PAPER C2

 

For Decision

                                                                                                                                                        

 

Committee :     EXECUTIVE

 

Date :               2 JULY 2002

 

Title :               THE FUTURE OF TOURISM SERVICES

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDER – TOURISM AND LEISURE

 

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

1.         At its meeting on 13 June 2002, the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee discussed the attached paper.  In addition to the members of the Select Committee, the Chairman invited the six commercial directors of Isle of Wight Tourism and representatives of Southern Vectis and Hovertravel to join the meeting and to participate fully in the discussion.

 

2.         A full discussion took place of the three options for the future organisational arrangements for Tourism Services which flowed from the recent Best Value Review of Tourism, namely:

 

            Option 1:  Leave within IW Council – IW Tourism stays as part of Finance and Information Directorate and partnership arrangements remain as they are.  (This has now been temporarily superseded by the arrangements put in place at the 21 May Executive meeting).

 

            Option 2:  Integrate IW Tourism within the IW Council – Create a separate and additional directorate which has in it Tourism and other associated services e.g. Leisure, Parks & Gardens, Beaches, Culture.

 

            Option 3: Externalise the function to a trust or limited company – IW Tourism moved outside the authority to become a trust or private company.  Link this organisation via a service level agreement with IW Council.  The client function would remain within the Council but the new Tourism Body would have operational and marketing responsibility.

 

OUTCOMES

 

3.         It was decided to recommend to the Executive that Option 3 should be pursued and that the Executive is recommended to recommend this to the Council at the next available meeting.  This was supported by the commercial Tourism partners.

 

4.         Although the Select Committee recommend that this decision is taken by the Council as soon as practicable, they also recognise that a significant amount of detailed work and investigation will be required to make this a reality, not least the important decision whether it is more appropriate to form a Trust or a Limited Company.  The Select Committee recommend that they be asked to carry out this detailed work once the decision in principle is made.  They would report to the Executive as work progresses and particularly when decisions have to be made by the Executive.

 

5.         If the Council agree to the externalisation, it is recommended that a “Head of Tourism” be appointed as soon as possible who will be charged with the task of externalising Tourism Services in accordance with the Council’s wishes.

 

6.         The commercial Tourism Partners were very keen to be involved in the process of externalisation and the Chairman of the Select Committee expressed his willingness to keep them involved and informed.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The Executive is recommended to:

 

1.         recommend to the Council the externalisation of Tourism Services to a trust or limited company;

 

2.         ask the Select Committee to work out an implementation plan showing tasks, timescales and reviewing arrangements if the Council agree to externalise Tourism Services;

 

3.         proceed with the appointment of a “Head of Tourism” once the Council decision with regard to externalisation is known.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

Report to Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee 13 June 2002-06-24

 

Contact Point:  ALAN KAYE, HEAD OF PAID SERVICE

                           Tel: 823400  (Ref: A1008)

 

 

A KAYE

Head of Paid Service

M A JARMAN

Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Leisure