Issue - meetings

To consider a review of events taking place in the city centre’s open spaces undertaken by the York City Centre Partnership and to consider the findings and to formally endorse its proposed mission statement and recommendations for the future development of the events programme.

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Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Leader be advised to endorse an amended mission statement which reads “City of York Council and York City Centre Partnership are committed to working with York’s festivals and events organisers to achieve a balanced and varied programme of high quality, well-presented and safe events for York city centre which respond to the interests of both residents and visitors”, and that the first two sentences of the proposed mission statement be incorporated into the objectives included as part of Annex 1 to the report.

Advice of the Executive Leader

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To show a unified approach to events and support for the council’s future development of the events programme.

Members considered a report which detailed the review by York City Centre Partnership, through the council’s City Centre Operations team, of events taking place in the city centre’s open spaces. The reviews key aims were to examine and improve the content, quality, organisation and coordination of York’s city centre events (both individually and as a whole programme) with a view to developing a high-quality programme of events for our city centre open spaces, which meets the needs of residents, businesses, participants and visitors to the city. A coordinated approach to events was favoured and Members were asked to consider the findings of the review and to formally endorse its proposed mission statement and recommendations for the future development of the events programme.

Officers updated that the report had been endorsed by Safer York Partnership.

Members raised concerns regarding the layout of the stalls for the events in Parliament Street making the cycling stands inaccessible, and vehicles blocking disabled crossings during the events. They also commented that in the summer months it would be advantageous for the events to go on later into the evening, and raised the importance of ensuring that there are a variety of events.

Members discussed the mission statement and agreed amendments as detailed below.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Leader be advised to endorse an amended mission statement which reads “City of York Council and York City Centre Partnership are committed to working with York’s festivals and events organisers to achieve a balanced and varied programme of high quality, well-presented and safe events for York city centre which respond to the interests of both residents and visitors”, and that the first two sentences of the proposed mission statement be incorporated into the objectives included as part of Annex 1 to the report.

Advice of the Executive Leader

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To show a unified approach to events and support for the council’s future development of the events programme.