Issue - meetings
Outcome of review of grant funding & service level agreements for existing grant maintained Visitor Information Centres
Meeting: 17/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 151)
151 Review and future support for grant maintained visitor information centres 
PDF 244 KB
Purpose
To advise Cabinet of the outcome of an 18 month review of the four grant-aided Visitor Information Centres (VICs) and their performance against Service Level Agreement measures. To consider future support for existing grant-aided VICs.
Recommendations
That Cabinet resolves to:
1) Note the content of the review’s outcome.
2) Agree forward funding from the Council Priorities Fund (CPF) of £9,000 for a transitional period to the end of December 2023 for costs associated with Bourton on the Water VIC .
3) Enter into discussion and consultation with relevant parties to recoup the Council from the unallocated balance of the Bourton Tourism Levy.
Additional documents:
- VIC Cabinet report July 2023 - Annex A, item 151
PDF 124 KB
- Webcast for Review and future support for grant maintained visitor information centres
Minutes:
The purpose of the report was to advise Cabinet of the outcome of an 18 month review of the four grant-aided Visitor Information Centres (VICs) and their performance against Service Level Agreement measures. To consider future support for existing grant-aided VICs.
The Leader of the Council stated that there was a mistake in the agenda, as the figure should be £6,000, as in the report.
The Cabinet Member for the Economy and Council Transformation introduced the item, and stated that the Council did not own VICs. The Cabinet Member stated that the report concerned grant funding to Visitor Information Centres owned by external parties.
The Cabinet Member stated that only a fraction of tourists to popular Cotswold destinations utilised VICs, while Cotswolds.com had 1.9 million visitors in 2022.
Bourton on the Water VIC had made steps to encourage digital engagement through facilitating coach bookings, and the report therefore recommended forward funding of £6,000 associated with the costs of this.
Members stated that there were some other examples of VICs that had diversified and modernised, Cirencester VIC was noted due to their work selling local products.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Tony Dale and seconded by Councillor Mike Evemy.
RESOLVED that Cabinet:
1) AGREE forward funding from the Council Priorities Fund (CPF) of £6,000 for a transitional period to the end of December 2023 for costs associated with Bourton on the Water VIC running the coach booking system.
Record of Voting – For: 8, Against 0, Abstention 0, Absent: 0
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For |
Against |
Absent |
Abstentions |
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Claire Bloomer |
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Joe Harris |
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Juliet Layton |
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Lisa Spivey |
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Mike Evemy |
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Mike McKeown |
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Paul Hodgkinson |
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Tony Dale |
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