Minutes of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee Meeting on 23rd August 2021

Tourism and Economic Development Committee on Monday, the 23rd August 2021

Meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee on Monday, the 23rd August 2021

Those Present:

The Mayor, Councillor Marcus Harris

Councillors: Beauchamp, Cattermole, Gibbon, Holder, Hughes, Keats- Rohan

In Attendance:

The Town Clerk/ RFO, Miss M.L. Taylor

The Administration Officer, Miss E.J. Perry (minute taker)

Mrs. Sue Ross from the Town Information Centre

Public Attendance:

Councillor Deborah Whelan attended as a member of the public

The meeting commenced at 19:00 (7:00PM)

161/21.ELECTION OF A CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN

To elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the 2021-22 Municipal Year:

It was proposed by Councillor Keats- Rohan, seconded by Councillor Holder and RESOLVED THAT Councillor Hughes be elected as Chairman for the 2021-2022 Municipal Year.

It was also proposed by Councillor Hughes, seconded by Councillor Holder and RESOLVED THAT Councillor Beauchamp be elected as Chairman for the 2021-2022 Municipal Year

162/21.TO ADVISE ATTENDEES OF THE PROTOCOL OF THIS MEETING

Councillor Hughes advised attendees of where the fire exits are, basic evacuation procedure, and reminded attendees that face coverings were optional

163/21.APOLOGIES

No apologies were received by the Office

Councillor Sinkinson was not present

164/21.DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

A Councillor with voting rights who has a disclosable pecuniary interest or another interest as set out in our Council’s Standing Orders code of Conduct (Item 13) in a matter being considered at a meeting is subject to statutory limitations or restrictions under code of conduct and his right to participate and vote on the matter (guidelines are available and all Councillors have received a copy prior to the meeting)

There were no declarations of interest

165/21.MINUTES

To resolve that the minutes from the meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee on the 1st March 2021 as set out on pages 298-301 in the Minute Book are a true and accurate record of that meeting, and authorise the Chairman to sign them; copy previously circulated to Councillors

It was proposed by Councillor Hughes, seconded by Councillor Beauchamp and RESOLVED THAT the minutes from the meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee on the 1st March 2021 are a true and accurate record of the meeting, and the Chairman is authorised to sign them as such

166/21.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting please email the Senior Administrator at senioradmin@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

The Administration Officer reported that Councillor Lester has delivered around half of the letters regarding the Polar Express event to local businesses and has been met with great enthusiasm thus far

167/21.NEWS FROM THE TIC

(i) To receive and note the quarterly stats from Mrs Sue Ross, previously circulated to Councillors; Members have an opportunity to discuss:

Mrs Ross reported some amendments to the sales figures from the first quarter and reveiwed the breakdown of the TIC figures

(ii) To receive and note a compliment to the TIC staff, previously circulated to Councillors:

Councillors thanks Mrs Ross and the TIC team for their hard work. Mrs Ross reported that Wallingford was the only Town Information Centre open in the area and customers were glad to have it

168/21.MOORINGS FEEDBACK

To receive and note various feedback from 2021 Moorings customers, previously circulated to Councillors; Members have an opportunity to discuss:

Councillor Cattermole reported that boaters feel that there aren’t enough mooring spaces available in Wallingford, and reported to the Committee four main issues that boaters had with the Wallingford moorings: lack of toilets, insufficient number of bins, lack of water point for boaters with water tanks, and that the signage pointing to Wallingford Town Centre was inefficient.

Mayor Councillor Harris suggested that new signage pointing to the Town Centre should be produced and put up by the Moorings (on both the Wallingford and Crowmarsh sides) and also outside the Wallingford and Cholsey Railway:

It was proposed by Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Keats- Rohan and RECOMMENDED THAT three new map signs for Wallingford Town Centre are produced: one for the Crowmarsh bank moorings, one for the Wallingford bank moorings, and one for the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway

Action: to be resolved at Full Council on 13th September

169/21.PAPERLANDMARKS GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO

To resolve whether Paperlandmarks may use the image of our Town Hall and the name Wallingford Town Hall on their new range of pop-up, kirigami-style greeting cards; email from Paperlandmarks and example previously circulated to Councillors:

It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole, seconded by Councillor Hughes and RESOLVED THAT the Town Clerk/ RFO will carry out negotiations with Paperlandmarks on behalf of the Committee to license out the images that Wallingford Town Council own

Action: to negotiate licensing terms for images that Wallingford Town Council own

170/21.RIVERSIDE WORKING GROUP UPDATE

To receive an update from the Riverside Users’ Working Group:

– Bankside erosion at the Wallingford Moorings by the Boathouse: Councillor Cattermole has non-toxic fluorescein dye to find out where the erosion leads to and reported that one option to refill the subsidence would be with sand/ ballast, this would last a few decades; a quote is needed as well as information on whether County Council Highways or the Thames Path Authority will contribute to cost.

– An application is going in to designate the Wallingford Beach area as bathing water. The Town Clerk/RFO reported that she has a meeting regarding this in October and shall report back at the next meeting:

It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole, seconded by Councillor Hughes and RESOLVED THAT this Committee is in favour of designating Wallingford Beach as a bathing area

– The signs down at the moorings are incorrect; new signs should have a QR code for online payment and all up-to-date information displayed in a more welcoming manner, including the encouragement of rafting up as standard maritime practice

It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole, seconded by Councillor Hughes and RESOLVED THAT new signage be produced for and placed at the moorings

– Wallingford does not provide the amenities that many other mooring towns do. The water point, Elsan point and toilets on the Crowmarsh side of the river are also shut up and not available for use by campers or boaters:

It was proposed by Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Keats- Rohan and RESOLVED THAT Councillor Whelan as a Member of the Riverside Working Group shall liaise with SODC/ GLL and District Councillors Levy and Roberts on behalf of this Committee to request that the water, Elsan and toilet facilities be reopened and made available to the campers and boaters who need them

Actions:

– Councillor Cattermole to acquire a quote for ladders at the Wallingford side moorings along with repairs to the cleats

– Councillor Cattermole to acquire a quote for sand/ ballast for the riverside subsidence and to liaise with Oxfordshire County Council, Highways, and the Thames Path Authority and enquire whether they could contribute to the cost

171/21.POLAR EXPRESS INTERACTION/ POST CARD TO ATTENDEES

Mayor Councillor Harris to give an update

Mayor Councillor Harris put forward a plan to produce and send postcards of a festive Wallingford to the visitors of the Polar Express as an interim reminder to make a day of visiting Wallingford town when visiting the Railway.

Actions:

– Councillor Cattermole as Wallingford Town Council’s representative at the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway will liaise with the Railway and PNP Events and get an understanding of the possibility of distributing the postcards

– The Administration Officer will look into costings of having postcards printed with a “festive scene” of Wallingford

172/21 .REQUEST TO LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR SPONSORSHIP TOWARDS CHRISTMAS TREE

Members to discuss the possibility of sponsorship from local businesses towards the cost of the 2021 Town Christmas tree and light display, for approval at Full Council

RECOMMENDATION REQUIRED

It was proposed by Mayor Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Cattermole and RECOMMENDED THAT Council approaches the local business community for sponsorship towards the Christmas tree

Action: to be resolved at Full Council on 13th September 2021

173/21.THE IMPACT OF DIDCOT GARDEN TOWN ON WALLINGFORD

As set out in Minute 674 on page 300 of the Minute Book, Councillors are to discuss this further:

Mayor Councillor Harris reported that this had been actioned at Full Council and shall be discussed further at the first Strategy Meeting in preparation for the 2- 6- 10- year plan

174/21.FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Young Traders Market: review another date to be agreed
Christmas
Widening the Town Centre to include some of St. Martin’s Street on market days
Water points down on the moorings
Tourism South East
TIC marketing materials update
Evening mooring collections

175/21.EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To resolve that due to the confidential items about to be transacted that Members of the public and press are asked to withdraw from the meeting:

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, seconded by Councillor Holder and RESOLVED THAT Councillor Whelan, although attending as a member of the public, may stay and hear the Confidential session