Agenda item

Report of the Cultural Services Team Manager

The Cultural Services Team Manager presented the report to Members.

He provided Members with an update on each event.

St Georges Day Flags

The District Council would not be erecting the usual number of flags around Coalville this year. Most of the existing flags and poles and a number of wall brackets had needed to be replaced and there would be significant costs in doing this. It was confirmed that the annual £800 cost of erection and dismantling would be reallocated to support the existing Town Centre events programme. However, there would still be flags displayed on each side of the Clock Tower, at the market and at the Council Offices.

Councillor M B Wyatt sought clarification that the £800 saving would be redirected to the Christmas events. The Head of Community Services confirmed that this was already the case.

Picnic in the Park

It had been confirmed that the event would take place on 29 June and that it would revert to its original name so that it would be easily recognisable to local residents.

The annual Motorfest, organised by the Coalville Town Team, would take place the preceding day on 28 June and joint marketing opportunities had been investigated in order to promote an exciting weekend of events for local residents. It had been decided to market the two events as Coalville’s Big Weekend.

Councillor M Specht stated that in previous years food stallholders had ran out of stock relatively early in the day. He enquired if there was anything that could be done to encourage stallholders to stock accordingly. The Head of Community Services confirmed that stallholders would be made aware of previous years’ attendances. He also stated that a wider variety of stallholders would be encouraged to attend this year’s event.

Coalville By The Sea

A similar event to last year had been organised for 8 August, which would include games, arts and crafts, puppet shows, music and sandpits. The event would be held on the open grassed area in Needhams Walk.

Christmas Events

It had been agreed by the Events Task and Finish Group and the Coalville Town Team representatives to combine the 2014 Christmas event with the Town Team’s Food and Drink Festival. Consultation on the 2015 activities will be conducted at this year’s event.

Councillor M B Wyatt asked whether consideration had been given to providing free car parking in the town over the weekend of the Food and Drink Festival. The Head of Community Services stated that traditionally free car parking had been provided over every weekend in December. Last year this had been extended to 5 weekends due to the way in which the dates fell i.e. 29 November for the switch on event. He explained that the decision over free car parking would be discussed with the Portfolio Holder for Community Services.

Councillor M B Wyatt stated that he favoured extending the free car parking to 6 weekends in order to provide free parking at the Food and Drink Festival. This could be at the expense of the final weekend in December, if 6 free weekends was deemed too many.

Councillor J Geary stated that he agreed with Councillor M B Wyatt. He suggested that it would be a nice gesture to the Coalville Town Team to offer free parking on the day of the Food and Drink Christmas Event.

Coalville Christmas Decorations

It was confirmed that no additional lighting equipment had been planned for 2014/15 and that, consequently, this year’s budget would be £12,500 which included testing, minor repairs, energy consumption, storage and erection and dismantling of the decorations.

RECOMMENDED THAT:

a)  the offer of free car parking in Coalville Town Centre be extended to include the Food and Drink Festival on 22 November.

b)  the event in Coalville Park reverts to its original name of Picnic in the Park.