The Portfolio Holder for
Communities and Facilities attended the meeting to update the Panel
on progress of the South Holland Centre Task Group
recommendations:
The Chairman welcomed the
verbal update by the Portfolio Holder for Communities and
Facilities but reiterated that a written report would need to come
forward.
The Portfolio Holder for
Communities and Facilities introduced the update by giving a brief
timeline of events:
- the South Holland
Centre had reopened in July 2021 after the Covid-19 pause in
operations;
- the revised staffing
structure had been approved at Full Council;
- a Task Group had been
established which had provided 26 recommendations and the work of
the Task Group had been appreciated;
- the recommendations
went forward to Cabinet in June 2022;
- due to the passage of
time, some of the recommendations had already been delivered and
the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities was therefore
requested to lead a Cabinet sub-group to work through the
recommendations; the work of the Cabinet sub-group concluded on 8
August 2022.
The following outcomes had
resulted from the investigations of the Cabinet sub-group and the
upcoming report included:
- an updated response
to the South Holland Centre Task Group recommendations;
- key industry updates:
investigations had shown that the entertainment industry continued
to face challenges in a post Covid environment; and
- the creation of an
action plan to be presented to Cabinet on 15 November 2022. The
following four key themes of the action plan had aligned with the
South Holland Centre Task Group report:
- commercial activity
and opportunity;
- marketing, promotion
and programming;
- building and
operations; and
- the long-term
development and future of the South Holland Centre.
Progress had
included:
- the appointment of a
South Holland Centre Manager:
- a catering contractor
was in place; and
- the achievement of
capacity sales at several live shows; and some film titles had also
performed well.
The Portfolio Holder for
Communities and Facilities completed the update by thanking all
members and interviewees of the South Holland Centre Task Group for
their input.
- Members thanked the
Portfolio Holder for the update but stated that the joint South
Holland Centre Task Group would have welcomed an earlier
opportunity to understand which of the recommendations had
been/were being implemented. The South Holland Centre Task Group
would need to reconvene after the 15 November 2022 Cabinet meeting
to establish whether the essence of the original recommendations
had been sustained and an explanation would be sought should this
not be the case.
- The Portfolio Holder
stated that any questions directly posed to him would have received
a response and an apology was offered for any misunderstanding on
the matter. The Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel had
the opportunity to raise questions at the 15 November 2022 Cabinet
meeting.
Members referred to
recommendation 1b on the South Holland Centre Task Group Tracking
document, and asked whether the Business Plan going forward to
Cabinet had been extended through to September 2023.
- The Portfolio Holder
for Communities and Facilities confirmed a Business Plan for the
2023/24 financial year.
Members asked how quickly the
financial success of shows had been analysed by management. The
South Holland Centre Task Group had been disappointed by the delays
in receipt of requested management information.
- The Portfolio Holder
for Communities and Facilities confirmed that management receive
figures after each event and the analysis of such data informed
future programming. A review of prices, which considered the
balance between profitability, competitiveness and affordability,
had been included within the Cabinet report.
- Members enquired how
far increased utility prices had impacted/would impact the
profitability of shows.
o
The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities
had stated that energy efficiency had been discussed in detail with
the Assets Manager and the information would be included within the
Cabinet report. The aim was to ensure that the building operated as
efficiently as possible.
AGREED:
That the verbal update be
noted.