NOT FOR PUBLICATION: Appendix B to this report contains information considered to be exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.

Agenda Item No. 8 REPORT TO: CABINET

DATE: 21ST SEPTEMBER 2016

SERVICE AREA: CULTURE, TOURISM AND SPORT

REPORTING OFFICER: DIRECTOR OF ECONOMY AND CULTURE (Nigel Avison)

SUBJECT: MAJOR EVENTS

WARD/S AFFECTED: All

FORWARD PLAN REF: N/A ______

1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 To update Cabinet on the outcome of the bid to host the Great Northern Exhibition in 2018 and to advise of the opportunity to attract another major event to the district in 2019.

2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 To note that has not been shortlisted to host the Great Northern Exhibition in 2018.

2.2 To advise that an announcement on the selection of host start and finish towns for the 2017 cycling Tour de is imminent.

2.3 To confirm Harrogate’s interest in hosting the 2019 Cycling World Road Championships (WRC), should the current UK bid for the event be successful.

3.0 RECOMMENDED REASONS FOR DECISION

3.1 To ensure that momentum established by the hosting of the 2014 Tour de France, organisation of the 2015 Big Bike Bash and the delivery of the Great Yorkshire Run and Fire Garden in 2016, is not lost.

3.2 To maximise economic benefit to the town and district through the delivery of major events. 4.0 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND RECOMMENDED FOR REJECTION

4.1 Not to express an interest in hosting the 2019 World Road Championships. This would demonstrate lack of ambition, would undermine strides made over the past 3 years to establish Harrogate as an events town and would forego an opportunity to secure economic benefits for the town and district

4.2 To identify alternative events to support in 2019. This may still be appropriate but the immediate opportunity is presented by WRC, an event which guarantees worldwide media exposure and which can evidence a clear boost to visitor numbers and direct benefit wherever it has been held in the past. Harrogate, has demonstrated in 2014 that it is well suited to hosting an event of this kind.

5.0 THE REPORT

5.1.1 In March 2016 Cabinet received a report detailing up and coming major events. Within that report reference was made to the Harrogate International Festival Fire Garden, the Great Yorkshire Run and the 2016 , all of which have now taken place. Funding was allocated to 2 of these events (the Great Yorkshire Run being the exception in not requiring Council Financial support). All events were delivered successfully and within budget. The Fire Garden attracted 20,000 visitors, the Great Yorkshire Run attracted 3,000 participants and the Tour de Yorkshire is estimated to have attracted 1.2 million roadside spectators over its 3 days. Media exposure for all 3 events has exceeded expectations.

5.1.2 The March report also sought agreement from Cabinet to host a stage of the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire. It has already been announced that Harrogate will host either a start or a finish of the 2017 tour. Confirmation which of these it will be and on what date is due to be received in late September with a full route announcement planned for December. A further report to Cabinet setting out proposals for event enhancements and detailing the financial arrangements is planned for October.

5.1.3 Following agreement of the March report, the Council became aware of an opportunity to host the 2018 Great Exhibition of the North. Cabinet, at its meeting in June 2016 agreed that a bid should be submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). We have subsequently been advised that the Harrogate bid has not been shortlisted. Although disappointing, this is not hugely surprising, the shortlisted areas being for the most part, larger towns and cities with regeneration needs and opportunities, greater than those existing in Harrogate. Harrogate was however commended on its bid and the submission provided real evidence of our ambition.

5.1.4 All of the above activity builds on the experience gained from our hosting of the Tour de France in 2014. Events on the scale of those described above can attract significant amount of media exposure, bring large numbers of visitors to the district and generate positive economic impact. The direct

2 boost to the district economy from the hosting of the Tour de France has been calculated in excess of £19m.

5.1.5 An opportunity to secure another event of similar status has now arisen and this is detailed below.

5.2 The Cycling World Road Championships

5.2.1 Welcome to Yorkshire has bid to host the 2019 World Road Championships. A fact sheet about this event is attached as Appendix A. The main detail to note is that this is, after the Tour de France, the most prestigious annual world event in elite road cycling. It attracts large crowds and generates a significant amount of media coverage. Data from previous years suggests that around 400 hours of tv broadcast to a global audience of 300m people is to be expected. Between 500 and 1000 journalists from 40 countries attend the event and the value of media exposure is around £6m. All the leading stars of the sport, both men and women, normally participate in the Championships.

5.2.2 The format involves 12-14 events spread over 8 or 9 days. The UK Government has agreed to underwrite a bid to attract the event to the UK in 2019. Overall costs are assumed to be in the range £12m-£18m. Welcome to Yorkshire are leading the bid and seeking local authority partners. Local authorities are not being asked to make a direct financial contribution or to pay a hosting fee but will be expected to provide in-kind support and will probably wish to invest directly in linked activity to ensure maximum community and economic benefit for the area.

5.2.3 The bid being put together by Welcome to Yorkshire would involve multiple start locations (for the different races) but only one common finish. Harrogate has expressed an interest in providing that single finish and this has been warmly received. Harrogate’s interest is reflected in the bid submitted to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world cycle governing body, on 11 August. The bid is currently being appraised alongside others that have been submitted and the outcome is expected to be announced when representatives gather for this year’s championships in Qatar in October.

5.2.4 In the event that the UK bid is successful, the relevant bodies will have just short of 3 years to confirm funding, agree race routes and make the necessary arrangements. Were Harrogate to be confirmed as host venue, the intention would be to undertake an extensive engagement programme with partner organisations, the public and business representatives. The purpose would be to bring forward proposals which minimise disruption and maximise economic and community benefit. Opportunities to attract commercial partners and sponsors will be explored and the level of cash and ‘in kind’ support that could be provided will be assessed. The assumption at this stage is that HBC support would comprise a mixture of cash and ‘in kind’ provision including the use of HIC facilities and the allocation of HBC staff time. The Council has given some indication to Welcome to Yorkshire of the level of local support that could be made available to inform both the bid and

3 the discussions with government. This is detailed in Exempt Appendix B. A further report detailing the full budgetary implications and identifying options for event enhancement will be submitted to Cabinet when the outcome of the bid and the selection of host town is known.

6.0 REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS AND IMPLICATIONS

6.1 The following were considered: Financial Implications; Human Resources Implications; Legal Implications; ICT Implications; Strategic Property/Asset Management Considerations; Risk Assessment; Equality and Diversity (the Public Sector Equality Duty and impact upon people with protected characteristics). If applicable, the outcomes of any consultations, assessments, considerations and implications considered necessary during preparation of this report are detailed below.

6.2 Financial Implications

The Council has given an indication of the level of financial and ‘in-kind’ support that could be made available by the Council, subject to agreement through the normal budgetary processes. This is set out in Exempt Appendix B. The information is regarded as commercially sensitive on account of the fact that it is informing a competitive bidding process. Should the bid be successful, the intention would be to make appropriate provision in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Council budgets.

6.3 Risk Assessment

The principal risks associated with this decision relate to cost and the possibility that the level of exposure is greater than has hitherto been assessed. No binding commitment has yet been made and the risk is assessed as low. Detailed budgets will be prepared and measures taken to mitigate risk should the bid be successful.

The other main area of risk is around potential disruption to traffic and pedestrian movement that could prevent the full economic benefit being realised. This can be mitigated through choice of race routes and early engagement with stakeholders. A full risk assessment and engagement plan will be developed if the current bid is successful.

7.0 CONCLUSIONS

The World Road Championships presents an opportunity to showcase Harrogate on the global stage for a second time. The UK bid to host the event is believed to stand a good chance of success and the parties behind that bid would welcome confirmation that Harrogate is prepared to act as host town.

Background Papers -

OFFICER CONTACT: Please contact Nigel Avison if you require any further information on the contents of this report. The Officer can be contacted at Springfield House, Harrogate by telephone on 01423 500600 ext 58170 or by email [email protected]

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