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Present

Members:                 

  • Councillor Dan Beauchamp
  • Councillor Giles Cattermole
  • Councillor Paul Gibbon (Chairman)
  • Councillor Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Councillor Deborah Whelan

Officers:                     

  • Jennifer Green, Community, Business & Tourism Development Officer
  • Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer

Others:                       

  • Councillor Steve Holder
  • 3 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

550/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

The Chairman advised attendees of the protocol that would be followed for the meeting.

551/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Harris and Hughes.

Councillor Sinkinson did not attend.

552/22     DECLARATION OF INTEREST

No interests were declared.

553/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee held on 5 September 2022 are an accurate record, and the Chairman is authorised to sign them

554/22     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

The Committee reviewed progress of actions agreed at the last and previous meetings.

Updates would appear in the Action Log against each item.

555/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A member of the public attended and spoke about the unsatisfactory way that the remaining chemist in Wallingford was operating, particularly relating to prescription collection and long waiting times.  He asked whether the Town Council could make representations to the regional management of the chemist to see if improvements could be made.  His views were apparently shared by other residents and customers.

The Chairman undertook to do this.

Councillor Holder and a member of the public with experience of facilitating German/British exchanges spoke about the need to progress our twinning relationships following the recent successful visit of the French Mayor.  Eight communities within Oxfordshire had formal twinning links with German towns or cities, including Abingdon and Henley.  Wallingford’s German twin was Bad Wurzach in the county of Ravensburg in southern Germany.

See also Minute 557/22 below.

556/22     VARIATION OF AGENDA ORDER

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED to bring the item on Twinning forward, moving it from Agenda Item 14 to Agenda Item 7

557/22     TWINNING – THE WAY FORWARD [moved from Agenda Item 14 to 7]

In the light of the comments made during the previous item, Public Participation, Minute 556/22, the Committee discussed how Wallingford’s twinning links could be strengthened, particularly in relation to our German ties.

558/22     CHRISTMAS [moved from Agenda Item 7 to 8]

The Committee reviewed the Town Council’s activities for the Christmas period which had included three elements: Christmas lights switch-on event, a Christmas trading market and a carol service in the Market Place.  There had been a lot of positive feedback for the lighting.

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED that the activities for 2023 all be held on the same day and that the CBTD Officer be authorised to form a team of volunteers to develop future events

559/22     CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III – TOWN EVENTS [moved from Agenda Item 8 to 9]

The CBTD Officer reported on planned activities for the weekend of 6, 7 and 8 May 2023 (including Bank Holiday) when King Charles III would be crowned.  AV Events had been booked to broad the Coronation in Castle Gardens.  Plans for a market were also being developed in Castle Lane and these included a road closure.

Buckingham Palace had recently published an outline of their proposed structure for the three days.

The Committee suggested that a music event might be held on the Sunday – possibly including a music event – and 1155 or similar body be encouraged to run a volunteering activity on the Monday in line with Buckingham Palace’s suggestion.

560/22     CARNIVAL 2023 [moved from Agenda Item 9 to 10]

The Committee considered what support they could offer to the Carnival Committee for 2023.  A request had been made for the Town Council’s public liability insurance to cover this event.

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RECOMMENDED that subject to no increased costs falling to the Council and satisfactory health and safety checks, the Town Council’s insurance be extended to the 2023 event, but regrettably that no officer time be extended given the existing commitments of the CBTD Officer role

561/22     BAND CONCERTS 2023 [moved Agenda Item 10 to 11]

The Chairman outlined the plans for this year’s series of concerts in Castle Gardens which would include the Cholsey Silver Brass Band, the Blewbury Brass Band and the Cover Boys.  It was also hoped that a jazz afternoon and possibly an ‘open mike’ session could be arranged.  A music event for the Coronation had also been discussed earlier in the meeting (Minute 559/22).

An event to celebrate the curfew bell was also being planned for 15 July 2023 and more details would follow in due course.

The CBTD Officer explained that local voluntary groups would be providing refreshments, including the Scouts, Centre 70 and the Guides.

562/22     CINEMA EVENT IN CASTLE GARDENS [moved from Agenda Item 11 to 12]

The Committee confirmed their support for such an event and the Chairman explained there was a potential for the Council to procure its own AV equipment using public arts funding.  A meeting was shortly to be held about this, involving the Chairman, Councillor Beatty and the CBTD Officer.

563/22     MIKRON THEATRE [moved from Agenda Item 12 to 13]

Councillor Whelan reported that she had chased the Mikron Theatre Company following the original invitation to perform in Wallingford made in July 2022.  The Company were marking their 50th anniversary.  They had previously performed in Goring, Benson, Little Wittenham and Henley.

564/22     INFORMATION BOARDS – STRATEGY [moved from Agenda Item 13 to 14]

The Committee considered a proposal from the CBTD Officer to use Section 106 monies to update information boards in situ around the Town.  This had been referred to the Committee by the Full Council who expected to see a recommendation at their February meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RECOMMENDED that the proposal to update the information boards (approximately 13) during 2023 using Section 106 monies be approved, as part of a broader, strategic review of signage within the Town

565/22     TOWN INFORMATION CENTRE – VISITOR STATISTICS

The Committee reviewed visitor statistics for the Town Information Centre (TIC) for the third quarter up to 10 December 2022.  These showed that footfall was slowly recovering after the pandemic.

The staff of the TIC were thanked for their work.

566/22     TOURISM SOUTH EAST

The Chairman and CBTD Officer reported on a recent meeting with Tourism South East at which the importance of encouraging and promoting filming links was emphasised.  One barrier to this was the lack of coach parking facilities in Wallingford.  South Oxfordshire District Council would also be offering advice to the Town Council on this subject.

567/22     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The following items for future meetings were identified:

  • Youth activity programme for the summer of 2023
  • Agatha Christie statue and related activities (9-10 September 2023)
  • Young Traders’ Market – being brought back for Christmas 2023
  • Christmas 2023
  • Coronation of King Charles III – activity programme
  • Carnival 2023 – extension of the Town Council’s insurance
  • Band Concert 2023 programme
  • Procurement of AV equipment to run cinema events
  • Mikron Theatre Company – performance in Wallingford, in partnership with Crowmarsh Parish Council
  • Information boards – update
  • Twinning – the Committee to maintain oversight at the request of the Full Council
  • TIC visitor statistics

 

The meeting ended at 8.37 pm

Minutes of the Tourism & Economic Development Committee, 30 January 2022, signed as a correct record

 

Chairman

2023-01-30 TED minutes PUBLIC