The Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses were noted.

The exempt/restricted Appendix was noted.

The recommendations in the report were amended and then agreed.

DECISION

1.    To agree an amendment to the Major Events Policy to allow for six major events at up to 49,999 capacity and four major event days at up to 39,999 capacity per calendar year. Note that for the current contract, AEG Presents are requesting four days at 49,999 (see Point 3 below for more detail).

2.    To agree an extension to the current contract from the 31 December 2022 until 31 December 2023. AEG Presents will be required to confirm if they want to take up this extension by 31 October 2021.

3.    Subject to licence, agree to the following variation to the capacities for AEG Presents Event Days as follows: 

i.               four Event Days with a capacity of up to 39,999 attendees. These shall be community days.

ii.              six Event Days with a capacity of up to 49,999 attendees

4.    To agree to the proposed revised baseline fees contained in Appendix 1.1 (commercially sensitive information).

5.    To authorise the Divisional Director – Legal Services, after consultation with the Corporate Director for Children and Culture, to execute and enter into all necessary agreements.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND CULTURE (J. THOMAS)

(Divisional Director, Sport, Leisure and Culture (J. St John)

Councillor Sabina Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit, introduced the report setting out proposed variations to the Major Events Policy and the existing contract with AEG. She reported that the 2020 programme of events had been cancelled due to the pandemic and upcoming events were uncertain. Discussions had therefore been ongoing with AEG as to how to best manage the contract over the next period. AEG had requested that the number of event days and the capacity at event days be increased.

This was set out in the report. However, she proposed amendments to the recommendations which were circulated at the meeting which would reduce the number of events from 12 back down to 10 but allowed for an increased capacity at those events. The increased capacity would not increase the area of land used for the events.

The meeting heard from Richard Desmond from the Victoria Park Friends who, whilst acknowledging the need to bring in revenue to support services, expressed concern about a potential increase in event days and the impact that had on local people. Councillor Val Whitehead also presented to the meeting to express similar concerns.

The Cabinet discussed the issues raised and also noted the current expectation that many of the existing event days were for free community events. It also noted that were AEG not interested in taking up the potential contract extension then the Council would soon need to go out to tender on the Major Events Policy.

The exempt/restricted Appendix (Exempt due to Paragraph 3 – Financial or Business Affairs of the Authority) and the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses.

The Mayor moved the amended recommendations with an additional change to highlight that 4 days would be community event days under the AEG contract. These were agreed without dissent, and it was:

RESOLVED

1.    To agree an amendment to the Major Events Policy to allow for six major events at up to 49,999 capacity and four major event days at up to 39,999 capacity per calendar year. Note that for the current contract, AEG Presents are requesting four days at 49,999 (see Point 3 below for more detail).

2.    To agree an extension to the current contract from the 31 December 2022 until 31 December 2023. AEG Presents will be required to confirm if they want to take up this extension by 31 October 2021.

3.    Subject to licence, agree to the following variation to the capacities for AEG Presents Event Days as follows: 

i.               four Event Days with a capacity of up to 39,999 attendees. These shall be community days.

ii.              six Event Days with a capacity of up to 49,999 attendees

4.    To agree to the proposed revised baseline fees contained in Appendix 1.1 (commercially sensitive information).

5.    To authorise the Divisional Director – Legal Services, after consultation with the Corporate Director for Children and Culture, to execute and enter into all necessary agreements.