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Present 

Members:                  

  • Councillor Dan Beauchamp
  • Councillor Giles Cattermole
  • Councillor Paul Gibbon (Chairman)
  • Councillor Marcus Harris (The Mayor)
  • Councillor Nigel Hughes
  • Councillor Katharine Keats-Rohan

Officers:                   

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

Others: 

  • 2 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

662/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

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

663/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Whelan

Councillor Sinkinson did not attend.

664/22     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No interests were declared.

665/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Harris, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee held on 30 January 2023 are an accurate record, and the Chairman is authorised to sign them

666/22     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.

667/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A member of the public, a resident of Goring, attended and spoke briefly.

The Meetings Officer confirmed that the item of concern to the resident – a banking hub – was on the agenda under ‘Public Participation’, but the paper had not been yet circulated to the Committee as it was not the custom to do so in advance of a meeting and contained information that had already been circulated. The item was already a rolling item in the agenda of the Full Council.  The Mayor was in touch with David Johnston MP and the Council Office had been contacted by a number of prospective suppliers.

668/22     CORONATION OF HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES III

The Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer updated the Committee on the planned activity programme which comprised of three elements: a public screening of the Coronation on the Saturday (6 June 2023), with children’s entertainment, an afternoon of live music on the Sunday (7th) and thirdly, a lunch organised by the OX10 Community Group on the Bank Holiday Monday (8th).

669/22     BAND CONCERTS 2023

The Chairman reported on events that had been booked so far for the June to September 2023 period:

  • 18 June 2023– Box Set, including a drumming set with local school children
  • 25 June 2023 – Cholsey Silver Brass Band, sponsored by Lynda Atkins (bench being unveiled in memory of her parents)
  • 2 July 2023 – Goring Brass Band
  • 9 July 2023 – Blewbury Brass Band
  • 15 July 2023 – Curfew Bell (see Minute 670/22)
  • 6 August 2023 – Drew Bryant, singer/guitarist
  • 13 August 2023 – The Coverbuoys
  • 20 August 2023 – George Nicholson and jazz band
  • Nothing planned for Bank Holiday weekend, which would be followed shortly by Bunkfest (1 to 3 September 2023) and the Agatha Christie weekend (9 and 10 September 2023)
670/22     CURFEW BELL

The Chairman updated the Committee on the development of this new event which would take place on 15 July 2023 and include a re-enactment.

671/22     MIKRON THEATRE

The Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer updated the Committee on a theatrical event which Councillor Whelan had initiated.  The Mikron Theatre, a company of four actors, would play at the riverside on 29 July 2023.  If the venue was to be the Crowmarsh bank, then an entertainment licence would need to be issued by the South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), but an alternative venue of Councillor Cattermole’s riverside garden had been offered.

672/22     AGATHA CHRISTIE STATUE AND RELATED ACTIVITIES

The Chairman updated the Committee on the programme for 9 and 10 September 2023 which had been developed by Councillor Beatty.  This included a presentation by Agatha Christie’s grandson Matthew Pritchard, a Murder Mystery experience using the Bunk Line, a themed talk at the Corn Exchange by author Lucy Worsley and screenings of murder mystery films in the Castle Gardens.  AV equipment was being purchased specially for this event, but the equipment could be used more generally by the Town Council subsequently.  The Town Council’s activities had already received coverage in the national press.

673/22     TWINNING

The Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer updated the Committee on action taken since the Committee’s discussion at the last meeting which included following up a German specialist who had spoken at the last meeting and contact with Didcot Town Council.

Liam O’Brien of Wallingford Radio had started his bike ride to Wallingford’s two twin towns and been given gifts to present on behalf of the Town Council.

674/22     INFORMATION BOARDS

The Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer reported that the tender process was about to begin for this work.

675/22     BUSINESS/NETWORKING

The Committee considered what approach should be taken now that Wallingford in Business was no longer hosting business networking events.

The Committee agreed that the Town Council itself should not take on the running of any successor initiative, but could play a part in facilitating a new scheme, for example by hosting a one-off event or developing the mailing list.  Members were also keen that Hithercroft businesses were included going forwards and not just town centre shops.

676/22     TOWN INFORMATION CENTRE

The Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer reported that 1,386 people had visited the Town Information Centre (TIC) this quarter which was down on the comparable period before the COVID-19 pandemic.  TIC staff believed that the recent closure of the branch of Lloyds Bank in the Market Place may have had some impact.

New exterior signage and illuminated window display boards had helped to increase visibility of the TIC.

TIC staff were thanked for their work, including their monitoring of footfall.

677/22     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The following items were identified:

  • Youth activity programme for summer 2023. Including Young Traders’ Market which has been arranged for 2 July
  • Agatha Christie statue and related activities
  • Fairy trail, proposed by a local artist (via The Mayor)
  • Road trail, proposed by Councillor Cattermole

 

The meeting ended at 7.50 pm

Minutes of the Tourism & Economic Development Committee, 27 March 2023, signed as a correct record

 

Chairman

 

2023-03-27 TED minutes PUBLIC