The Director of Neighbourhood Services submitted a report, providing Members with an update position and proposed next steps relating to the Floral Pavilion Theatre & Conference Centre in New Brighton. This followed the Committee’s decision on 7 March 2024 to (in summary):

1.  Continue to operate the Floral Pavilion as a Council asset for the 2024/5 financial year within a net operational budget of £500,000, whilst identifying & implementing any efficiency, operational savings or increased income opportunities

2.  Implement immediate efficiency measures relating to internal catering model, improved programming and a reduction in agency workers.

3.  Appoint an external consultant to carry out an options appraisal including any alternative operating model

The Chair requested that the Committee focus on the public report and present any questions to officers prior to moving into private session.

The Assistant Director – Leisure, Libraries and Engagement introduced the report. He explained that due to previous turbulent issues with the budget, and pressures on operations, the Section 151 Officer had recast the budget for the theatre in January 2024. The operational net subsidy for 2024/25 had been set at £500k and there had been progress shown of the Floral working to achieve this target. Officers were reviewing opportunities for the venue. There had been internal efficiencies put into place, and officers had commissioned a consultant report, which would support officers with the development of an Outline Business Case. The consultant’s report was included within appendix 1, which the Assistant Director explained had been made exempt due to private commercial information within the appendix.

He asked that members note the progress to date to stay within the budget, and that this was being closely scrutinised by the venue team and the council’s finance department. They would then move to the Outline Business Case stage.

Members raised the following questions/comments:

·  Clarification as to whether this was not a Key Decision

·  Concerns over the reliance on external consultants for guidance

·  Request for officers to consider Option C as well as Option B, as set out at para 2.2 of the report.

·  Whether the costs for the Floral are showing the charge bracket it has to pay to the Council are itimised separately

·  Given the out of hours access being discussed, whether the Floral Pavilion could be designated as a book donation point to be re-circulated to other libraries within the borough whose opening hours are not accessible to the wider public

The Chair asked the Floral Pavilion – Theatre, Catering and Hospitality Manager and the Venue Manager, who were in attendance, whether they had any comments for the committee.

The officers told the committee that this was an exciting time for the venue. Officers were looking at other venues and how they were doing to potentially replicate their successes, and were investigating how officers were doing things currently with the Floral Pavilion. With their short-term plans, they had had a change in their programme and strategy two years ago and were starting to see some progress. Big events had been planned, including such events as Will Young, John Bishop, Swan Lake and other big-name comedians. Other shows were pencilled in, which the venue would normally have to fight with the other cities, but conversations were starting to open up. The venue had also made changes to the annual Folk Festival, which they had made a free event. Enough had been made on the secondary spend to pay artists, and had been cost neutral. A feedback form had been circulated following the three-day event. There had been 100 respondents from this, with positive feedback received.

Members raised further questions/comments:

·  Members praised the work of officers in relation to the Folk Festival

·  Whether any agency staff had been hired

Resolved – That the Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee:

1.  Noted and endorsed the findings and recommendations of the Place Culture Report consultant report; and

2.  Authorised the Director of Neighbourhood Services to:

a.  Present a finalised Outline Business Case to the Committee based on the four options outlines in the report in early 2025 for a decision on a preferred option

b.  Establish the status of the Floral Pavilion in relation to tis value, implications for the regeneration of New Brighton and the wider Wallasey area, and any impacts of the Council’s implementation of the Corporate Landlord Model.