Agenda item

Report No: OAS/FH/18/031

Councillor Christine Mason presented Report No: OAS/FH/18/031, which summarised the review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre and presented a draft Action Plan (Appendix F) for taking forward the recommendations from the Christmas Fayre Joint Task and Finish Group.

On 18 and 19 April 2018, both St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath Overview and Scrutiny Committees resolved to establish a Joint West Suffolk Task and Finish Group (the Group) to complete a review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre.  The Group met to discuss the planned approach to the review and to consider the specific areas to be explored.  It was agreed that the review would explore the following areas:

-        Principle and ownership

-        Vision

-        Timing and length

-        Format and venues

-        Type of stalls

-        Links to wider economy (retail and tourism)

-        Transport and accessibility

-        Finance

-        Staffing and volunteers

-        Safety and Security

-        Examples from other places

-        Communications and marketing

-        Management and resources

The report summarised the review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre and presented a proposed three-year action plan for taking forward the recommendations from the Group.  It also included an introduction; the background to the review; engagement; evidence base and Christmas Fayre review findings and recommendations.  Also attached to the report were a number of appendices, namely:

Appendix A – Christmas Fayre key details document.

Appendix B – 2015 Christmas Fayre Review Action Plan and progress table.

Appendix C – Christmas Fayre Engagement/surveys summary document.

Appendix D – Information from Christmas Fayres held in other places and scheduled of Christmas events in West Suffolk.

Appendix E – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats document.

Appendix F – Proposed Three Year Action Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth then thanked the Committee for the opportunity to address the Committee, and commended the Group on its work which had resulted in the recommendations proposed.  She then updated members on how important it was to ensure the safety of the public at events, and referred to paragraph 5.32 in the report.  She explained that two weeks ago, the Council led a table-top exercise to test how all partners would be able to respond in the event of an incident occurring at the Fayre.  This unfortunately took place after the Group’s final meeting, but raised some important points and hoped the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would support an additional recommendation arising from the review.  This would add the following wording to Appendix F on “Safety and Security” as follows:

“An Independent Peer Review of the Council’s Command and Management of the Christmas Fayre and Event Safety Plan is commissioned.  This should consider the management and skills/expertise to deliver the roles required, learning and development as well as whether the skills set within the organisations involved are fit for purpose for continuing to deliver the Plan in the future.  The recommendations of the review will be considered by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth”.

In addition, the Portfolio Holder suggested a further minor change for the purposes of clarity; in Appendix F under “Finance”, which states “Contact town centre organisations offering them the opportunity to contribute towards the Christmas Fayre”.  She proposed that the word “organisations” be replaced with “stakeholders”, as this felt a broader word which potentially captures all parties who might contribute. 

The Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) then updated members on the outcomes from the St Edmundsbury Overview and Scrutiny Committee who had considered the report on Wednesday 7 November 2018, and had recommended an additional recommendations as follows:

“That the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) be recommended to accept the proposed amendments put forward by the Cabinet Member for Planning Growth, subject to an Annual Report on the Christmas Fayre being presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and specifically in 2019, to report back on discussions with the Destination Management Organisation and the BID (Our Bury St Edmunds) on willingness; desire of businesses to have/provide additional Christmas stalls throughout the town, over a longer period to create “Christmas in Bury”.

The Committee then scrutinised the report in detail and asked a number of questions to which comprehensive responses were provided.

In particular discussions were held on how many stewards attended the event and how they communicated with each other; the “possible” increase in the “provision of” park and ride and health and safety.

In response to a question raised, members were informed that the Christmas Fayre was run as a community event, therefore there was no charge made by the Police as it was a non- profit making event.  The Christmas Fayre organisers took on board Police advice.  There was a health and safety plan in place and CCTV cameras were installed across the town to monitor crowd control.

The Chairman congratulated the Group on an incredibly thorough piece of work and the report presented to the Committee reflected that.

Councillor Rona Burt then moved the recommendations, this was duly seconded by Councillor Nigel Roman, and with the vote being unanimous, it was:

          RECOMMENDED: That

1)  The Christmas Fayre Review Report (OAS/SE/18/032) and the Three-Year Action Plan (Appendix F), be approved, subject to the inclusion of the following paragraph in Appendix F under “Safety and Security”:

“An Independent Peer Review of the Council’s Command and Management of the Christmas Fayre and Event Safety Plan is commissioned.  This should consider the management and skills/expertise to deliver the roles required, learning and development as well as whether the skills set within the organisations involved are fit for purpose for continuing to deliver the Plan in the future.  The recommendations of the review will be considered by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth”.

2)  To modify the Finance Section, contained in Appendix F, in order to replace the word “organisations” with the word “stakeholders”.

3)  That the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) be recommended to accept the above recommendations (1 and 2 above, subject to an Annual Report on the Christmas Fayre being presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and specifically in 2019, to report back on discussions with the Destination Management Organisation and the BID (Our Bury St Edmunds) on willingness; desire of businesses to have/provide additional Christmas stalls throughout the town over a longer period to create “Christmas in Bury”.