Agenda item

To enable the Cabinet to consider the recommendations made by the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee following that Committee’s consideration of the Tourism Strategy for Tendring.

RESOLVED that the Resources & Services Overview and Scrutiny Committees be thanked for the views submitted and that the comments of the Portfolio Holder in response thereto be endorsed.

Cabinet recalled that, at its meeting held on 21 May 2021, it had approved, inter alia, that the Tourism Strategy now be presented to the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee (“the Committee”). This had followed public consultation on the proposed Strategy in 2020. That five year Tourism Strategy replaced the previous version for Tendring, which had expired in 2016.

The Committee, at its meeting held on 24 May 2021 (Minute 6 referred) had considered the salient points and statistics of the Strategy and had decided to recommend to it that:-

·      “consider the opportunities for working in partnership with local businesses prioritising such services as hotels/bed and breakfast operators to encourage visitors participating/attending or visiting events in the District to stay locally and use the services of those local businesses (potentially with discounts offered by those businesses);

·      harness opportunities to those attracted to specific places/events locally to be supported to revisit by sharing other places/events locally including those using the book of the Holland Ferry, creating a dedicated visit Tendring website where the separate charms of the District can be brought together, using QR codes to encourage visits to such a website and to local heritage sites;

·      take additional measures to improve the cleanliness of the District including messaging around “Respecting the district by using the area responsibly” through education encouragement and enforcement to ensure visitors are encouraged back rather than being putt-off by unsightly rubbish and over full bins;

·      consider once again the previous recommendation of the Committee (minute 87 of 21 September 2020 refers) for consistent and common, highly visible branding of events and facilities provided/supported by the Council to ensure that those attending these events/facilities are made aware of the Council’s role in producing/supporting the same;

·      examine measures to offset the carbon footprint of the Clacton Air Show, which uses over 100,000 litres of Jet Fuel and generates 275 tonnes of CO2, including the options perused by the Bournemouth Air Festival whereby trees were planted for each tonne of carbon used at the Air Show; and

·      note the intention of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure & Tourism to consider promoting details of bridleways that traverse the District.”

Cabinet had before it the response of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure & Tourism thereto which was as follows:-

“I would like to thank the Committee for its views and where possible, suggestions will be built into the work programme for the delivery of the strategy. Further to this, I would suggest the Committee set up task and finish groups to look in detail at how some of the suggestions could be delivered in practice. In particular, the carbon offsetting of the Clacton Airshow and how further improvements can be made to improve cleanliness. I look forward to seeing the results of the in-depth scrutiny by the Committee in these areas and welcome further thorough scrutiny that results in an improved strategy.”

Having considered the recommendations submitted by the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee, together with the response thereto of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure & Tourism:-

It was moved by Councillor Porter, seconded by Councillor G V Guglielmi and:-

RESOLVED that the Resources & Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee be thanked for the views submitted and that the comments of the Portfolio Holder in response thereto be endorsed.