At its meeting on 24 January, 2017, the Business Overview and Scrutiny Committee referred the Scrutiny Review on Tourism to the Cabinet. A covering report, Overview and Scrutiny Committee minute and Scrutiny Review are attached.

Councillor Phil Davies invited Councillor Jerry William (the Chair of the Task and Finish Scrutiny Review Panel), who was in attendance at the meeting, to introduce the report that set out the findings and recommendations of the Tourism Scrutiny Review conducted by the Task and Finish Scrutiny Review Panel, following the tourism sector update report presented by Officers to the former Regeneration and Environment Policy and Performance Committee.  The purpose of the review had been to look at how the Council promoted and marketed the Borough’s tourism offer and to identify any gaps in its offer that could be exploited. 

The review specifically linked to the Wirral Plan for 2020 tourism pledge, which highlighted the ambitious target.

The Cabinet noted that the review had been conducted over a number of question and answer evidence sessions with Council Officers and external stakeholders. The Panel had evaluated Wirral’s marketing activity and how it worked with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership for support in marketing Wirral’s offer and a number of recommendations had been made as a result of the review.

Councillor Williams informed that the Panel had analysed the effect of tourism on Wirral, that Wirral had the fastest growing tourism economy in the Liverpool City Region and that there had been concerns that heritage tourism had not been promoted in an inclusive manner but this had now been addressed. He also emphasised that there was a need to develop the Wirral riverside in a similar way to that of Liverpool. There had not always been a cohesive approach.  The Woodside area was now identified as a priority for re-development.

Councillor Williams also informed that the review had identified the importance of volunteers as most heritage activity was delivered by them.  The Review Panel had recognised a need to understand what support e.g. training could be provided to volunteers to help ensure volunteer activity could be maintained and potentially increased.  There was also potential to advise volunteers on promoting events through Wirral Council media and other media platforms.

Councillor Williams referred to the Report’s recommendations and highlighted that:

·  The Council should engage with relevant stakeholders to develop and deliver workshop sessions for the benefit of Wirral’s volunteers.

·  Culture should be integrated with tourism and leisure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106