Agenda item - Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

(a)           Petitions: To receive any petitions presented by members of the public notified by the due date of 26 October 2022;

(b)           Written Questions: To receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 28 October 2022;

(c)           Deputations: To receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 28 October 2022.

30.1 The Chair read out the question submitted by Derek Wright on page 5 of Addendum 1 and gave the following response:

The Valley Gardens project improvements have proven to be a great success, bringing pride in the area for residents and visitors. Part of the agreed funding for this exceptional development was the use of the space for events. Three spaces were specifically identified for this use including the hardstanding but also the grassed area at Victoria Gardens South. While many events work well on hardstanding there is a need for a suitable mix of surfaces for event producers.

When compared to other spaces in the city we are already reducing the amount of time that Valley Gardens is occupied and we are also improving both the resilience of the grass surface and protections required to reduce the time when the spaces are not available for use. There is strong support in the City for the vibrant events programme in the Valley Gardens and we will continue to liaise with all groups to achieve the best possible balance of use.

30.2 The Chair then read out the following supplementary question submitted by Derek Wright:

We ask that the council change its current policy, so the surplus income raised from holding outdoor events be wholly reinvested in the park/area where the event takes place and not go into the general budget. We are a group of residents wishing to influence this decision. Will the council listen?

30.3 The Chair then gave the following response:

Currently the income from events on council land is factored into the wider City budget. It is vital that the City assets are used to benefit the wider community and current policy allows the City to make the right decisions to ensure we can deliver the best possible services for City residents on the revenues available. We do, however, have a specific system of charging event producers for any undue wear and tear to our public spaces and these funds are paid directly to our Park’s service to ensure we continue to maintain the high standards of care for our open spaces. There are currently no specific plans to change this model although additional work is going into exploring the less visible impacts of events on our public spaces and ensuring the costs for mitigating these are reflected in our charging policies.