Agenda item

To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the Motion set out in the associated notice.

Councillor Bailey moved, and Councillor Rands seconded, the motion set out in the associated notice.

In moving the motion, comments included:

-       Two speakers from Local and Live had hoped to be at the meeting but unfortunately had been unable to attend.

-       Local and Live showcased local music and took place in Tunbridge Wells each year. Roughly 15- 20,000 people attended each year.

-       It ran for four days over the August Bank Holiday weekend at a number of venues across the town.

-       In addition to promoting local music talent, the event helped promote Tunbridge Wells as a place to visit – which was good for the town and for local businesses.

-       The Council already support cultural events because of the wider benefits they bring.

-       The Council provided support to the Assembly Hall Theatre and Trinity Theatre. The Council had also invested a large sum of money to develop the Amelia Scott.

-       The Council already supported Local and Live with a grant of £1,650 being awarded for the next three years.

-       There was doubt as to whether Local and Live would go ahead this year due to a lack of funding. The potential loss of the event would have a detrimental effect on the town and on local businesses.

-       The motion sought to request that Cabinet consider the possibility of providing additional funding that would help ensure the event would go ahead.

Debate included:

-       Given the current state of the Council’s finances, it was suggested that there were other priorities that should be given precedence.

-       The Community Grants Panel awarded £1,650 each to three musical events for three years. There were other events that also brought people into the town that the Council no longer supported and they had found other sources of funding. As such, the Council should not be the place of last resort and organisations should be encouraged to find other funding sources.

-       Local and Live had been well supported over the years and there were now more deserving causes.

-       The motion was clear that it was inviting the Council to consider additional funding. There was no commitment requested to award any funding.

-       It was suggested that this was more the type of scheme that the Council should consider supporting. The spend would be relatively low but would result in revenue being brought into the area.

-       A discussion between Local and Live and the Council that would help put their finances on a firmer footing could be an option.

-       Local and Live was an important event for the town. Such events helped put Tunbridge Wells on the map and encouraged more people to visit, the overall effect of which helped the town to prosper.

-       Tunbridge Wells wanted to be considered a destination town, events like Local and Live, that would help the town get ‘Music City Status’ therefore played an important role.

-       There were two issues, consideration of the provision of longer term funding, and something more immediate that would help secure the event for this year.

-       If no injection of cash was forthcoming for this year, there was a chance the event would not go ahead.

Councillor Bailey requested a recorded vote.

Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Atwood, Bailey, Barrass, Barrington-King, Bland, Brice, Chapelard, Dawlings, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Goodship, C. Hall, Hayward, Hickey, Hill, Johnson, Knight, Le Page, Lewis, Lidstone, McMillan, Moon, Morton, Neville, Ms Palmer, Patterson, Poile, Pound, Rands, Rogers, Rutland, Sankey and Wakeman. (35)

Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Allen, Dr Hall, Holden, March and Roberts. (5)

Members who abstained from voting: None.

RESOLVED – That given the significant cultural and economic benefits the annual Local & Live music festival brings to the town of Tunbridge Wells and surrounding areas, this Council asks Cabinet to consider providing a grant to the organisers to enable the 2022 festival to go ahead and to consider how the Council could provide annual financial support for the festival going forward.