Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to record.  

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism held on 6th November, 2012, were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as a correct record for signature by the Cabinet Member. 

• Theatre and Arts Manager, Environment and Development Services, to report. 

Further to Minute No. F40 (Use of the Civic Theatre) of the Former Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture held on 6th December, 2011, the Manager of the Theatre and Arts Centre, Environment and Development Services, presented a report outlining applications received for subsidised use of the Civic Theatre from charities. 

An outline of each application received was provided, including the Manager of the Theatre and Arts Centre’s knowledge of the applicants’ capabilities and past experience of running events; an estimate of subsidy required and what it would be used for; the applicant’s ability to adhere to key licensing objectives and the logistical and technical requirements for the proposed productions. 

The budget available during 2012/13 for subsidised use of the Civic Theatre, should the requests be approved, was noted. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the applications, as submitted on behalf of the Rotherham Hospice and Safe at Last, be approved.

(2)  That the application, as submitted on behalf of Turning Point Mental Health charity, be refused with feedback provided to the applicant advising why the decision to refuse the application had been made.   

• Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Head of the Communications and Marketing Team, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate.  The report provided an update on Rotherham’s subscription to Welcome to Yorkshire, the destination management organisation for Yorkshire.

The report informed the Cabinet Member of a number of contextual and policy issues in relation to tourism: -

• National Government published a Tourism Policy in March, 2011.  The report positioned tourism as central to generating economic growth; 
• Local Enterprise Partnerships and Destination Management Organisations were positioned as providers of strategic leadership over destination marketing and management;
• The Policy pointed to a gradual move away from reliance on public sector funding in favour of sustainable commercial partnership marketing and sponsorship deals;
• The Policy envisaged that Destination Management Organisations would concentrate on destination management, as opposed to destination marketing, which would include making an attractive public realm, effective brown signage, well-maintained public spaces and building and marketing attractions and locations. 

The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership had initiated four sector groups that were tasked with identifying opportunities for economic and job growth, one of which related to Sport, Leisure and Tourism.  A Sport, Leisure and Tourism Strategy for South Yorkshire was expected but had not yet been approved by the Local Enterprise Partnership Board.

‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ became Yorkshire’s official Destination Management Organisation in 2009, and had pursued a number of ambitious marketing campaigns, which were generally acknowledged to have played a significant role in the recent year-on-year increases in visitor numbers to the area.  Councillor Peter Box, Vice-Chair of the Local Government Yorkshire and Humber, was the Local Government Representative with the organisation and sought to ensure that the genuine needs of councils and tourism businesses were embedded within Welcome to Yorkshire’s policies. 

Welcome to Yorkshire had established a South Yorkshire Tourism Advisory Group that included representatives of the private sector, hospitality and accommodation providers, tourist attractions, infrastructure organisations and local authorities.  The group’s objectives included ensuring an effective and streamlined tourism structure existed within South Yorkshire, ensuring that professional advice and insight was available, shape and direct tourism locally through a strategic approach and identification of tourism opportunities.

The Cabinet Member noted the benefits of the Destination Management Organisation and potential challenges for the Local Authority in maximising the benefits of the Welcome to Yorkshire subscription. 

Resolved: - (1)  That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2)  That a further detailed report in relation to maximising the benefits of the Local Authority’s subscription to Welcome to Yorkshire be presented to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism. 

(3)  That the Cabinet Member receive regular updates on the activities of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership’s Sport, Leisure and Tourism Sector Group.

• Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

The Head of the Communications and Marketing Team, and the Online Services and Public Information Manager, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, attended the meeting to provide a presentation on the Rotherham Visitors’ Centre. 

The majority of customers in Rotherham Town Centre Visitors’ Centre were local residents.  The Visitors’ Centre operated between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Monday to Friday and between 9.30 am – 4.00 pm on Saturdays. 

The presentation covered: - 

·        The current service offer provided at the Rotherham Town Centre Visitors’ Centre;

·        Management and staffing arrangements;

·        Premises arrangements;

·        Benchmarking exercises that had been undertaken;

·        Options for alternative service delivery.

Discussion ensued on the information presented including best practice and potential for the Local Authority’s partners to contribute to the Centre’s offer. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the presentation be received and its content noted. 

(2)  That options for developing the service offer into the existing strategies relating to customer service, tourism and marketing of the Borough as a place to visit be explored.

(3)  That consideration be given to expanding the provision of services currently provided at the Rotherham Town Centre Visitors’ Centre to the Local Authority’s Borough-wide Customer Service Centres.  

• Tuesday 15th January, 2013, to start at 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism be held on Tuesday 15th January, 2013, commencing at 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.