Agenda item

Commercial Operations

Minutes:

The report provided the Committee with an overview of Commercial Operations and informed them of the work being done on a day to day basis in the City along with the strategic focus to enhance the City in the long term.   The Head of Commercial Operations presented the report and highlighted the following key activities that fell within the remit of Commercial

Operations.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

  • Redevelopment of Bridge Street and Cowgate.
  • The Olympic Torch 2012 which was due to pass through Peterborough on 3 July 2012.
  • The Embankment would host a Euro Football event in 2012
  • The BBC One Show would be coming to the City Centre to provide live coverage of Matt Baker’s cycle ride for Children in Need.
  • Street Trading Activity which included a review of table and chairs licensing .
  • The Enterprise Centre.  The course content would be redesigned to offer more generic courses whilst seeking long term funding to ensure sustainability.

 

The Committee was asked to consider and comment on the work of each of the following areas:

 

  • The Enterprise Centre
  • Parking Services
  • CCTV
  • General Market
  • City Centre Management and Tourism
  • Resilience Services
  • Passenger transport
  • Concessionary Fares
  • Public Transport
  • School Transport
  • Community Transport
  • Park and Ride
  • Awards
  • Events
  • 2010 Christmas Lights Switch on
  • 2010 New Years Eve Party
  • Halfords Cycle Tour
  • Italian Festival
  • Perkins Great Eastern Run

 

Observations and Questions were raised around the following areas:

 

·         Some Members had received comments from regular overseas visitors to Peterborough on how Peterborough had changed over the past five years and that it had looked modern, clean and more continental. Members were pleased that the changes were being noticed.

·         What work was being done with side streets such as Wentworth Street where shops were empty? Members were advised that there was still a lot of work to be done throughout the City centre to attract businesses and a City wide marketing group was being set up to work on this to attract new businesses.

·         Members complimented the Operations Team on how nice the market stalls were in Cathedral Square.

·         Members were concerned with the type of planters that were put on Cathedral Square and wanted to know why they were put out so late.  The Officer acknowledged Members comments and advised that next year the planters would be put out earlier and flowers would be cascading down the sides. The Cabinet Advisor informed the Committee that she had been advised by an Evening Telegraph reporter that there had also been many positive comments made to the Evening Telegraph with regard to the planters.

·         Members commented on how successful the Jazz music had been when it had played outside of St Johns Church.

·         Were there any plans to give existing general market traders the opportunity to trade in Cathedral Square? The Head of Commercial Operations advised that they had tried to work with the general market traders when they started the farmers market in Cathedral Square. General markets were on the decline and there was a need to look at the existing market and how to make it more sustainable and prosper to generate business.

·          Members raised concerns about the lack of public toilets in the City Centre. The Head of Commercial Operations was in agreement and advised that officers were working with businesses in the area to allow members of the public to use their facilities.

·         Members commented on the lack of activity in Cathedral Square and wanted to know if there were any plans to have more weekend and evening entertainment? Members were advised that officers were working with businesses to try and get them to support evening events in the Square.

·         A member of the Youth Council commented on the lack of consistency in the appearance of street furniture from Bridge Street to Cathedral Square.  Was anything being done about it.  The Head of Commercial Operations advised that the idea was to have some consistency; however each business had its own style of outdoor seating.

·         Members asked why Peterborough was not being advertised on the television like other towns do such as Market Harborough and Hitchin. Could this be looked into? The Head of Commercial Operations advised that they were working to try and formulate a marketing group in the city which would look at how this could be taken forward.

·         The Cabinet Advisor acknowledged the great work that the Head of Commercial Operations and her team had done in bringing the Olympic Torch and the One Show to Peterborough.

 

ACTION

 

The Committee requested that the Head of Operations keep them informed on how they go forward with television advertising.

 

CRIME AND DISORDER SCRUITNY COMMITTEE

 

For items 6 and 7 only the Strong and Supportive Communities Scrutiny Committee acted as the Council’s designated Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee

Supporting documents: