Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Leisure and Wellbeing.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Leisure and Wellbeing, as contained on pages 339 to 368 of the Book of Reports, which set out the final report and recommendations of the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee following a review conducted entitled ‘West Lancashire Tourism – The Visitor Economy.’

RESOLVED:   A.   That the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee be complimented on their work.

B.   That the final report of the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee on West Lancashire Tourism – The Visitor Economy (attached at Appendix A to the report) be noted and approved for formal publication, subject to resources.

C.   That the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee review the recommendations contained in the report in March 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

The Leader introduced the report of the Director of Leisure and Wellbeing which presented the final report and recommendations of the review conducted by the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee entitled “West Lancashire Tourism – The Visitor Economy”.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED  (A)    That the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee be complimented on their work.

(B)    That the following recommendations contained in the final report of the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee on West Lancashire Tourism – The Visitor Economy be approved:

(1)     That the Council (subject to resource availability) work with our partners to:

(i)     continue to support West Lancashire as a visitor destination.

(ii)    continue to work with Marketing Lancashire for the benefit of promoting West Lancashire.

(iii)  continue to develop and build on relationships established with the Head of Visitor Economy for the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool Local Enterprise Partnership) in the promotion of West Lancashire.

(iv)  draw on the experiences of Visit Southport and Visit Liverpool to provide something similar for West Lancashire to include joining Visit Liverpool to provide something similar for West Lancashire.

(v)    continue to work with businesses and organisations within West Lancashire to promote projects and initiatives that benefit the local economy, including bringing forward accommodation projects and increasing advertisement of accommodation.  

(vi)  seek to further improve the promotion of West Lancashire and the importance of

(a)       gaining customer insight to respond to visitor expectations;

(b)       first impressions for visitors coming into West Lancashire;

(c)       a collaborative approach to promote West Lancashire as a visitor destination;

(d)       the Borough’s key specialist heritage sites (including Ormskirk Parish Church, National Trust Rufford Old Hall and Moor Hall);

(e)       enhancing the visitor experience (coach trips; specialist canal boat trips);

(f)        changing and developing the public’s perception of West Lancashire as a “gateway” rather than a “drive-through” or “one stop” destination.

(g)       continuance of the research being undertaken, as part of the Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy, into coach travel to increase knowledge and better target visitor groups.

(h)      WWT Martin Mere, Burscough and its links with the community, local schools and Parish Council through initiatives, projects and future development of the visitor attraction.

(2)     That the final report of the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committees review  to  be circulated to Marketing Lancashire, Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership, Liverpool Enterprise Partnership,  WWT Martin Mere Wetlands Centre, Edge Hill University, scrutiny at Lancashire County Council and published on the Council and Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) web-sites.

(3)     That the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee review its recommendations in March 2018.

(C)    That the final report of the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee on West Lancashire Tourism – The Visitor Economy, attached at Appendix A, be approved.

(D)    That the final report and recommendations at (B) above (approved, subject to resources) be submitted to Council for approval on 18 October 2017.

(E)    That call-in is not appropriate for this item as it has previously been considered by the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee.