To: REGENERATION SERVICES COMMITTEE Subject:

Homecoming Scotland 2009 From: HEAD OF REGENERATION

Date: 3 September 2008 Rep: 1364

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with an overview of the Council’s proposed approach to Homecoming Scotland 2009 following the recent publication and distribution by EventScotland of the Homecoming Scotland Events Guide.

2. Background

2.1 Homecoming Scotland 2009 will be the biggest ever celebration of Scotland’s achievements and culture, targeting around 100 million people who have links with, a passion for, and/or an affinity to Scotland, encouraging them to visit the country during the Year of Homecoming. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth, Homecoming Scotland will deliver a year long celebration of inspirational events across the country linked to the culture and heritage of Scotland. Running from Burns Night on the 25‘h January to St Andrew’s Day on 30thNovember, Homecoming will celebrate some of Scotland’s greatest contributions to the world, including, Burns himself, Whisky, Golf, great Scottish minds and innovations, and our rich culture and heritage.

2.2 In November 2007 funding was announced by the Scottish Government to help identify and support the development of a programme of “themed” events across Scotland that would compliment and enhance the key “signature” events planed as part of Homecoming. At that time all Local Authorities were contacted by EventScotland advising of the funding and seeking ideas and proposals for events and initiatives which may be considered for funding support.

2.3 In Lanarkshire responsibility for the development and submission of potential applications for Homecoming Scotland funding was allocated via North & South Lanarkshire Councils to the Lanarkshire Area Tourism Partnership, (LATP), the joint public/private sector body responsible for leading the development of the Lanarkshire tourism industry. The LATP, supported by officers from both North & South Lanarkshire Councils, was considered best placed to lead on this approach as it operates on a pan Lanarkshire basis and also that any proposed events should compliment the proposals to increase tourism performance and enhance the image of Lanarkshire as a whole.

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3. Lanarkshire Homecoming

3.1 The IATP, the Councils, and the tourism industry itself, identified a number of possible events that could fit with and compliment the principles of Homecoming Scotland, and some of these were submitted to EventScotland for consideration. Ideas include: A Lanarkshire Festival of Football. 2009 also coincides with the centenary of the birth of Sir Matt Busby and the concept was to recognise Lanarkshire’s extensive contribution to football worldwide through a week-long series of events, including international and local youth tournaments; exhibition matches, football related plays, films, and exhibitions. Enhancing the existing Kilsyth International Carnival by developing this iconic event to become a more significant attraction for visitors. Developing an event around the first anniversary of the reopening of Summerlee: with the potential to establish closer links with the individuals and the families of those that worked in Lanarkshire’s industries and who may have moved following the decline of coal and steel to Corby and other towns and areas. Branding the planned 2009 Retrofest music festival as a Homecoming event by including Lanarkshire and Scottish performers in the concert line up.

3.2 Unfortunately, following informal discussions with EventScotland staff on our proposals and given the level of demand for funding support from events across Scotland, none of the proposals submitted to EventScotland were considered to meet the key themes of Homecoming Scotland and no direct financial support was forthcoming.

3.3 However, this notwithstanding, all of the above proposals and a few additional event ideas, for example celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Shotts Highland Games in 2009 with the hosting of a pipe band championship event, and promoting the 2009 North Lanarkshire Burns Supper to a wider audience, are still being considered and may ultimately still be branded and marketed as part of Homecoming Scotland.

3.4 Hosting any or all of these Homecoming events will also compliment the wider ambition to re-establish Lanarkshire as a leading events destination. The Council’s commitment to support Retrofest in 2008, the ongoing efforts to attract international sporting events to Strathclyde Country Park including the Commonwealth Games Triathlon in 2014, and the successful bid to host the 201 1 International Children’s Games will also help achieve this ambition and increase the profile of the area to new audiences.

4. Resource Im p Ii cat io ns

4.1 Delivering such an ambitious programme of events related to Homecoming, and also events beyond 2009, will obviously have considerable resource implications related to the development, promotion, delivery, and evaluation. To achieve the aim of hosting attractive and successful events and activities will require dedicated organisational and funding resources, for example:

86 0 Pending the outcome of the feasibility study into the Festival of Football, the cost of hosting such an event could be in the region of f100,OOOplus. Although private sector sponsorship, donations, and other public sector support can be expected, for example from EventScotland’s mainstream funds, there would still be an expectation that the Councils would require to ‘underwrite’ the event. 0 Similarly, enhancing the Kilsyth International Carnival, hosting a pipe band championship, or attracting any other profile event, will require substantial grant funding to attract, organise, promote, and deliver. 0 Organising events, securing events funding, and maximising the return from events is a specialised activity, and consideration must be given to ensuring that the Council optimises existing resources across Council services to create an efficient and effective Events Team. 0 Developing and implementing a long term Events Strategy for Lanarkshire, where we will co-ordinate and host high profile national and international events, will require significant commitment within the Council to secure resources to lead this effort.

5. Corporate Considerations

5.1 Additional one-off funding to support Homecoming Scotland events in Lanarkshire will be sought from Revenue Growth proposals for 2009/10.

6. Conclusions

6.1 It is acknowledged that events make a considerable contribution to the overall visitor experience and also assist in improving community spirit and a sense of place among local residents. Visitors are continually looking for interesting and varied things to see and do, and to have lasting ‘experiences’ from their visits. The Lanarkshire Area Tourism Partnership has already agreed that a considerable proportion of any marketing and promotional activity pan-lanarkshire will be ‘events based’ - linking promotions to specific events and activities, including those mentioned above.

6.2 By linking local events to Homecoming Scotland we will ultimately increase the opportunity to attract visitors to the area, increase economic benefit from tourism, and improve the profile of Lanarkshire, and specifically North Lanarkshire, as a destination.

6.3 NLC has allocated additional resources to the development of the tourism industry in Lanarkshire which will include funding for events led marketing and development activity. However, it is considered that this funding will need to be enhanced to deliver a programme of high profile, high impact, events that could improve the image of the area and contribute to the activities and objectives of both of the Councils and those of Homecoming Scotland. An events strategy is currently under development.

6.4 Efforts to enhance the operational functionality of our main tourism promotional tool, the tourism web portal www.visitlanarkshire.com, supported by the ongoing use of the Lanarkshire Brand and the www.lanarkshire.comweb portal will help increase awareness of events and continue to improve the profile of the area.

87 6.5 Officers will continue to: a. be involved in local, regional and national discussions over Homecoming Scotland b. support the development of events and activities that may be linked to, and promoted though, Homecoming Scotland c. deliver other tourism development and promotional initiatives that will compliment the planned Lanarkshire Events Strategy

7. Recommendations

The Committee is asked to consider the following recommendations:

i) Agree the proposed approach to Homecoming Scotland as outlined in this report

ii) Agree to further reports being brought forward in relation to funding implications

iii) To commit to the development of a long term events strategy for Lanarkshire

Mb% ureenMcCon!iL chie Hdad of Regeneration Services

Local Government Access to Information Act: for further information this report please contact John Brinkins, Economic Development Officer Tel: 01698 302772.

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