Agenda and minutes

The Group to be notified of any substitute members.

The PDG was notified that Councillor Woolley would be substituting for Councillor Cooke for this meeting only.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Breda Griffin.

Members are asked to disclose any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

No disclosable pecuniary interests were declared.

                                                                                                                  (Enclosure)

The action notes of the previous meeting were noted. Members referred to page 5 of the previous action notes which make reference to a workshop and it was agreed that the notes from the workshop would be emailed to members.

Ian Yates (Operations Director) spoke to the group with regards to the private sector renewal. He confirmed that the Portfolio Holder for Good Housing was happy with the recommendations the group had put forward. The policy was currently out for consultation with a decision to be made in August.

The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Environment addressed the group with regards to the missed bin policy. He agreed the recommendations made on March 7^th and 13^th 2013 that were put forward by the group and confirmed a non-key decision would be made in the coming weeks. It was confirmed that this would be subject to review and in the event of dry recycling contract changes and round optimisation it would be brought back to the PDG. The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Environment thanked the group and working party for their assistance in creating the new policy.

The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Environment accepted the PDG’s recommendations made on March 13^th and 16^th 2013 with relation to the amendment to the education campaign that would be delivered as part of the Council’s new waste contract. He confirmed that the recommendations would be affected by the dry recycling contract.

ACTION: 

The Operations Director to investigate the legality of the Council fining residents for putting waste into the incorrect bins.

                                                                                                                                                (Enclosure)

Members of the Economic and Development team presented to the meeting with regards to the cultural events happening in the district over the next 18 months. The group was informed that there were three core themes incorporated into the strategy: providing, promoting and participation. The group were told the aim was to build on events nationally, regionally and locally as part of the growth strategy.

The Stamford Georgian Festival was discussed. The festival aimed to highlight Stamford’s Georgian heritage and architecture and build on the accolade Stamford was recorded in The Sunday Times newspaper as the best place to live in Britain. The group was informed of the events that would happen as part of the festival including pop-up shops, market stalls, speakers, food, face painting, Georgian-themed fairground rides, tours, shows and sport. Economic Development was working in partnership with Stamford Town Council.

The group queried if there would be a finale as part of the festival similar to the Gravity Fields festival and were informed that there would be a finale event on Stamford Meadows as the climax to the Stamford Bull event. There would also be pyrotechnic and flags as a finale on the Sunday which would finish earlier than the Gravity Fields finale to allow visitors to make the most of their visit to Stamford. The festival was to take place on 27-29^th September 2013.

The meeting was informed that the traffic model used for a market closure would be employed to deal with the expected traffic increase. Additional car parking would be available to visitors such as Burghley and college car parks with promotion to encourage local people to walk or car share to make room for visitors.

The Communications team was looking at marketing the event. Marketing strategies included using Primary Times magazines, radio, town council and Lincolnshire County Council to engage and encourage people across Lincolnshire, Rutland and Peterborough to support the event. It would also be promoted at a national level. The Sunday Times was cited as a media outlet that the Communications team would talk with to promote the festival. The group congratulated the Economic Development team on their work.

The Economic Development officers would measure the success of event by customer surveys and consulting with traders.

The Head of Community Assets was speaking to local bus companies and looking at buses that would go further afield for visitors to come to the town.

The Mallard Story of Speed event, taking place in Grantham from 7-9^th September 2013, was discussed. The group was informed that developers and agents from London would be encouraged to come to Grantham to see investment opportunities in the town as part of the festival. As well as the Mallard event, presentations and walking tours would be taking place. Members asked how the press would be informed of the event and were told that radio coverage would be employed; advertisement in the National Rail magazine and possibly papers such as the Metro or Standard would generate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

A written work programme would be available to the group at its meeting of 5 September.  Suggestions for work programme items were encouraged from the group

The meeting closed at 4.20pm.