Fair Funding for liveArgyll

At liveArgyll, our goal has always been to deliver high-quality community services at the lowest possible cost. Since becoming a charity in 2017, our funding model has allowed us to reinvest in facilities, grow services, and keep memberships affordable, even as we’ve absorbed £2.7 million in inflation and funding reductions since 2021.

Despite rising operating costs, we’ve kept membership prices among the lowest in the country. While projected Council-based fees would now place a single membership at over £54 per month, ours remains just £28.99 — with family memberships less than half the projected cost. This is only possible because of careful financial management and continued community support.

We understand the financial pressures facing Argyll & Bute Council and recognise that difficult decisions lie ahead, but continued reductions in funding or the absence of essential inflationary support will inevitably lead to tough choices about which services can continue. liveArgyll has shown it can deliver excellent services at low cost but we need the backing of our communities to continue doing so.

That’s why we’re asking for your voice. In the form below, we invite you to tell us which services you use and whether you support fairer funding for liveArgyll. Your input will help us demonstrate the value these services bring to everyday life across Argyll and Bute and why sustaining them matters.

Together, we can ensure that these vital community services not only survive but continue to thrive.

Where liveArgyll works

The map highlights the services, facilities, and sites available in each of the five key areas where we work across Argyll and Bute.

While some key towns and islands are highlighted, we also work across the county, delivering our services to smaller towns and villages, thereby reaching a broader part of our communities.

Funding Model of liveArgyll

liveArgyll are able to deliver services at a lower costs through tax advantages, commercial trading, and access to non-recurring funding opportunities, which are generally not available to local authorities.

Since liveArgyll was created in 2017, we have managed to grow our self-generated income, reducing the cost to our communities. This growth in revenue has been vital, allowing us to meet any inflationary pressures, national insurance rises, and reductions in council funding, while maintaining services and reinvesting in those services.

Over the last eight years, we have invested in your facilities by regularly upgrading gym equipment and expanding the fitness class provision.

Since 2021, liveArgyll has absorbed a total of £ 2.7 million in inflationary costs and annual service payment reductions. Whilst we understand the challenging financial situation that the Council are facing, we’re now at the point that any further reductions, or refusal to provide inflationary monies required to deliver services such as libraries, Adult Learning, and Youthwork, then the Council will face the difficult decision of telling liveArgyll which services should remain, and which ones should be cut. liveArgyll has shown that it can be a successful organisation, delivering fantastic services at a low cost to our communities, so we ask our communities to work with us, show their support and complete the form at the bottom of this page.

liveArgyll Low-Cost Membership Model

We are proud to continue offering one of the most affordable memberships in the country.

Since liveArgyll started operating the Council’s leisure facilities in 2017, we have halved the original prices, and managed to keep increases to a minimum – just two small adjustments in eight years, even as annual operating costs have risen substantially.

If the original Council leisure prices had been inflated in line with annual fees and charges increases (shown below in Figure 1.), the projected cost of a single membership today would be £54.49 per month (Figure 2.), while a family membership would be £110.79 per month (Figure 4.).

It goes without saying that we are delighted we have been able to keep our memberships affordable at £28.99 per month for a single membership and £44.99 for a family membership. View the full breakdown below:

Figure 1.

Figure 4.