each year to discuss the suitability and success of the coaching programme.
It is expected that, under either model, the tennis coach be LTA accredited, hold an LTA Level 3 coaching qualification or above and have experience in providing community-focused tennis activities. The successful candidate will also require a DBS check in line with the Town Council’s Safeguarding Policy – Tennis.
The full job pack for both opportunities and details of the information required to submit a tender application can be found on the Town Council’s website at https://www.seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk/contracts-and-tenders
Tender applications are to be emailed to tenders@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk detailing the information set out in the full job pack, or posted to Seaford Town Council, 37 Church Street, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 1HG, by 5pm Friday 11th March 2022.
