Agenda item

This report seeks Cabinet approval for the contemporary designs and delivery of phase one of a five year phased programme for improvement of the City Centre public realm within existing budgets.  This report also seeks approval for implementing a complementary digital wayfinding project.

Resolved:  That further consideration of wayfinding solutions for the city be deferred in order to allow the Director of City and Environmental Services to fully investigate the different options available, including costings and report back to a future meeting.

Reason:     In order to allow Cabinet to make an informed decision and provide consistency of signage across the city, that it is fully supported by stakeholders.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of City and Environmental Services in relation to the implementation of a contemporary wayfinding solution to replace existing street furniture and digital and paper mapping.

A project team had worked with a range of communities with specific concerns about navigating the city to look at improvements which could be made to the public realm to make it as accessible as possible for residents and visitors, whilst maintaining and enhancing the city’s unique qualities.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the need to deal positively with access issues in the city for vulnerable residents. However he felt that additional information was required in relation to costs of the differing options to ensure value for money.

Officers referred to points raised by earlier speakers, confirming the clear separation between work undertaken in the projects development and future procurement and the need to draw down further funding and sponsorship to support the shortfall.

Following further discussion consideration was given to the following options:

Option one:

·        To approve the contemporary design for finger posts, totems and mapping developed by Placemarque as detailed in the Annex B; and

·        To approve adoption of the wayfinding map as the city wide standard; and

·        To approve securing a preferred manufacturer through the Council’s procurement process for wayfinding street furniture; and

·        To approve implementation of phase one (see Annex D for phasing), Station to Minster wayfinding subject to further analysis on detailed locations and quantity of street furniture; and

·        To approve implementation of the complementary digital wayfinding and to support the implementation of Way-Fairer for people with visual impairments as detailed in the annex.

Option two: to approve the contemporary design for finger posts and mapping, but not the totems developed by Placemarque as detailed in Annex B.  To approve further consideration of utilising the existing cast iron wayfinding street furniture for delivering accessible wayfinding solutions.

Option three: Do nothing.

It was then

Resolved:  That further consideration of wayfinding solutions for the city be deferred in order to allow the Director of City and Environmental Services to fully investigate the different options available, including costings and report back to a future meeting. ^1.

Reason:     In order to allow Cabinet to make an informed decision and provide consistency of signage across the city, that it is fully supported by stakeholders.