Download committee - Blackpool Council

Executive Member Report to the Council
Council
13th March 2013
AGENDA ITEM 4(e)
CABINET MEMBER FOR TOURISM AND CULTURE – COUNCILLOR
CAIN
Illuminations
The illumination of the Tower legs were officially switched on in time for Valentine’s Day and
the lighting system was “soak tested” during the February half-term period. This enabled us to
carry out tests over an extended period in order to verify the system’s stability and
performance. The lighting of the Tower has been extremely well received by residents and
visitors. We are currently devising an ongoing maintenance strategy for the lighting system to
ensure it is in good working order at all times. One of the technical issues with the Tower
system is that certain types of single node failure can lead to groups of up to 30 being out so
faults may appear more significant than they actually are. In addition to the maintenance
planning, we are also developing an annual events programme that will maximise usage of
the lighting system.
The Brilliance town centre lighting project is being temporarily shut down over the summer for
essential maintenance and the repair of some technical problems. The show will re-launch as
an upgraded Illumination feature in September with new shows added to the programme.
Arts
The renowned artist, Jo Berry, has been awarded a £30,000 grant from the Arts Council to
work with the Arts Service and Blackpool Illuminations on a new project that will take place
over a two-year period. The theme of the work will focus on mental health and wellbeing,
resulting in a new light-based artwork to be a part of the Illuminations in 2014. Jo Berry
worked on the successful Fluted Pylons project, which saw the artist working with the
Council’s heritage collections and members of our community to create an exciting new piece
of work for the 2012 Illuminations Centenary.
Heritage
Plans for the 2013 Heritage Guiding Programme are being developed after a very successful
launch last year, which resulted in almost 700 people enjoying tours of the Winter Gardens
and Stanley Park. As well as finalising new dates for the existing tour locations, the heritage
guides are also developing a number of new tours for 2013. Several group bookings have
already been made for this season including a walking tour around South Shore for the
Victoria Hospital Walking Club, three coach parties from Age UK and 150 members of the
Cheshire French Society.
Blackpool Council’s Local History Centre has been working with Blackpool and the Fylde
College’s School of Creative Arts to inspire their students through heritage. Working with
tutors, a range of material from our historic collections was selected. Students then used the
artefacts as part of the creative process to develop new art pieces. Ensuring that the historic
collections become better known and used by a wide range of groups and communities is an
important part of the centre’s work.
Leisure Centres
Roller Derby Club move to Blackpool Sports Centre
Blackpool Roller Coasters, Blackpool's first roller derby team has recently made Blackpool
Sports Centre their regular training centre and are delighted to be using the sports halls for
their weekly sessions.
Roller derby arrived in the 1920s, evolving from marathon skating on a raised track to a more
physical sport where two teams of five skaters score points by passing members of the
opposing team.
Women’s flat-track roller derby has grown explosively over the past decade from only one
league worldwide in 2001 to in excess of 1,100 today. It is a fast-paced, full contact team
sport that requires speed, strategy and stamina.
Blackpool Roller Coasters train every Sunday at Blackpool Sports Centre and hope to host
competitive matches at the centre over the forthcoming year.
Netball – North West Regional Academy
Blackpool Sports Centre has recently been involved in supporting the further training of
athletes from the North West Regional Netball Academy by being one of three sites to offer
free early morning hub site training sessions.
These sessions have helped in providing improved training opportunities for 19 athletes
following their selection during the final Regional Academy Screening. This was held on the
22nd September 2012 following a summer of intense training with the athletes in the build up to
the trial finals.
The early morning sessions will continue at Blackpool Sports Centre during 2013 in the hope
that any support will contribute to further success for the academy.
Lost Property Partnership with Age UK, Blackpool and District
Sport Blackpool Leisure Centres have started a new partnership by donating all lost property
items to Age UK, Blackpool and District.
This new partnership will ensure that all lost property items not claimed by the rightful owner
will be collected by Age UK Blackpool and District on a monthly basis from Blackpool Sports
Centre, Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre and Palatine Leisure Centre.
Age UK Blackpool and District have already given Sport Blackpool positive feedback following
the first few collections and all local shops are very grateful for the donated items. Sport
Blackpool hope that the partnership will continue and grow in the future.
Blackpool Aquatics
The Leisure Services team has recently supported Blackpool Aquatics Club to invest in two
specialised “Drag n Fly” training pulley systems to further enhance the training opportunities
available to club members. The quality of training under the direction of Blackpool Aquatics
head coach and assistant coaches has seen 58 swimmers achieving County qualifying times
this year a record number in the clubs history.
Blackpool Council Leisure Services and Blackpool Aquatics have recently introduced a rising
stars referral initiative that will facilitate a supported progression process for swimmers from
the Blackpool Council Learn to Swim and Blackpool Primary school swimming programmes
into Blackpool Aquatics Swimming Club.
Following the hugely successful “Blackpool Rocks” open swim meet last year Blackpool
Aquatics will be holding two weekend swimming meets at Palatine Leisure centre in May and
September. It is hoped that once again swimmers from all over the country will take part in the
event and enjoy a weekend stay in Blackpool.
Polar Bears Disability swimming Club
The Council is supporting eight Blackpool Polar bears swimming club members who have
been selected to take part in the special Olympics in August by providing additional training
sessions at Palatine Leisure centre on the run up to the special Olympics.
Senior school swimming gala
The Blackpool senior school gala was recently held at Palatine Leisure Centre with six
Blackpool senior schools taking part in the event. The year 7 and year 8 pupils from
Montgomery High school became the overall winners who will now go on to take part in the
Lancashire School Games that will also be held at Palatine Leisure Centre on 19th March
2013.
Parks Development (Stanley Park)
Stanley Park Playground Refurbishment Project
The public consultation on the new playground design proposals is complete. Over 300 local
people went to the visitor centre to view the plans and give their views through completing
questionnaires or talking with one of the Friends volunteers. Feedback from adults and
children alike was positive and constructive. The safari and animal theme was very popular,
as was the use of classic equipment such as rocking horses and witches hats. The lion’s head
slide was also very popular with the children as was the printed games such as snakes and
ladders on the playground surface. The need for a specific toddler safe zone was highlighted,
as was the need for more bins, seating and picnic areas. The park manager is working with
graphic designers to make slight alterations to the design plans and ensure they reflect the
feedback obtained. Two external grant applications now to the value of £150,000 have now
been completed and are ready to be submitted.
Heritage Lottery Bid Consultation – Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve
A public consultation on the Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve £300,000 grant bid has been
organised. Consultation events occurred on 17th, 19th and 20th February at both Marton Mere
and Stanley Park. Staff from the parks team and The Conservation Volunteers will be present
to talk through master plan drawings. The consultation will be fundamental to the Stage II
Heritage Lottery Fund bid, which needs to be submitted by May 2013. If successful, the
Heritage Lottery Funds will facilitate a three-year project to create a new Visitor Centre,
renovate the reserve habitat and infrastructure, as well as recruit a Project Manager to over
see the works and ensure stakeholder involvement.
Grand Theatre
The Grand Theatre has been invited by the Royal Shakespeare Company to be a regional
theatre partner for the 2013 Learning and Performance Network. They will be one of only nine
other regional theatres across the country to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company on
the programme, which aims to bring Shakespeare’s work vividly to life in local schools and
communities. The three-year programme involves accredited training for teachers and artists,
a touring production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s next Young People’s Shakespeare
title in 2014 and the opportunity to take part in performance festivals of work created by
children and young people from our region.
The recent Schools Alive performances at The Grand attracted an audience of over 3,000
local people over the four days, with 2,000 children performing on stage and with 38 local
schools taking part.
Tourism
Blackpool saw further growth in visitor numbers during 2012, despite some of the worst
weather on record. The latest independent household survey carried out by Omnibus reveals
that there were 3.7m adult visits to the resort between September and December. Added to
the previous survey results for the January to April and May to August periods, that provides a
combined total of 10,390,000 adult visits for 2012, 300,000 higher than for 2011.
When a “child factor” is applied to the figures, it takes the total number of visits to Blackpool to
well over 13million, bucking the downward trend experienced by many UK destinations. The
September to December figure also reveals that the primary reason for visiting was the
Illuminations with 28% stating that was their single most important reason for coming to
Blackpool. This percentage has steadily increased from 24% in 2009. Visitor satisfaction
levels for the autumn period remain high at 84%.
Relationships with the Marketing Company and the Blackpool Operating Company
(Sandcastle)
Record numbers of people visited Blackpool for Showzam! the resort’s annual February
festival celebrating Circus, Magic and New Variety. Event organisers Marketing Blackpool
reported that more than 30,000 people visited Showzam! Central, the hub of the celebrations
during the 10-day festival while audiences at the event’s 50-plus ticketed shows and tours
exceeded expectations. This year’s Carnival Ball hosted by The Sugar Dandies in The
Blackpool Tower Ballroom was also the biggest ever with 1,100 people in attendance.