Issue - meetings

This report seeks Member approval for the terms of a Service Level Agreement between the City of York Council and the new Single Tourism Organisation (working title: ‘Visit York’), setting out the Council’s priorities for action and committing resources to the new company.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the principles of the Service Level Agreement be endorsed, acknowledging that the financial terms will be subject to confirmation during the Council’s budget-setting process.

                        (ii)        That Officers provide further information on the proposed performance indicators and targets that the new organisation will be expected to deliver.

REASON:      To confirm formally the Council’s endorsement for the Single Tourism Organisation, whilst identifying clear parameters for this support.

Members considered a report which sought their approval for the terms of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Council and the new Single Tourism Organisation (working title: ‘Visit York’).  The SLA set out the Council’s priorities for action and committed resources to the new company.

The establishment of Visit York had resulted from a review of the organisation and management of tourism in York, as reported to the Economic Development Partnership Board on 29 November.  The principle of a single tourism organisation had been endorsed by the City Strategy EMAP in July and the report explained how this aim would be achieved.  Visit York would be a public-private sector company limited by guarantee and responsible for leading the continued development of tourism in York.  Its Board would comprise the Chair, John Yeomans, three nominees each from the current Bureau Board and from the Council (Cllrs Hogg, King and Gillies) and the Chief Executive.

It was proposed to establish a rolling three-year agreement to cover financial and staffing support for Visit York, the exact financial terms being subject to approval through the Council’s budget programme.  In return, an SLA was proposed, setting out the company’s main activities and how these would be monitored.  The draft SLA was attached as Annex 1 to the report.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the principles of the Service Level Agreement be endorsed, acknowledging that the financial terms will be subject to confirmation during the Council’s budget-setting process.

                        (ii)        That Officers provide further information on the proposed performance indicators and targets that the new organisation will be expected to deliver.

REASON:      To confirm formally the Council’s endorsement for the Single Tourism Organisation, whilst identifying clear parameters for this support.