Milton Keynes City Council has secured almost £3m of new investment for improvements at Bletchley Leisure Centre, Woughton Leisure Centre and Windmill Hill Golf Centre.
The funding is part of a new long-term contract with Serco Leisure and More Leisure Community Trust. Around 600,000 visits were made to the three centres in the last year.
Bletchley Leisure Centre will receive a fun new Splash Pad outdoor water play area which children and families can enjoy during the warmer months. The city council is also installing a new car park lift as the current lift is unrepairable, and this work begins soon.
Windmill Hill Golf Centre’s irrigation system will be upgraded so a higher‑quality course can be used throughout the year. The driving range will be enhanced, and the main clubhouse will be modernised.
Around £800,000 will be spent on new energy-saving initiatives designed to cut annual energy use by an estimated 1.1m kWh, cutting emissions by 209 tCO₂e each year. to reduce operating costs at all centres.
A new long‑term agreement between the city council and Serco Leisure, working alongside More Leisure Community Trust, brings all three sites under one contract for up to 15 years.
Serco Leisure manages over 50 centres in the UK, on behalf of clients such as local authorities, Sport England, and the national charity for wheelchair sport, WheelPower.
Since November 2024, Serco Leisure and MLCT have operated Bletchley Leisure Centre on behalf of the city council.
“This is really exciting news and paves a way for a brighter future for our local leisure centres," said Cabinet Member for Sport and Leisure, Cllr Mick Legg, "Well‑run leisure facilities play an important role in supporting strong, healthy communities, offering places where people can exercise, socialise and take part in activities that improve physical and mental wellbeing.
"I’m pleased to see such strong commitment and investment, along with the contractor’s pledge to work closely with local partners and parish councils to make these facilities vibrant, multi-use community hubs. This new investment will help ensure that these popular centres continue to play that role for years to come," he added.
Simon Lane, Managing Director for Serco Leisure said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to operate three fantastic leisure facilities in Milton Keynes. Since November 2024, we have already invested over £250k into new gym equipment into Bletchley Leisure Centre, reinforcing our commitment to continually enhance the centres we manage and deliver the best possible experience for our customers.
“Our focus will be to continue delivering exceptional customer experiences, supporting community wellbeing, and ensuring these centres remain vibrant hubs for health and fitness. We look forward to working closely with Milton Keynes City Council to make a positive impact for local residents.”
Brian Taylor, Chair of More Leisure Community Trust, said: “This contract win gives us the opportunity to further expand our Active Wellbeing programme, working with MKCC’s Sport & Active Communities Team to engage under-represented groups and support improvements in the health and wellbeing of Milton Keynes’ citizens.”
“Our priority as a leisure trust is to create welcoming, inclusive spaces that inspire people to stay active and healthy. I would like to thank Milton Keynes City Council for their continued faith in MLCT and Serco Leisure to provide the high-quality health and wellbeing services the people of Milton Keynes deserve.”
