CITY AND COUNTY OF DINAS A SIR CAERDYDD

COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL 11 October 2001

CABINET PROPOSAL AGENDA ITEM:

Capital Of Culture 2008 - National

Background

1. Following discussions at the Shadow Board, Cardiff 2008, Council officers met with the Director of the National Eisteddfod on 14 August to solicit their interest and the viability of the event coming to Cardiff in 2008, and thus forming part of the Bid proposals.

2. The Shadow Board of Cardiff 2008 on 10 September received a report on the outcome of this meeting which is attached on Appendix 1.

3. This report suggests that the Shadow Board write formally to the National Eisteddfod inviting them to come to Cardiff in 2008 as part of the Bid for European Capital of Culture, pending agreement and negotiation on site requirements and financial issues. However, the Shadow Board agreed that this letter of invitation should be extended from the Council itself.

4. The National Eisteddfod have indicated great interest in receiving an invitation. Their preliminary forward planning schedule (as indicated on the attached Appendix) includes very preliminary discussions with Cardigan for 2008, but on receipt of an invitation from the Council and the approval of the Eisteddfod Board this could be changed. To facilitate early planning, and given the deadline for the Bid (31 March 2002), the Eisteddfod Board would need to consider the matter, in principle, at their quarterly meeting on 14 October 2001 or 13 January 2002. They would need agreement that their site requirements could be facilitated and confirmation of local authority funding and support before making a firm decision.

5. Pending the decision of the Council to send a formal invitation, site visits are being arranged at and Llandaff Fields to look at logistical issues.

Page 1 of 7 The Issues

6. Whilst there are major issues of site requirements and funding to be addressed, the planned presence of the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff in 2008 would lend considerable weight to be Bid and the Bid Development Programme of events. The event fulfils many of the Department of Media Culture and Sport criteria for the Bid.

7. In any event, the National Eisteddfod would bring considerable benefits to Cardiff in terms of visitor numbers and media coverage.

8. In deciding to invite the National Eisteddfod to Cardiff, the Council needs to be aware that the local authority funding level in 2001 was £320,000. Their funding from the National Assembly for is currently £276,000

Page 2 of 7 ADVICE

This report has been prepared in consultation with Corporate Managers and reflects their collective advice. It contains all the information necessary to allow Members to arrive at a reasonable view, taking into account the advice contained in this section.

The Corporate Manager responsible for this service area is Tom Morgan

Legal Implications

The Council is empowered under Section 144 of the Local Government Act 1972 to encourage visitors and the provision of conferences and the proposals in this report falls within the scope of that power.

Financial Implications

Once the invitation has been formally extended to the Eisteddfod, and accepted (pending consideration of site requirements and funding/support), the Council's financial support will need to be considered within the appropriate financial years. This would need to include any benefits in kind as well as the cash support.

Consequences

As one of the most prestigious cultural events in Wales and Europe, the inclusion of the National Eisteddfod in the programme for European Capital of Culture 2008 and in the Bid for the same would lend considerable weight to both.

In additional to the annual traditional events within the Eisteddfod programme, through their network of local and national support, themes and events are conceived for each particular destination. The Eisteddfod would, therefore, aim to programme themes and events which would compliment the year of Capital of Culture.

The event would also bring economic benefits to Cardiff. Average attendance at the Eisteddfod is between 160,000 - 170,000 each year, but it is estimated that this figure would rise in Cardiff.

BYRON DAVIES Chief Executive

12 September 2001 Background Papers : None

Page 3 of 7 CABINET PROPOSALS

That Cabinet recommends Council to agree

(1) to invite the National Eisteddfod to bring the event to Cardiff in 2008, pending mutual agreement on site requirements and issues and negotiation/confirmation of the funding contribution from the Council, and that the invitation be sent in time for consideration by their Board on 14 October 2001;

(2) to arrange a site visit to Pontcanna between the Council and Eisteddfod staff during September 2001 to undertaken a preliminary assessment of site requirements and logistics;

(3) that, following the a positive response from the National Eisteddfodd, further consideration be given to the funding issue;

(4) to keep the Shadow Board of Cardiff 2008 informed of progress.

The following appendix is attached :-

Appendix 1 European Capital of Culture 2008 - The Cardiff Bid - Meeting of the Shadow Board - 10 September 2001 - Agenda Item 6(e): National Eisteddfod.

Page 4 of 7 APPENDIX 1

EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2008 – THE CARDIFF BID

MEETING OF THE SHADOW BOARD

10 SEPTEMBER 2001 AGENDA ITEM: 6 (e)

NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD

Background

1. Following discussions at the Shadow Board and correspondence between the Eisteddfod and the Chief Executive, Paul Jenkins, Judi Richards and Ian Pennington (KPMG) met the Eisteddfod's Director, Elfed Roberts on 14 August, 2001.

Current Eisteddfod Plans

2. The Eistedfod's planning schedule from 2000 has been/ is as follows:

2000 *Llanelli 2001 Denbigh 2002 St. David's 2003 Welshpool 2004 Newport (Subject to ratification by Council September 2001) 2005 Gwyneth or Flintshire 2006 Swansea - not confirmed 2007 Gwyneth or Flintshire 2008 Preliminary discussions with Cardigan

· A report commissioned by Llanelli Council on the economic out-turn etc is available and indicates that the Eisteddfod generated £6.4m.

3 There are three main criteria that the Eisteddfod Board consider when taking a final decision on the destination:

· SITE · LOCAL SUPPORT · FINANCE/FUNDING

Site Requirements

4. 35 acres Eisteddfod site 40 acres Caravans 40 acres Parking 25 acres Youth Activities/camping Total 140 acres

Page 5 of 7 5. There could be variables on the above relating to Cardiff if hotel accommodation was available in close proximity to the site etc.

6. The Eisteddfod provides infrastructure and electricity for the site; water is required. The main pavilion holds 3,500, and the Youth Tent 600.

7. It is preferable for all the above to be close together; however in Llanelli there was a split site and the Council paid for buses to take visitors/participants to the Eisteddfod site - approximate cost £75,000.

Local Support

8. This is initiated and generated largely by Eisteddfod staff in the host destination. This staff organises teams of volunteers to fund raise/organise workshops etc. This is to initiate a feeling of ownership of the Eisteddfod as much as for financial purposes.

9. For example, four Eisteddfod staff opened an office in Denbigh in October 1999 to start work for 2001.

10. Through this network of local support, themes and events for the Eisteddfod are often conceived, additional to the annual traditional events. For example, in Denbigh, sponsorship enabled the employment of six music teachers to go into 25 schools to teach 500 students to read music in the 2 years prior to the Eisteddfod. (This was prompted by the demise of music teaching within the schools). The students then performed at the event.

11. Average attendance figures are between 160 - 170,000 each year; the down-turn this year (approximately 142,000 was due to food and mouth and to weather conditions).

Funding

12. The approximate total cost of the 2001 Eisteddfod was £2.3m. The current grant from the National Assembly for Wales is £276 (and was £360 five years ago). The Eisteddfod seeks £320,000 from the host local authority at 2001 costs. In addition, the field/site is sometimes provided free. Funding in kind has formed part or been additional to support in the past.

13. The fund-raising activities from local support as above generates £260,000 – 70,000.

14. Sponsorship and support is also generated through the ground rent of stall- holders etc., generating approximately, and through ticket income.

Page 6 of 7 Cardiff 2008

15. Whilst very preliminary discussions with Cardigan have been held, these were not felt to be binding. Liverpool had approached the Eisteddfod to go there in 2007 - when the city celebrates 800 year anniversary - and as lead up to 2008, but the Board have rejected the idea. (It is likely, however, that the Eisteddfod will mount a specific event for Liverpool in 2007).

16. The proposal was the Eisteddfod visits Cardiff in 2008 was met positively. It was felt that the event should be held within the city centre and not on the out-skirts. Pontcanna and Llandaff fields were felt the ideal site(s).(The Eisteddfod had visited various sites in 1994 - 5 when considering a visit for 1996.)

17. The schedule for the event is a site start in April - May with site clearance in mid- September.

18. The issue of the URDD EISTEDDFOD was discussed. This is now coming to Cardiff in 2002, and there were plans for it to return in 2004 - to coincide with the opening of the . However, it was agreed that this may now be moved to 2005, pending decisions on a revised planning schedule for WMC. Either year was not a problem to the Eisteddfod, providing that the Urdd agreed not to fund raise locally for 2004/5 thereby causing a conflict with the local fund raising for the Eisteddfod. It was agreed that this was an issue to be discussed with the Urdd as appropriate.

ISSUES/RECOMMENDATIONS

19. It was agreed that the issues discussed at this meeting would be passed to the Shadow Board of the Capital of Culture Bid with a recommendation that they write formally to the Eisteddfod inviting them to come to Cardiff in 2008 as part of the Bid for Capital of Culture, pending agreement and negotiation on the site and funding issues.

20. The Eisteddfod Board would need agreement regarding the site and local authority financial support in order to make a firm decision. The Board meets quarterly - with the next meetings on 14 October and 13 January.

21. It was agreed that a site meeting at Pontcanna be arranged in September between Council staff, the Director and Technical Director of the Eisteddfod (Alan Gwynant) and that survey maps be forward to the latter beforehand.

22. The issue of the Urdd visiting Cardiff in 2004/5 should be raised in the forthcoming operational meetings for the 2002 event.

JR/15.9.01

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