Agenda item

Report attached.

The Cabinet considered a report of Councillor Susan Hayes, Vice-Chair of the Special Overview and Scrutiny Committee, on the outcome of a recent scrutiny review of town centre events.

The Leader of the Council outlined the recommendations set out in the review report.  Councillor Marlene Haworth, Deputy Leader of the Council, welcomed the report, and indicated that she had attended the relevant meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  She reminded Members that a number of events had been laid on over the last few weeks in conjunction with the Leisure Trust, Market Hall and Amazing Accrington.  The Council’s partners had worked very hard to deliver quality events within the limitations of available staffing.  She thanked all who had contributed to these events.

Councillor Miles Parkinson OBE reminded members that the Council would operate a rollover budget in 2023/24 and indicated that a letter was expected to be sent out before Christmas inviting bids for events in 2023.  The detailed submissions would be discussed in the New Year.  This activity would be complemented by the proposals in relation to the Hyndburn Culture & Heritage Investment Board included elsewhere on the Agenda.  The proposals would ensure that Hyndburn was an appealing place to visit.  The events formed part of an interlinked strategy which was supported by various stakeholders and the MP.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

At its meeting on 27^th September 2022, the Special Overview and Scrutiny Committee had carried out an in-meeting review of Town Centre Events.

The Portfolio Holder, Councillor Marlene Haworth and Victoria Tindall, Business and Marketing Co-ordinator had provided a report to the Committee.  The report had set out detailed information about the application process for events and for Council funding.  A breakdown of events funded by the Council had been provided for the last few years including some brief evaluation information.

The Council had established a budget which provided funding for external organisations to organise events via an application process.  In order to be considered for funding, event applications were assessed against four primary objectives:

• Increase visitors to the town centre (increase footfall);
• Engage with people who live in and around Hyndburn;
• Create an event which can engage with the widest possible audience; and
• Demonstrate value for money and maximise the event outcomes.

The Portfolio Holder had reported on capacity issues.  Some Councils had Town Teams which supported the organisation of events, with others having a larger team of officers.  The Council’s current team was Ms Tindall plus an Events Coordinator, who supported over 100 event applications right through the Events Safety Advisory Group (ESAG) process, which was resource intensive.  The Committee had agreed and suggested that Cabinet should review the current resources available to the team with a view to providing additional resources to increase their ability to support events further.

The Committee had discussed the potential Levelling Up investment, and the potential that large scale events could have in attracting people back into the town centre.  The Committee was of the view that ensuring a well-resourced events programme was vital to this.

Committee members had highlighted a need to better evaluate events funded by the Council.  More robust evaluations would give the Council a clearer picture of which events worked and which did not.  It was suggested that local education providers might have resource to support event evaluation, and the Portfolio Holder/Officer could make enquiries.

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

Cabinet might choose to accept or reject any of the recommendations made by Scrutiny Committees

Resolved                                    -    That Cabinet, accepts the recommendations of the Special Overview and Scrutiny Committee, arising from its review of Town Centre Events, and:

(1)    Agrees to consider providing additional resources to the Events Team to increase their capacity and ability to support events further.

(2)    Requests that the Portfolio Holder work with the Events Team to come up with ways to improve data collection and the evaluation of events funded by the Council.

(3)   Requests that the Portfolio Holder make contact with local colleges/education providers to support the above recommendation.