Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Head of Contacts and Direct Services - report circulated. 

The Head of Contracts and Direct Services presented the report proposing the introduction of fees and charges for events in parks and open spaces. The fees had been calculated to cover costs occurring in respect of events on Council owned land with other terms and conditions applying such as specifying insurance cover. Fees for longer-running events would be by negotiation. The three categories were commercial, community and charitable.

Members supported the introduction of charges for commercial events. Many were uncomfortable with charging for community and charitable events. One Member was totally opposed and asserted that the proposal was excessively bureaucratic and felt that seeking to reduce any public confusion as to which events were chargeable was an unacceptable argument. Another Member referred to the importance of encouraging community events to develop community cohesion and suggested that the proposed charges could discourage such activity at a time when the Council was piloting its neighbourhood engagement project.

The Chair remarked that some very small community groups such as play schemes, might possess budgets of less than £100 and would therefore be unable to afford the refundable deposit. It was noted that deposits were required for larger events to ensure that cleansing costs were met. Members therefore felt that introducing refundable deposits only for events could be an acceptable compromise in preference to flat charges. They also recognised that even refundable deposits might be unacceptable to very small organisations and that scope for these to be excluded at officers’ discretion should be examined.

Members asked that the possibility of not seeking refundable deposits from small- scale groups be put to Executive.

Scrutiny Committee - Community requested that the above views be taken into account in developing the charging scheme for events in parks.

(Report circulated)