Report for: CONSULTATION Item Number: Contains Private and NO Confidential Information EALING SUMMER PROGRAMME Title FEEDBACK FROM 2003 PLANS FOR 2004 Keith Townsend, Director of Choice Services Ext. [email protected] Responsible Officer(s) Julian Rudd, Events Manager Ext. 8827 [email protected] Author(s) Julian Rudd & Gareth Bevan Portfolio(s) Leisure For Consideration By Ealing and Acton Area Committee Date to be Considered Ealing Common, Heathfield, Northfield, Walpole and Affected Wards wards within Hounslow Area Committees Ealing & Acton Keywords/Index Classical, Festival, Gunnersbury, Mela, Walpole Abstract: This report outlines the programme for Ealing Summer Festival 2004 that has been approved by cabinet. Festivals and Events seeks to inform Members of the programme and seeks their comments and feedback. 1. Recommended Actions It is recommended that the Area Committee: i) Notes the content of this report. ii) Recommends to cabinet the allocation of £20,000 section 106 funds towards Ealing Summer Festival. 2. Key Points Legal There are no legal implications Financial 3.1 We are pleased to report that a balanced budget was achieved in 2003/4. 3.2.1 It should be noted that income has increased from £338,000 in 02/03 to £683,000 in 03/04 a rise of 102%. 3.2.2 Despite a 10% reduction in controllable council budget, income is expected to increase by 17% in 04/05. 3.2.3 These increases are made up of increases in external public funding, trading income and sponsorship and reflect the success of the service in delivering a greatly enhanced programme that has attracted popular support and investment. 3.2.4 It should be noted that this income is tied to increased activity. 3.2.5 We are seeking the Area Committee’s recommendation to cabinet for the allocation of £20,000 from Section 106 funds towards Ealing Summer Festival Streets programme and equipment purchase to support the general programme in Walpole Park. This programme strand has been developed to support the Business Improvement District pilot, seeking to market Ealing through events in line with marketing research commissioned by ECP. The funds would come from E24 (46-50 Uxbridge Road W5). This funding proposal also appears in the Ealing Area Report on regeneration spend in 04/05 by the acting Director of Regeneration. Staffing 3.3 Festival and Events have a small permanent staff team which is expanded in the busy times of year by freelancers and staff on short term contracts. This has enabled the service to respond quickly to need in an efficient and cost effective manner. This approach mirrors standard practice within the events industry. Accommodation 3.4 As of Monday 29th March the entire section has been moved to new offices on the 3rd floor of Ealing Town Hall. 4. Detailed Section Consultation 4.1.1 Officers meet and correspond annually with representatives of the Walpole Residents Association with regards to plans for events in Walpole Park. It is expected that they will be submitting a response to the committee. 4.2 Debriefing and initial planning meetings have been held with key partners such as the Ealing Jazz Festival Programme Consultant, the Musicians’ Union, the Police and Headliners Comedy Club as well as other potential partners. 4.3 All Ealing Summer events are a permanent agenda item at the Events Safety & Licensing Group, which meets monthly to assess all proposed events in the Borough. Agencies involved in this group are: For LBE: Festivals & Events; Environmental Health (Licensing, Noise Pollution & Food Safety); Parks; Transport; Ealing Police Operations Transport for London; London Fire Brigade; London London Ambulance Service. 4.4 Initial planning meetings for the London Mela are now underway. So far these have included consultation with the following: For LB of Hounslow and CiP: Gunnersbury Park Museum; Licensing & Traffic sections; Strategy and Partnerships. For Transport for London: London Buses; London Underground Greater London Authority The Metropolitan Police; Consultation for Gunnersbury Events . A public consultation meeting was held in the café on the 15th June to look at the 2004 events programme. 17 members of the public attended along with Ealing Council Officers and Chris Allmay from the Metropolitan Police. The meeting was advertised through a letter to each household on Lionel Road, The Triangle estate, all roads between the North Circular and South Ealing Road and south of the railway line. In addition residents associations were contacted through their Chairs. The following issues were highlighted: Noise Action: Reorientate Main stage to direct sound away from residents. Enforce noise limits on funfair. Traffic Management Action: Introduce pass system for residents to prevent them being needlessly questioned by Security staff. Chris Allmay confirmed that there will be more Police presence on the roads directing traffic. Introduce southern car park to alleviate congestion on Popes Lane. Event traffic through the park Action: Introduce a fine for staff who breach the speed limit accept in extenuating circumstances. Organise event to minimise traffic movement on site. Reinstatement Action: Ensure all holes are filled at the end of the shows. Litter Action: Speed up the cleaning of the event site following the London Mela. Walpole Park site issues 4.5 Over the last two years the festival site has been completely redesigned in order to locate noise sources as far away from residents as possible. This resulted in a relatively low number of complaints recorded in 2003. It would be inaccurate to state that residents experience no disturbance due to the festival, however it would be accurate to state that the organisers have taken all reasonably practicable efforts to minimise disturbance. 4.6 In spite of these efforts the organisers appreciate that constant micro management of noise and other disturbance issues is essential in order to ensure that every effort is made to minimise disturbance. The Number of events at Walpole Park 4.7 It is envisaged that the overall number of music events, which cause most disturbance, will be reduced slightly in 2004. The daytime Friday programme is being deleted. We have decided not to proceed with the Monday and Tuesday evening concerts. 4.8 We are proposing to start the comedy festival on Saturday 17th July mirroring previous years. In addition we are staging one additional comedy events on Tuesday evening. This will mean that the comedy festival will operate for 6 evenings in total. Gunnersbury Park issues 4.9 Generally speaking, last years Gunnersbury Park Events, namely the London Mela and the Ealing Summer Classical Concert were both well received and successful. The extensive consultation with residents, Members from both Hounslow and Ealing, the Police and statutory agencies paid off and resulted with support for the events to take place in 2004 at debriefs held following last summers programme. 4.10 At the debrief stage, it was highlighted that traffic management controls on the triangle estate need to be improved for future large-scale events. (London Mela only) Programme for 2003 4.6 The proposed programme for Ealing Summer 2004 is as follows: Ealing Town Centre Comedy Festival 17/7-23/7 (Walpole Park) Jazz and Blues Festivals 24/7-1/8 (Walpole Park) Street Arts Festival 7/8-8/8 (Various sites in Ealing and West Ealing) Gunnersbury Park Site Classical Concert 10/7 London Mela 15/8 5. Background Information 1. Provisional Site Plan, Walpole Park 2. Provisional Site Plan, Gunnersbury Park 3. Choice Services Files. .