Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Venue & Events Officer.

With the permission of the Chair the item was moved up the agenda to allow the members of the public present to hear the discussion.

The Committee received the report of the Venue & Events Officer which provided a report back to the Committee on the 2025 Witney Musical Festival (WMF) along with proposals for the organisation of the 2026 event.

A request had been received from WMF to utilise the site on the Thursday evening, Members heard that this would not have any financial impact on the Council as the site set up will have commenced, a question was raised regarding Health & Safety of visitors to the site during the period of construction and a response provided by both the V&EO as well as one of the WMF directors who was in attendance, who assured the Committee that mitigating measures would be taken.

Additionally, a question was raised regarding the potential additional impact to the field particularly any sports pitch area. The V&EO advised that this would not occur as the area of the site to be used was not on any pitch area.

Members were therefore unanimous in agreement to allow the additional use of the site on Thursday evening and welcomed the idea of a comedy event to enhance the already varied and diversified entertainment provided over that weekend.

The V&EO summarised the points in his report regarding the continuance of the partnership Agreements and the report received from WMF regarding the 2025 event.

Members welcomed the detail provided in the WMF report and financial appraisal. The Committee acknowledged that the event should be viewed as an outsourced event akin to those delivered by other local organisations, such as Witney Rotary who provided them with the support of the Council. Additionally, when compared to other grants a contribution of £10,000 to WMF illustrated exceptional value for a two-and-a-half-day event.

It was also noted by the Committee that the positive impact on local businesses by visitors to the event should not be underestimated.

Recommended:

1.      That, the report be noted and,

2.      That, WMF be granted use of The Leys for an event on the Thursday Evening in 2026 and,

3.      That, that the Policy, Governance & Finance Committee authorise a partnership grant payment of £10,000 to support the 2026 WMF event.