Agenda item

Light Up Lancaster - Fireworks Event

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Sands)

 

Report of Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) 

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Sands)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) which provided an update on the 2014 Lancaster Fireworks event together with options with regard to event management.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: Procure management and delivery of Lancaster Fireworks event 2014

Option 2: Do not procure management and delivery of Lancaster Fireworks event for 2014

Advantages

Allows the Fireworks event for 2014 to be delivered, meeting local expectations around this highly valued local event.

 

Economic impact achieved as a result of high volume of visitors and attendees.

 

Enhances the value of the Light Up Lancaster event as a whole, supporting the work of arts partners.

 

Allows external funding to be maximised.

 

Efficient model of delivery as in kind contributions from the council for key events staffing roles no longer required.

 

Allows the council to focus its limited resources on marketing, business engagement, external funding and work with district partners.

 

No impact on day to day business as a result of time off in lieu.

 

Provide an opportunity to make savings.

Disadvantages

Increase in the headline budget required to organise and deliver the event (to be mitigated either by utilising savings elsewhere or redirecting existing resources). 

Fireworks will not be deliverable as resources required are not available.

 

Jeopardises external funding of £58k, which Light up Lancaster has secured from Arts Council and BID by withdrawing match funding support.

 

Possible reputational damage to the Council re public expectations and economic impact.

 

Risks

Quality of event - contract management arrangement will be in place to manage performance.

Costs may be higher than estimated from the market testing - procurement processes will ensure Value for Money

That the fire service will possibly see an increase in call outs with the increase of more private firework displays being organised.

 

The Officer preferred option is option 1, to approve the procurement and private sector delivery for the Lancaster Fireworks for 2014.  This enables local communities to continue to benefit from an important local event, an economic impact to be achieved for the district and the continuing development of work with arts partners and funders for the Light Up Lancaster Festival 2014 as a whole.

 

As previous delivery arrangements for the Fireworks event are no longer feasible, a new approach is recommended which will allow the Fireworks event to be delivered again in 2014.  Although there is the potential for some limited additional costs, this is in the context of considerable savings gained as a result of service restructures. Timing is an important issue as a firm commitment will need to be made to an external provider as soon as possible in order to ensure that services are secured and sufficient lead in time is available.

 

Councillor Hanson proposed, seconded by Councillor Sands:-

 

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved with an additional recommendation that consideration be given to the introduction of charging for wrist bands in future years.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)             That external event management support is procured to provide formal event management for the Lancaster Fireworks event in November 2014.

 

(2)             That delegated authority be given for the Chief Officer (Resources) to update the General Fund Revenue Budget to reflect indicative additional costs for event management, of around £6,000 to £16,000, as indicated by the market testing exercise, subject to confirmation of final costs as part of the procurement process and sufficient savings being identified from existing budgets.

 

(3)             That consideration be given to the introduction of charging for wrist bands in future years.

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning)

Chief Officer (Resources)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The Fireworks event is part of the Council’s current range of Economic Development services and the decision is consistent with the current Corporate Priority of Economic Growth.

 

Supporting documents: