Agenda item

·         Officer to report. 

Further to Minute No. 25 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism held on 19^th November, 2013, discussion took place on the Cycle Yorkshire Legacy Launch, arranged by the Welcome to Yorkshire organisation, as part of the build-up to the Grand Départ of the Tour de France cycle race in Yorkshire in July 2014. The Launch event had taken place at Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield on Tuesday 12^th November, 2013 and was chaired by Councillor David Dagger of Wakefield District Council. Highlights of the Launch event and the build-up to the cycle race are:-

: the promotion of cycling in the United Kingdom;

: Yorkshire’s regional commitment to build a ten-years cycling legacy;

: the regional legacy, with the aim of increasing tourism in the whole Yorkshire region;

: the ‘Made in Yorkshire’ film, first shown at the Tour de France route announcement in Paris in November 2013, which has been well received;

: the cycle race attracts approximately 150 million television viewers, world-wide, each day; the Tour de France is the world’s largest annual sporting event and, overall, the third largest sporting event in the world;

: the cycle race is ‘free to watch’ from the side of the road;

: the anticipation of millions of visitors to the Yorkshire region to watch the cycle race live; the region’s natural beauty and attractions will be show-cased to a world-wide audience;

: the benefits to be gained by businesses in the region, both during the period of the race itself and in the future;

: the Launch event had included professional bike riders from the Rotherham Borough area, speaking to school pupils about the benefits of cycling and the life of a professional cyclist;

: the work of the legacy group and the development of the brand known as Cycle.Yorkshire.com;

: the availability of the education resource pack at

                       http://cycle.yorkshire.com/education-pack.

: the education resource pack is aimed at pupils in Key Stage 2 and in Key Stage 3 – information about these resources has been provided for all schools in the Rotherham Borough area;

: with funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund until 31 March 2015, a regional delivery plan and local action plans are being provided to facilitate cycle training for all age groups (eg: the Bikeability scheme);

: emphasis is placed upon the safety of cyclists on the highway.

Members noted that there will be a larger media event, to launch the Grand Départ of the Tour de France, nearer to the date of the race. In addition, there will be a Cultural Festival commencing on Thursday 27th March, 2014, this day being the 100-day milestone until the Tour arrives in Yorkshire. The Cultural Festival lasts until Sunday 6th July 2014 and provides an opportunity to:-

• create a global showcase for the best of Yorkshire's artistic talent;

• push boundaries and raise Yorkshire's creative profile;

• produce activity that leaves a legacy for artists, participants and audiences;

• draw communities and artists together to celebrate the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

Resolved:- That the information be noted and Elected Members continue to be informed of the cultural, recreation and sporting activities taking place in the region during the lead-up to the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Yorkshire in 2014.