Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Wellbeing & Culture on behalf of the Tourism & Marketing Working Party

The Director Wellbeing and Culture introduced the report as circulated with the agenda on behalf of the marketing and tourism working group.

The Council’s business plan had included a milestone to produce a marketing and tourism strategy for Cheltenham. The Social & Community and Economy & Business Improvement Overview & Scrutiny Committees approved a decision to form a small, time limited working party to develop the strategy. 

In response to a query from Cabinet regarding the alignment of the single marketing department for the borough council referred to in paragraph 13.1 of the strategy, the Director Well-being and Culture confirmed that it was still the intention to review the council’s marketing spend.  However this would coincide with a review of the corporate communications team, together with web and marketing activity and this review had already started.

Councillor John Rawson, speaking as the former chair of the working group, acknowledged that the strategy had taken a long time to develop.  This delay had ensured that the strategy was consistent with the national government’s spending review and was now also consistent with the council’s own budget.  In developing the strategy the group had recognized that there was no huge pot of money to spend on marketing of the town and had instead recommended a series of measures which taken together would make Cheltenham a more vibrant destination.   The strategy made links with Civic Pride and the ArtGallery and Museum development which would all contribute to enhancing the Cheltenham experience for both visitors and residents.

The Cabinet Member Sport and Culture welcomed the strategy and felt it provided a good overview of the current position.  He added that many of the recommendations were already work in progress and to some extent the strategy reinforced the direction that was already being taken.  The action plan was helpful in providing a focus for areas to work over the next two years.

The Cabinet Member Housing and Safety suggested that there should be more emphasis on providing activities for young people as well as branding. For example promoting the live music scene in Cheltenham and supporting fringe events around the festivals. The council should also be focusing on the residents of the town and encouraging them to help promote Cheltenham.

In response, the Director said that the action plan referred to maximising the opportunities across all markets and this included young people. She also emphasised that the strategy would sit under the umbrella of the Corporate Strategy and therefore encompassed collective work across all departments.

In response to a challenge regarding the use of the word ‘imbalance’ in paragraph 11.6 when referring to car parking, the Director responded that this issue would be addressed in the car parking strategy which was still to be written. The report was not implying that resolving car parking issues was not a priority but it was not for the marketing and tourism strategy to offer solutions.

The Leader welcomed the report and thanked the working group and officers for all their hard work.

RESOLVED that the Marketing and Tourism Strategy be approved.