Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/15/077

Cabinet Members: Alaric Pugh and Robert Everitt  Lead Officer: Andrea Mayley

RESOLVED:

That the Review of the Christmas Fayre report, contained in Report No: OAS/SE/15/016, including the Five Year Operational Plan, attached as Appendix D to Report No: OAS/SE/15/016, be approved.

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/15/077, which sought approval for the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre, including the accompanying five year operational plan.

Councillor Robert Everitt, Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet including that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had previously resolved to establish a Task and Finish Group to complete a review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre and to adopt a five-year operational plan for the event.  The prompt for the review came from the Council’s acknowledgement that the Christmas Fayre had grown to be a nationally recognised event and that a review of the current principles and arrangements was therefore opportune.

It was proposed that the findings from the report (Appendix 1) and the operational plan (Appendix D) should be used to influence the planning and delivery of the 2016 Christmas Fayre, and beyond.

Councillor Everitt commended the Markets Development Officer, her team and supporting teams for their tremendous effort in delivering another extremely successful Christmas Fayre in 2015.  These sentiments were echoed by other Cabinet Members, who each recognised the significant contributions of the teams within their individual portfolios.

Discussions were held on the following:

(a)     the charging of £8 per car for the Park and Ride service, which had been set at that level to cover delivery costs;

(b)     achieving a balance between delivering a community-based event which significantly contributed to the economic growth of the town, and generating a small income;

(c)     that in the interests of safety it was considered appropriate not to pursue an additional park and ride site as this could possibly lead to crowd management issues within the footprint of the Fayre, which was reaching capacity at peak times;

(d)     signage was better during the 2015 Fayre; however there were some concerns regarding the white lining of car parking bays at the park and ride site; and

(e)     whilst not previously recorded, the costs of the park and ride site were now included in the income and expenditure accounts for the Fayre.   

RESOLVED:

That the Review of the Christmas Fayre report, contained in Report No: OAS/SE/15/016, including the Five Year Operational Plan, attached as Appendix D to Report No: OAS/SE/15/016, be approved.