Agenda item

Report No: OAS/SE/18/001

The Committee was reminded that on 11 January 2017, it had received a presentation from the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, setting out responsibilities covered under her portfolio.

At this meeting, the Cabinet Member had been invited back to provide her annual update, and Report No: OAS/SE/18/001 set out the focus of the update.

The Cabinet Member was also provided in advance of the meeting with some key questions identified by Scrutiny Members on areas they wished to be appraised on during the annual update, which were included in the report along with responses, specifically:

1)    West Stow Country Park: West Stow has become very popular with school visits and visitor numbers are up, however the Council still needs to create an income.  Therefore, what events are being planned for 2018, for example more events like musical festivals?

2)    West Stow Country Park:  West Stow has recently developed a new website, so why not encourage businesses to advertise for a fee on their website?

3)    Bury Literature Festival 2017: Bury St Edmunds held its first Literature Festival in 2017, which was a great success.  There are plans for a similar event to be held in 2018, and questioned whether the Portfolio Holder will be involved in the planning of the event?

Councillor Joanna Rayner opened her presentation by thanking the Committee for the invitation to update them on matters concerning her Portfolio since January 2017, and welcomed the new format in providing questions in advance. She was also pleased that the Committee was in the interested in the subject of income generation in leisure and culture portfolio, and advised that she was looking at developing a 10 year plan for The Apex, which would be brought to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in due course as a key consultee.

The Committee asked follow-up questions relating to the West Stow Country Park, to which comprehensive responses were provided.  Other areas discussed were the spending of S106 monies on leisure and culture; the refurbishment of Strasbourg Square and nearby play area in Haverhill; the lack of public transport from Haverhill to The Apex in Bury St Edmunds and the recent change of catering concessionaaire at Nowton Park.    

In particular discussions were held on the following:

1)       West Stow Country Park:  Discussions were held on the possible merits of Abbeycroft Leisure becoming involved at a strategic level in the future management of the site.   

In response the Cabinet Member informed the Committee that she was keen to explore income generating ideas in the Country Park, and agreed to investigate the opportunities and provide a fuller response in due course.

2)       West Stow Country Park: Councillor Mike Chester enquired about the income and expenditure associated with managing West Stow.    

In response, the Cabinet Member advised that the budgetary details were freely accessible for all Council services and agreed to provide a written response to the specific request.

3)       Bury St Edmunds and Beyond: Members discussed the “Bury St Edmunds and Beyond”, which was launched in September 2017 to promote tourism to the town and surrounding area, and questioned what the take-up had been to date by businesses. 

In response the Cabinet Member advised that the website went live in September 2017 and a Board Meeting was scheduled for 18 January 2018, and agreed to provide a written response to the Committee on business take-up following that meeting.

The Chairman on behalf of Members wished to thank the Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture and officers for their attendance and noted the update subject to written responses being provided on the above in due course.