Agenda item

This report sets out progress made within the areas covered by the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services which fall within the remit of this Committee.

Discussion:

Members received an overview of progress made on the areas within the scope of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services which fell within the remit of this Committee as set out below:

·         Battle of Medway

In response to a request for an update on plans to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Battle of Medway, the Portfolio Holder outlined a number of planned events to take place over a 9 day period including:

Ø  Attendance by naval assets from both Countries

Ø  A visit by 200 day boats from Holland

Ø  Exhibitions at the Dockyard and Upnor Castle

Ø  A ‘Fire to Friendship’ Commemorative Service at Rochester Cathedral

Ø  A major tourist attraction ‘Medway in Flames’

Ø  Other traditional river events.

·         The likely impact of reduced expenditure on the Council’s leisure and tourism offer

A Member sought information as to the likely impact upon the Council’s leisure and tourism offer as a result of the proposed £295,000 budget reduction in this area in 2017/18.

In response, the Portfolio Holder advised that savings could only be achieved by continued efficiencies and increasing income. He gave an assurance that there were no plans to reduce the levels of staffing at leisure centres nor were there plans to close any facilities in 2017/18.

He advised that plans were underway to increase the level of tourism in Medway as a means of increasing income and consideration would be given to opportunities for improving the offer at the Visitor Information Centre.

Furthermore, many different sporting packages were now on offer encouraging participation in a number of different sporting activities, thus increasing income.

·         Outsourcing of the Corn Exchange

A Member referred to the Guildhall Museum and the successful marketing of the Museum for weddings and questioned why the Corn Exchange could not remain as an in-house facility and marketed on similar lines to the Museum.

In response, the Portfolio Holder advised that the Guildhall Museum was a very successful museum and a valuable part of Medway’s heritage, therefore use of the Museum as a wedding venue was ancillary to its main purpose. However, the Corn Exchange was a large building which had capacity when not used for events. For this reason, it was considered appropriate to investigate whether there was scope for the private sector to take on this venue. However, the Portfolio Holder gave an assurance that a pre-agreed number of days would be set aside for Council use, and there was no intention for the Council to part with the freehold of the building.

·         Fuse Festival

A Member sought clarification as to why the Fuse Festival had not taken place in 2016 and whether this event would take place in 2017.

The Portfolio Holder explained that as the Fuse Festival was a community event, the Arts Council considered that it should not be organised by Medway Council. The Arts Council had therefore offered to organise the event in 2016 but unfortunately, the event had not taken place. He explained that regrettably, it was not possible for the Council to divert resources to staging the Fuse Festival if the Arts Council could not stage this event in 2017.

He confirmed that the Fuse Festival had been the subject of discussion at a meeting of the Cultural Partnership and would be raised again in an attempt to encourage greater involvement by the groups on the Partnership.

·         Availability of local produce in the Visitor Information Centre

A Member requested whether the Portfolio Holder was willing to promote the use of Medway and Kent produce in the Visitor Information Centre. The Portfolio Holder agreed to pursue this.

·         Castle Concerts

In response to comments on the 2016 Castle Concerts, the Portfolio Holder stated that the level of security at these events was provided in line with the advice of the Police.

He referred to the cancellation of one of the concerts and stated that this was regrettable but unavoidable owing to the health of one of the band members. The cancellation of the concert had been communicated as widely as possible, given the limited notice received. 

·         Medway Local Plan

A Member sought an assurance that relevant partners involved in events, sports and leisure had an opportunity to feed into the Local Plan process. In response, the Director or Regeneration, Culture, Environment and Transformation confirmed that ‘Placemaking’ was an important element of the Medway Local Plan.

·         Eastgate House

A Member congratulated the Portfolio Holder on the extensive cultural and leisure offer in Medway and asked him to comment on any area that he considered had been a disappointment over the past year. In response, the Portfolio Holder advised that he had been disappointed that the works at Eastgate House could not be delivered within budget, the reasons for which had previously been explained.

·         Provision of parking at the Will Adams Festival and the English Festival

A Member suggested that a section of Gillingham Park be set aside for car parking in an aim to increase attendance at the Will Adams Festival and that a nominal parking fee be implemented at the English Festival to increase income.

The Portfolio Holder stressed that as Gillingham Park was currently in the process of applying to re-gain Green Flag status, it would not be appropriate to allow vehicles to be parked on the grassed area. It was recognised that whilst a popular event, the Will Adams Festival was of a specialist nature and therefore did not appeal to everyone. He did not consider that it would be appropriate to relocate this festival to another site as it was currently staged in close proximity to the Will Adams Memorial.

In response to the suggestion that a parking fee be implemented for the English Festival, this would be given consideration.

Decision:

The Committee thanked the Portfolio Holder for attending the meeting and answering Members’ questions and:

a)            noted that the Portfolio Holder will investigate the promotion of Medway and Kent produce in the Visitor Information Centre.

b)            noted that the Portfolio Holder will raise the issue of staging the Fuse Festival at the next meeting of the Cultural Partnership and will ensure that the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Opposition Spokesperson are advised of the outcome of that discussion.