Agenda item

To present two completed Project Scoping Forms and seek confirmation of endorsement for these two projects from Members for the Selby and Ainsty AC.

Sarah Fenwick, Regeneration & Economic Project Manager presented a report which provided an update on two of the projects previously endorsed by the Selby AC under the Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund. 

At the Area Committee meeting on 13 June 2024 the Selby and Ainsty AC had agreed to progress three projects to the Project Scoping Form stage.  Members heard that Project Scoping Forms had been completed for two of the three projects, Interactive Town Guides and Village Cinemas; both of which had been reviewed and approved by the Executive Portfolio Holder, Councillor Mark Crane, and submitted for consideration and endorsement by the AC at this meeting.

Members noted that the third project, the Real Time Bus Information Project was still in progress as the Council were in contract negotiations regarding the operation of the system, however there would be a contract in place from the 1 March 2025.

In terms of the Interactive Town Guides project, a lengthy discussion took place, with differing Member views around the interactive online map and the need for both physical and online maps in the towns of Selby and Tadcaster.  Members expressed concerns regarding the physical guides and how robust the maps would be.  The officer reminded the AC that £20k of the seed funding had been re-allocated from the Real Time Bus Project to the Town Guides project and therefore it seemed prudent to provide something physical, and the NYC Tourism team had confirmed that physical maps were desirable in terms of the user experience.  Members heard that quick-response codes (QR) signage would also be used as part of the project.

Councillor Paraskos enquired about on-going costs for the scheme, and who would provide maintenance for the online and physical maps, in response the officer advised that there was no budget for maintenance.

Councillor Paraskos proposed that this particular project should not be taken forward, and that the funding be returned to the Council, the proposal did not receive a seconder, therefore the proposal fell. 

In relation to the Village Cinema Project, the AC fully supported this project.  The officer explained the process and criteria involved in determining the two villages and venues to be provided with the cinema facilities, however Members did not feel that the suggested villages of Riccall and Brayton were the best locations, and a lengthy debate took place regarding villages in the area who had a greater need for the facilities.   

Councillor Paraskos enquired whether a village in the Ainsty area had been considered as the recipient of the cinema facilities, the officer said that only Tier 1 villages were considered, the reasoning behind this was that the fund was spent on a facility that would be sustainable, and that the catchment of the area was sufficient for the cinemas to be maintained in the long term.  

It was moved, and seconded, and agreed unanimously that the Village Cinema Project be endorsed by the AC, with the locations for the two cinemas to be delegated to the Chair (Councillor Davis) and the officer to make the final decision.  

Resolved:

That the Committee:

Endorse the completed Project Scoping Forms for the following projects:

i)               Interactive Town Guides.

ii)              The two Village Cinemas in principle, with the final decision on the two villages to receive the facilities to be delegated to the Chair, in conjunction with the officer.

iii)             Request that the Project Scoping forms be presented to the Corporate Director (Community Development) for the relevant projects to be funded from the Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund for Selby.