Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Committee considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which informed of the activities and achievements of Culture Coventry Trust (CC), including the outcomes of grant funding, monitoring arrangements and future plans.

The briefing note indicated that CC was established in 2013 and was an independent limited company with charitable status, with a Board of five trustee-directors. The Trust managed the Coventry Transport Museum, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Old Grammar School and Lunt Fort, and had responsibility for the management of the city’s collections of art and archives, and for the running of the Tourist Information Centre. The charitable objects of CC were detailed.

In relation to the financial position, the Council was the main funder of the Trust providing annual grant of £2m with the current grant funding agreement running until in March 2021. In addition, CC was currently repaying two loans from the Council, dating from 2017. The Trust’s three-year business plan was approved by its Board in February 2018. This followed a major review of costs and staffing structures and the development of a series of business improvement measures including the introduction of charging at the Coventry Transport Museum which was introduced in July 2019. Investment was being made by CC into facilities to address historic under-investment. The Committee noted that the Sport, Culture and Destination service was currently undertaking a review of all grants which included a focus on the agreement of outcomes that would be achieved by Culture Coventry through grant support from the Council.

Reference was made to governance and it was noted that CC’s trustees were currently engaged in discussion with trustees of CV Life to consider the options for future organisational structure, including assessing the desirability of creating a single trust to manage both sport and culture, establishing a shared services company, or recruiting a dedicated and suitably qualified independent management team for CC.The trustees would share their analysis with the Council over the coming months and officers had requested to be involved in the modelling of any future operation, to ensure it met the Council’s needs in relation to management of the city’s cultural and heritage assets, and the legacy of City of Culture 2021.

Officers in the Culture Service monitored the delivery of the trust against the obligations set out in its grant agreement with the Council which included observing the bi-monthly meetings of trustees. The arrangements enabled officers to manage the risks associated with funding the trust, in the light of historic financial and operational under-performance. The current Council review of all cultural grants was likely to create more robust monitoring arrangements for financial and cultural aspects of the operation.

The briefing note provided details of visitor numbers at the Coventry Transport Museum, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and the Lunt Roman Fort for the previous three years. There was a downward trend in visitor numbers which was a challenge for the trust. Reference was made to the introduction of admission charges at the Transport  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

Briefing Note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Committee considered a briefing note and received a presentation on the current commercial activities supporting the parks infrastructure. A copy of the report ‘Coombe Abbey Park – Commercialisation and Sustainable Development of Children’s Play Facilities and Car Park Remodelling’ considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 19^th November 2018 was attached as an appendix to the briefing note.

The presentation indicated that in October 2018 the City Council agreed to fund a tree top, high wire experience at Coombe Abbey Park in partnership with Coombe Abbey Hotel and Go Ape. The Go Ape facility had been operational since April 2019 and had exceeded expectations in both visitor numbers and financial performance, providing an enhancement to the visitor experience at the park.

It had also been decided to improve the food and beverage offer at the park and improvements to the café had been undertaken and other potential options were highlighted.

The presentation referred to the proposals to further improve the visitor experience at Coombe Abbey Park by replacing and updating the two existing play areas, one adjacent to the park’s visitors centre and the second in the wooded area near Top Pool Lodge, replacing the current outdated, free to use play area. It was intended that the play area near Top Pool Lodge would be a pay and play facility with a proposed charge of £2 per session or £5 per family. An example of the type of play facility proposed for the charged area was provided. The proposed new facilities would be of a distinct bespoke themed and unique design offering a real step change in children’s play provision. The design and construction would fit naturally in the park environment. Market research for the entire scheme indicated an increase in park visitor numbers of between 15 and 20%. 

In addition, it was also planned to remodel the existing car park to create an additional 300 parking spaces to handle the expected increase in numbers.

The Committee were informed that expenditure of £800,000 had been approved by Cabinet to finance the improvements to the park.

Members questioned the officer on a number of issues and responses were provided, matters raised included:

·  Support for Go Ape

·  A concern about the £2/£5 charge for the new play area for low income families, especially in light of the car park charges

·  The options for local residents to use public transport to access the park as oppose to private vehicles, particularly in light of climate change

·  How to encourage the bus operators to improve the public transport offer to and from the park and also consideration to be given to the option of using very light rail

·  Further details about the plans for the additional car park spaces

·  What was being done to encourage members of the public to walk or cycle to the park

·  Support for the potential option to open up the circular footpath around the lake

·  Support to have electric charging points included in the car park along with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Committee considered their work programme for the current municipal year. Discussion centred on the expectations for the meetings on 5^th and 19^th February concerning bus provision and bus innovation in Coventry.  

RESOLVED that:

(1) The work programme be noted.

(2) Climate change to be considered at a meeting prior to the end of the municipal year.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no additional items of business.