Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Mike Booth.

Councillor Bernard Dawson acted as substitute representative for Councillor Mike Booth.

Councillors Kate Walsh, Josh Allen, Heather Anderson and Bernard Dawson all  declared personal interests in respect of item 6 of the agenda – Events Review, as all had involvement with events in their local communities.  They all remained in the meeting and participated in discussions.

No dispensations were declared at the meeting.

To submit the minutes of the Special Overview & Scrutiny Committee, held on 5^th February 2025, for approval as a correct record.

Recommended                     -   That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the last meeting of the Special Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 5^th February 2025, were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved                               -   That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The Overview & Scrutiny Officer presents a report requesting that the Overview & Scrutiny Committees note any comments given by Cabinet, and consider the work programmes for 2025-26 for approval.

Recommended                     -   That the work programmes for the Special Overview & Scrutiny Committee for 2025-26, be approved.

The Overview & Scrutiny Officer submitted a report seeking approval of the work programme for the Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee for 2025-26.  Members were reminded that items could added to the programme throughout the year should it be considered important and relevant. 

Members referred to the importance of projects taking place in Accrington Town Centre and indicated that the work programme should reflect this.  It was proposed that additional meetings should be added to ensure sufficient scrutiny. 

The Chair explained that the item ‘Financial support to the borough’s other Town Centres’ had been withdrawn from the meeting due to the financial information required not being available geographically.  She requested that this item was considered at a future meeting.

Resolved       - That the work programme for the Special Overview & Scrutiny Committee be approved.

To inform Committee of a co-optee vacancy on the Special Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Overview & Scrutiny Officer submitted a report to inform the Committee that a vacancy had arisen due to Co-optee, Andy Tatchell’s resignation.  She explained the process for new nominations to the Committee.  The Committee thanked Andy Tatchell for his time and service on the Committee. 

The Chair informed the Committee to forward any nominations for the vacancy to the Overview & Scrutiny Officer.

Resolved        - that the report be noted.

To provide an update on plans for events in Accrington Town Centre for 2025-26 including costs and value of money

Resolved                               -   That the report be noted.

The Business & Marketing Co-ordinator, Victoria Tindall, presented a report to provide an update on plans for events in Accrington Town Centre for 2025-26 including costs and value of money.  She reported that the location criteria for events had grown considerably, extending from the high streets across the borough to include parks and open spaces.  She reported that this year’s budget of £150,000 allowed for grants to be provided for events and included an additional £11,000 to ensure that organisers were able to align their security measures with incoming requirements for Martins Law. She referred to 3.2 of the report which gave details of the current event programme for 2025-26. 

She referred to section 4 of the report detailing that each event had its own objectives and target audiences.

In respect of the success of events, she reported that footfall for four large events had fallen, this year, due to extremely wet weather and explained that events were reported on and assessed, with post event debriefs taking place to measure the reality against their proposed objectives.  This information helped the Portfolio Holder to determine whether the event should be repeated. 

A list of Advanced Questions was forwarded to the Officer in advance of the meeting and the questions and responses were given to the following issues:

-          The accuracy of measuring footfall at events

-          The impact of improvement works on events in Accrington Town Centre

-          The work the Council was doing to get independent businesses/the high street involved in events

-          What the Council was doing to extend provision for other townships to hold events

-          Action to ensure that the availability of grants for events was promoted to a wider audience

-          Encouraging businesses to apply for grant funding to run events taking pressure off the usual organisers

The Business & Marketing Co-ordinator referred to the success of using the HUQ system in recording footfall at events.  She explained the software provided figures on the number of visitors to the whole town centre on that day, not specifically to the event.  It was a good indicator of how the numbers compared to those of other comparative days in the month/year/events.  The way the footfall numbers were aggregated made some assumptions and exceptions, some of which were explained.  In addition to footfall, the HUQ software was able to provide other figures, such as day part, hot spot and dwell time.

Members considered the benefits of the HUQ system and proposed that meetings were held with Councillors, Co-optees and the business community to share the benefits of the use of the system.

Members also noted that footfall at events in Accrington Town Centre had been down but considered that the disruption caused by the improvement works and the weather could have been contributory factors.  They also pointed out that the Town Hall had been closed during some of the main events taking place and suggested that this had been a missed opportunity for the Hyndburn Leisure Trust to increase usage and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.