MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, TOURISM AND LEISURE SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2003 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM
Present :
Mr J H Fleming (Chairman), Mr J R Adams, Mr A C Bartlett, Mrs T M Butchers, Mr C R Hancock, Mr J F Howe, Mr C H Lillywhite, Mrs M J Lloyd, Mr A J Mundy, Mr K Pearson, Mr R C Richards, Mr D G Williams
Portfolio Holders :
Mrs M A Jarman, Mrs B Lawson, Mr H Rees
Also Present (Non Voting) :
Mr J A Bowker, Mr M J Cunningham, Miss H L Humby, Mr R G Mazillius
65. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2003 be confirmed.
66. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Mr R Richards declared a Personal interest in Minute 69 as a member of the Licensing Panel and left the meeting for that item
Mrs M Lloyd declared a Personal interest in Minute 69 as a member of the Licensing Panel and left the meeting for that item
Mr J Adams declared a Personal interest in Minute 69 as a member of the Licensing Panel and took part in the meeting
Mr A Mundy declared a Personal interest in Minute 69 as a member of the Licensing Panel and took part in the meeting
67. ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP - AUDITED ACCOUNTS BY ERNST AND YOUNG
The Chairman advised the Select Committee that just prior to the meeting he had received apologies from the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership who had been due to attend for this item.
Members received the IWEP Accounts as audited by Ernst and Young. The profit and loss accounts indicated losses for the twelve-month period, ending 31 March 2002 of £34,249. As Members were aware due to the partnerships failure to secure certain environment contracts, a considerable restructuring programme had been undertaken in which the Partnership changed its name from the Isle of Wight Partnership Limited to the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership.
In discussion members raised questions regarding the requirement for board members to register their interests and improve reporting mechanisms to the Council. It was noted that many of the answers could now be found in the recently agreed Service Level Agreement between the IWEP and the Council.
The Select Committee were not satisfied that the IWEP had been unable to attend the meeting it was therefore considered appropriate to bring the report back to a the next meeting of the Committee to enable members to fully scrutinise the accounts. Furthermore the Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support was requested to write to the IWEP to this effect.
RESOLVED :
THAT the IWEP be invited to attend the next meeting of the Select Committee to consider the Accounts as audited by Ernst and Young.
68. CONTRACT FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TOURISM SERVICES
Following a request at the Select Committee’s last meeting held on 27 January 2003, Members received the report of the Strategic Director of Education and Community Development which provided details of the contract for the management of tourism services to a tourism consultant.
Members were reminded that at the Executive’s meeting held on 21 May 2002 it was advised that the Head of Tourism had secured another post and would be leaving the Council. The Executive had resolved to relocate the services into the Directorate of Education and Community Development and the Executive had requested the Head of Paid Service and the Head of Community Development determine temporary arrangements to ensure the continued good management of tourism services until future organisational arrangements were in place. Further more it was resolved that any costs should not exceed the salary costs of the departing Head of Tourism
In consultation with the Island Tourist Industry Association (ITIA) the Head of Community Development had set out to recruit a suitably experienced tourism consultant to manage the service and undertake some specific projects. The six month contract was awarded to Mrs Rita Williams, members were advised that she had been allocated specific projects to complete and that the contract was being funded from existing savings being made by the Council from the vacant head of service position.
Members were concerned that they had not been informed that a contract was to be awarded. The Select Committee requested that significant decisions, such as this, be advertised through the Members Bulletin. The Head of Community Development agreed to keep the Committee informed of any further significant changes to the structure of Tourism.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
69. MUSIC FESTIVAL 2002 LAUNCH EVENT - MONITORING OFFICER
Members received the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer which provided members with an opportunity to consider the outcome of the music festival investigation. At the Select Committee meeting on 19 November 2002 the Monitoring Officer had assured members that an in-depth investigation would be undertaken to satisfy outstanding concerns of the net cost of the event.
As the investigation highlighted the ticket sales at the launch concert were not as high as it had been anticipated, this alone accounted for a large percentage of the net loss. It was noted, that this was the main risk of the Festival. Members considered the need to establish a procedure to ensure they were aware of all associated risks in the decision making process. The Select Committee were advised that there was a financial risk section now within Executive reports and that a pro forma for reports to the Executive with guidance on presenting risk analysis was available on the Council’s intranet. It was agreed that this should be circulated to members of the Select Committee.
The Select Committee raised areas of weakness that had been highlighted in the report. In particular the widespread misunderstanding about the formal decision making processes in a Leader/Executive modernised Council. Clarification was sought as to when the Strategic Director of Finance and Information and County Treasurer was informed of the Music Festival. It was noted that the investigation had no criticism of the selection of SOLO as a partner. The Monitoring Officer reported a change in the planned corporate response to the report in that he now proposed to take a specific report to the Executive dealing with remedial actions rather than to pick up these actions in the context of reports seeking decisions on the 2003 festival and the externalisation of Wight Leisure.
It was generally considered that many lessons had been learnt from the 2002 Music Festival and that the Council should look forward to planning the forthcoming Festival for 2003.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Select Committee note the report.
70. ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL FORWARD PLAN - FEBRUARY 2003 TO MAY 2003
RESOLVED :
THAT the Forward Plan be noted.
CHAIRMAN