Issue - meetings

The Director of Corporate Strategy & Development presented a report seeking approval to submit a £250,000 bid to round five of the Visit England Discover England Fund to further develop the English National Parks Experience Collection. The report also asked that, should the bid be approved, the Chief Executive be authorised to accept the funding and appoint as necessary the resources to implement the work programme.

In considering the report Members asked for feedback about how successful the previous project had been. It was confirmed that consultants were in the process of finalising an impact assessment which could be used to inform future delivery if the bid was approved. Some Members suggested that the next stage should consider sustainable tourism particularly encouraging domestic overnight visitors.

It was noted that the project was dependent on match funding and that the Authority and the bid partners had identified sources of this match funding.

RESOLVED:

1.         To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Heads of Law and Finance and the National Park Authorities Sustainable Tourism Officers Group, to finalise and submit an application by the Peak District National Park Authority, as the accountable body, to the Visit England Discover England Year 5 projects of a value up to £250,000.

2.         If the bid is successful, to delegate to the Chief Executive authority to:

·         accept the grant and enter into a grant agreement with Visit England to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Heads of Law and Finance

·         enter into partnership arrangements and all necessary work to implement the actions within the bid (including recruitment of fixed term posts) to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Sustainable Tourism Officers Group of the National Park Authorities and Director of Commercial Development and Engagement, and on recruitment matters the Head of Human Resources.

3.         To confirm that the Authority may, subject to compliance with procurement standing orders, enter into contracts for the delivery of the programme.

During consideration of this item Cllr B Lewis declared a personal interest in this item as he had been appointed as a Local Government Association representative on the steering group meeting of the previous Discover England National Parks programme.