Bromley Council is to push ahead with proposals to deliver some of its leisure services through a charitable trust, following a Best Value review.

The review of the council's leisure services concluded a trust could bring significant service and financial benefits - a charitable trust receives annual tax benefits of up to £1m, which could be re-invested back into services. The council says it may have difficulty sustaining the scope and quality of existing leisure services, which are discretionary, in future, because of the financial pressures on statutory areas.

The services to be taken over include the management of leisure centres, golf courses, sports and arts development, play and childcare services and parks and open spaces.

A shadow trust will be formed to negotiate with the council and develop a business plan to demonstrate how it can provide services more economically than the existing arrangements.

The bulk of funding for the trust will come from an annual grant and contracts for the council, as well as from the service users in the form of fees and charges.

The trust is due to be fully operational by October 2003 in time to take back in house the management of the leisure centres when the current contracts expire in March 2004. Details: +44 (0)202 8461 7220