Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) providing Members with an update on the receipt of information in respect of the Event Management Plan for the Leeds Festival 2009.

(Report attached)

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) submitted a report providing an update on the receipt of information in respect of the Event Management Plan (EMP) for the Leeds Festival 2009 scheduled to be held in the grounds of Bramham Park over August Bank Holiday weekend.

Appended to the report was a schedule providing a summary changes (Appendix 1) from the 2008 EMP. Appendix 2 contained a checklist of information awaiting submission.

Ms H Blake attended the meeting on behalf of Festival Republic Limited, the event promoters – and during discussions with the Committee provided the following information:

• the final EMP would be drafted this weekend for submission during the early part of next week which would confirm the details of all the project managers
• the Traffic Management Plan, previously presented to Members in April was now in place and would not be altered prior to the event
• an application had been lodged to vary the Designated Premises Supervisor for the event. The new DPS had considerable experience with Festival Republic Ltd
• telephone numbers for complaint hotlines for the public and local residents to contact during the event had been established
• 20,000 early attendees were expected on site on the Wednesday of the event weekend.
• Publicity for the proposed road closures and approved traffic routes had already commenced. Individual letters had been sent to each household on the electoral register for Thorner, Scholes, Barwick-in-Elmet and Bramham, and to properties on the A64 and along the proposed One-Way system. Information had also been included in local parish magazines. Prior to the event 2 press releases for radio and newspaper use would be sent and a second set of letters would be despatched to effected householders containing the public hotline numbers. Extensive signage along the approved traffic routes would also be erected prior to the event.

In response to Members concerns about complaints from local residents made directly to them during the event and their need to contact relevant officers, Ms Blake offered to supply her personal contact number to Committee Members along with the numbers of the 4 direct on-site office telephones.

Members also queried whether there were any measures in place to tackle fraudulent on-line sales of tickets which had been reported last year. Re-sale of tickets was not illegal but it was noted that on-line ticket touts were an issue for the police and Trading Standards to address. If the event promoter became aware of such sites they would report them, but there was little the company could do in terms of prevention except warn prospective festival goers not to purchase tickets from websites other than the Festival Republic Ltd website.

The Committee noted the comment that constituents of the Harewood ward were happy with the arrangements for the event so far and the quick response from Ms Blake to any issues which had been raised with her. Members also noted that a dedicated company to control vehicle movements within the event site had been contracted this year having regard to the impact of bad weather on the condition of the access routes and drop-off points within the site last year.

Officers outlined the steps available for the Committee to take in respect of the approval of the Event Management Plan.

RESOLVED – That the Event Management Plan as submitted be approved and

a) That the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) be authorised to approve any minor amendments to the Event Management Plan prior to the start of the event

b) To note that direct contact numbers for Ms Blake for the duration of the Leeds Festival will be made available to Committee Members in due course