Freedom Leisure, the leading not-for-profit leisure trust in Kent and Sussex, has been chosen as the preferred partner by Brighton & Hove Council to run six of the City's leisure facilities and the paddling pools.

Freedom Leisure, which already operates 23 sites on behalf of seven councils around the South East, has taken on the King Alfred Leisure Centre, The Prince Regent Swimming Complex, Withdean Sports Complex, Moulsecomb Community Leisure Centre, Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, St Luke's Swimming Pool. Freedom Leisure will also be operating the paddling pools at Hove Lagoon, The Level, Suanders Park and Kings Road. Freedom Leisure will manage them in partnership with the Council for a minimum period of 10 years, starting from 1 April 2011.

As part of planned investment, Freedom Leisure will kick-off the contract by installing new fitness kit worth around £500k at Withdean Sports Complex, Prince Regent Swimming Complex and Stanley Deason and Mouslecomb Leisure Centre's. With future improvements including energy-saving measures, new membership schemes, additional fitness initiatives including Wii Fit rooms to encourage activity in the young.

Freedom Leisure will also be recruiting a dedicated Community Sports Development Officer (CSDO) for the Brighton area, who will focus specifically on increasing sports participation within the local community. The CSDO will also strive to continually deliver a range of exciting and different activities, whilst working closely with Brighton & Hove City Councils Sport Development Team and other sporting bodies like Sports England, National Governing Bodies and the ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) to encourage people of all ages and abilities to get more active.

With a genuine community focus Freedom Leisure will also be conducting in-depth market research to identify exactly what Brighton users are looking for, with target groups being young people, ethnic minorities, older customers, those with disabilities and those who are socially or economically disadvantaged.

With no immediate membership price increases planned for any of the Brighton centres customers will be keen to learn that Freedom Leisure will also be keeping the existing management and staff teams. Additional benefits for customers included access to all six Brighton sites at no extra cost. For those who travel around the County on business or pleasure then the introduction of the Connected Membership will be of interest. This membership option not only allows access to the Brighton centres but will also include access to any of the other 23 Freedom Leisure sites in Kent and Sussex giving greater choice of activities, facilities and much more flexibility for those who are on the move. Centres closest to Brighton are The Triangle Burgess Hill, The Dolphin Haywards Heath, K2 Crawley and Hassocks Sports Centre.

Jeff Hart, Managing Director of Freedom Leisure said, "Freedom Leisure is delighted to be taking on the Brighton centres. We look forward to working with the teams at each centre, as well as engaging with new and existing customers. We hope that the initial planned improvements will significantly enhance the Brighton leisure offering and will encourage more people from the local community to use the facilities on a more regular basis."

Cabinet Councillor for Culture, David Smith said: "All our sports facilities need the kind of investment that councils cannot afford these days. So I believe the best option for them could be a community trust which reinvests any surplus back into facilities."