SPORTS and leisure services in Stirling are set to be entirely privatised amid fears the radical plan will undermine the health and well-being of residents.

In an unprecedented move, Stirling will agree to hand control of all its sports and leisure portfolio to a private operator in a contract running until 2042 worth around £25million. It is the first wholsesale privatisation of a frotnline service in Scotland.

The Labour and Tory coalition will confirm the deal with Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) at a meeting on Thursday, with protests by staff and unions planned beforehand.

SLM already provide services to around 40 councils south of the border and “prides itself on being a community-focused company, with a passion for improving the health and well being of our nation”.

But concerns have been raised that the new venture will lose the public sector ethos required for local authorities to tackle health and social inequalities.

Stirling’s opposition have also complained that they arc expected to approve the deal while being kept in the dark about potential new pricing structures, how the services will be managed and how SLM will make money from the arrangement.

SNP group leader Scott Farmer said: “We don’t even know what we’re voting for. The administration say its about enhancing a service but how?

“We’re told SLM will also deliver £2m in savings. I really can’t see how that can be delivered without cutting back services and staff terms and conditions.”

The council’s leisure services are currently provided by Active Stirling, an offshoot of the authority set up in 2006. The authority has said it was legally obliged to put the contract out to tender “to ensure best value for the taxpayer”.

But The Herald has learned Stirling held a series of discussions with the municipal leisure trusts in both Glasgow and Edinburgh about joint ventures which would have avoided the need to go to the market but opted for the outsourcing route.

Once source familiar with the deal said: “People are really taken aback Stirling has gone for a straight commercial operation. When you outsource something like IT its really a straight contractual relationship.

“Sport and leisure is one of those areas you don’t want to lose that public sector ethos. Trusts and arms-length charities can become more commercially aware over time but they keep that ethos which gives the flexibility to do something about disadvantage or supporting a development.

“Otherwise you;re in danger of everything being governed by the contract.”

Unison said: “There has been no consultation with the trade unions and it is further disappointing that despite a commitment from the council not to privatise services this is now the position. We have huge concerns as it does not make reference to the Scottish Living Wage, trade union recognition, TUPE or any job losses.”

SLM have stated that they will apply for charitable status through an offshoot trust and their private companies will supply it with food, fitness, IT and other services.

A Stirling Council spokeswoman said: “We invest more than £1m a year in the delivery of sports and leisure provision and we know how important these services are to our communities.

“The current contract has been in place since 2006, and subject to several extensions. Legally, the council could not continue indefinitely extending the contract, so in December 2015 took the decision to tender and undertake a competitive procurement process to ensure best value for the taxpayer.