Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services

Stephen Chartres, Performance and Improvement Manager, introduced the report seeking approval to finalise the contract with DHP to deliver a two day summer music festival at Wollaton Park and revise that contract to cover the period 2025 – 2029.  He highlighted the following information:

a)  In May 2023 approval was given for a full tendering process to be undertaken for a five year concession contract to deliver a two day summer music festival for the period 2024 – 2028.  The tender process was completed in 2023 and DHP was identified as the preferred supplier.

b)  Delays in the final negotiation and contract development meant that DHP decided not to proceed with an event in 2024.  The contract is still for the originally approved five years but the period covered has been revised to be 2025 – 2029.

Councillors noted that while it is disappointing that the event will not take place in 2024, there are still a substantial number of other events taking place at Wollaton Park in 2024.

Resolved to:

(1)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services to conclude negotiations and finalise the contract with the preferred supplier DHP for the delivery of an annual two day music festival at Wollaton Park for the period 2025 – 2029; and

(2)  delegate authority to the Head of Events and Tourism, subject to approval by the Director of Legal and Governance, to enter into the contract.

Reasons for recommendations

c)  To secure the event contract with the preferred supplier DHP, ensuring best value, income to the Council and continuation of a popular music festival which has been part of the Council’s events calendar since 2007.

Other options considered

d)  The tender process already undertaken secured a preferred supplier who can offer best value for the delivery of the event.  The open tender process identified that there are limited suppliers in the marketplace that are able to deliver to the specification and financial outcomes required and the revised dates do not materially change the basis on which suppliers originally tendered.  The option to re-tender the contract was rejected because to re-tender at this stage would involve significant cost and delay, put at risk the current contract development with the preferred supplier and be unlikely to achieve an improved position for the Council.

e)  Ceasing having a concession for a summer music festival would result in a loss of income to the Council as revenue is currently received from this event.  It is a popular attraction as part of Nottingham’s annual events and entertainment programme and has created positive recognition, economic and social benefit for the City.  This would be lost or put at risk if the event is discontinued.  The cancellation of the event in 2024 has already seen a detrimental reputational impact on the City alongside a loss of income to the Council.

f)  Delivering the event in-house would result in potential cost and risks to the Council.  The event would still require external specialist expertise to secure artists, whilst the infrastructure would have a significant investment and resource requirement which there is no budget or capacity for within the current team.  This option was therefore not considered to represent best value and rejected.  The approach of securing an external provider reflects the Council’s risk appetite to reduce the financial risks and move towards a cost neutral, commercial income commissioned events model.