Decision details

The Director of Communications and Marketing presented the report providing a cost neutral business case for the review and restructure of the teams working under Communications and Marketing, Visit Exeter and Events.

Introducing a centralised marketing function had led to 316 requests in 10 months for the temporary team, from city wide marketing and consultation plans through to rebrands, whilst producing savings. Savings and extra revenue were achieved despite taking on one off ‘big ticket’ items such as identifying a brand for the city, design architecture, and licences.

This report identified the ‘resilience and capacity’ as acknowledged in the peer review, at no additional cost to the council, to build on initial successes, release further cost savings whilst growing award winning communications, events and tourism promotion.

Members welcomed the restructure and supported the way forward.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        the business case for the structure as set out in the circulated report be approved; and

(2)        the Director of Communications and Marketing be authorised to proceed to the firstconsultation stage in accordance with Organisational Change Policy.