Tourism Committee Minutes 29 September 2014
Minutes of the Tourism Committee held in the Town Hall, Bideford on Monday 29 September 2014 at 6.00 pm
PRESENT:
South Ward:
Councillor P Pester (Deputy Town Mayor)
Councillor R Wootton
East Ward:
Councillor D Howell (Chairman)
Councillor R Vanstone
South Ward (Outer):
Councillor A T Powell
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs H J Blackburn (Town Clerk)
001 ELECTION OF A CHAIRMAN
Councillor Howell was proposed by Councillor Powell and seconded.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Howell is appointed as Chairman of the Committee for the coming year.
(Vote – For: 5, Against: 0)
002 ELECTION OF A VICE CHAIRMAN
Councillor Powell was proposed by Councillor Pester and seconded.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Powell is appointed as Vice Chairman of the Committee for the coming year.
(Vote – For: 5, Against: 0)
003 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Mrs R Benney (Tourist Information – Personal)
Mrs S Smith (Chamber of Commerce, - has given her resignation for the Tourism Committee).
004 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None
005 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION
No items were raised.
006 MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 10 December 2013 were approved and signed as a correct record.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
007 TOWN INFORMATION BOARDS
Councillor Howell advised that there is still funding available for some more boards and asked Members to suggest possible locations. The following sites were suggested:
• Repair required to the damaged board at Bank End
• On the Town Council owned bus shelter near Victoria Park
• Tarka Trail (as requested by Councillor Dezart)
• Cooper St. near Braddick’s property
• Supermarket carparks – (Morrisons was mentioned)
• Braddick’s holiday camp at Westward Ho!
• Big Sheep
• Bideford Bay Holiday Park
• Milky Way
Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That the above locations are explored, and further boards purchased from the current budget as required.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
008 STREET ENTERTAINMENT
Members discussed the success of the Town Council’s street entertainment during the summer and considered ideas for 2015. Entertainingly Different had been well received, but the other group engaged over the summer had been quite limited in their performance, and rather noisy for some tastes. There was discussion regarding the possible use of Amateur Dramatic Groups and suggestions for further types of street entertainment.
It was agreed that the balance of the funds remaining from the summer street theatre will be used for Christmas entertainment at the Pannier Market.
Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That the Town Council sets a budget of £5,000 for street entertainment during 2015.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
009 BIDEFORD WINTER FAIRS
Members discussed the type of activities which could take place on the four Saturdays leading up to Christmas. Traders will be encouraged to get involved, and there may be some funds from the Market budget available. It was agreed that the Charabanc should be booked again this year, as that was a great success last year.
Councillor Howell advised that the Signing of Lease Celebrations will be taking place in the Pannier Market during the morning of the 6th December. Bideford 500 are keen to support this and provide some complementary activities, with story tellers. The duration of the band’s performance was discussed and the Town Clerk was asked to request that the band has a split performance – i.e. 30 minutes before the arrival of the Mayor and then 30 minutes during the distribution of the mince pies and mead.
A Christmas winter wonderland theme was discussed for Saturday 20th December. The aim will be to get the schools involved, organise some craft making, and approach Morris Dancers. It was agreed that Caroline Hinton be engaged to help with getting the schools involved. A fee could be paid for her help.
The importance of advertising, particularly via social media was discussed.
Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That the ideas cited in minute number 009 be progressed with funds for the Charabanc, external assistance, and event costs being taken from the remaining Street Theatre budget.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
010 ST VALENTINES FAIR 14 FEBURARY 2015.
Discussion was focussed around events already being planned in the town by the Businesses of Bideford for the Valentine’s Day period. Rather than engage in separate activities, it was agreed that the Tourism Committee should work alongside BOB to facilitate complementary activities at the Pannier Market.
Proposed by Councillor Howell, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That the Tourism Committee works alongside the Market Management Committee and Pannier Market/Butcher’s Row traders to support their Valentine’s Day events.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
011 JOINT WORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS
There was discussion regarding whether the Tourism Committee should invite representatives from BOB or MORE to join the committee. However it was felt that the Town Centre Partnership (TCP) was the mechanism being used for all groups within the Town to work together. It was felt that the best way forward was for Councillor Pester, who is a Member of both the Tourism Committee and the TCP to feedback activities being undertaken by the Tourism Committee to the TCP.
Proposed by Councillor Howell, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That Councillor Pester acts as the liaison link between the Tourism Committee and Town Centre Partnership.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
The requirement for a Town Events calendar was raised and it was agreed that this could be dealt with by the Town Clerk’s Office. Contact will be made with local groups to ask for their calendars of forthcoming events, and the Web Designer, will be invited to design an easy to use web based calendar for all to view.
Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: That the Web Designer is commissioned to put together the template for an easy to use web based Calendar of town events, which will be populated and maintained by the Town Clerk’s Office.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
012 FUTURE ACTIVITIES.
Possible future activities were discussed.
Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and
RECOMMENDED: Future activities to be considered by the Tourism Committee should include the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of VE day and the 430th anniversary of Sir Richard Grenville setting foot on Roanoke.
(Vote For: 5, Against: 0)
The business of the meeting having been completed, the Chairman thanked the members for their attendance and the meeting concluded at 6.52 pm.
