Funding to support event-led tourism

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY, 7th NOVEMBER 2006

Question

1. Further to his written answeron 24th October 2006concerning funding for event-led tourism, would the Minister list for membersthebreakdownofwhichevents have been,and will be, supported foreachof the years 2005, 2006and 2007 setting outtheamount allocated for each event?
2. Would the Minister clarify what the difference is between grants' and events' in the overall figures which refer to a budget for grants andevents'?
3. For eachof the years abovewould the Minister specify from whichbudgeteachgrantorevent was, or will be, sourced,and state, in particular, what other areas of the Department'sbudget were reprioritised to provide the additional £145,000funding for 2006he referred toin his previous answer?
4. Would the Minister set out, for eachoftheaboveyears, what sums have been allocated from the Tourism Development Fund (TDF), and inwhatway,ifany, the regulation and termsof use offunds from the TDF funds differ from the use ofotherfunds from theDepartment?
5. Would the Minister justify his statement made in answer to another written questionon 24th October 2006 that the proposed allocation of funding for grants andevents' for 2007 represents a greater emphasison event-led componentsof the Jersey [tourism]offering' when that answershowed that the actual increase in funding from 2005 (actual) to 2007 (proposed) is only £31,500 (£607,500 in 2005 and £639,000for2007)?

Answer

1. The attached spreadsheet provides a comparison between the years of 2005 and 2006 for grantsmade to external organisationsbytheformerEconomicDevelopmentCommittee in 2005 and by the Minister in 2006.  Information for 2007 isnot yet available asmanyof the grants are still being negotiated.  I can however confirm that in line with the policy of supporting event led tourism as a major pillar of the visitor economy, that there will be a significantinvestment in this area next year forwhich a zerobasedbudgethas been prepared.
2. In addition tothegrants allocated to event organisers forthetwo years in question, the department has also managed a separate[Jersey Tourism] managed events budgeteachyear.
3. For the avoidanceof doubt, I assume that the £145,000referredto in the questionrelatesto:

( a ) £ 5 0,000 additional from the Battle of Flowers

2. 45,000 additional support for the Battle of Flowers
3. air display

T a king each of the figures in turn, the source of fundings are:

( a ) carry forward/brought forward from 2005.

( b ) as answered in the above question.  Initial indication that it could be available from the TDF but

depending on end of year figures, likely under spend through prudent accounting for 2006 within the overall budget

( c ) see under spend from carry forward 2005 as agreed by the Council of Ministers.

4. From it'sinception in 2001 until the introduction ofMinisterialGovernment the TourismDevelopmentFund was a Sub-Committeeofthe Economic DevelopmentCommittee. It is nowanIndependent Panel, comprising four  members, chaired  by Mr John  King and carrying  out  essentially  the same  function as the  Sub- Committee,i.e. review applicationsfor funding for tourism related projects in line with the agreed criteria. Annual reports have beensubmitted to Memberseachyear. In 2005 a total of £1,466,310 wascommittedfor various projectsand in 2006 £187,900has been committed to date.
5. The question relates to comparative budgetsforevent led tourism from 2005 to 2006 and 2007. The Deputy will be well awareoftheFSR cuts that were imposedon the formerEconomicDevelopment Committee for budget year 2006.  The Committee of the daymadeit clear that they would deliver FSRsavingsbyreducing the event led tourism budget.  I havemade it clear that I didnotsupport the cutting back ofevent led tourism budgets and have therefore worked with the departmentto find alternative waysof increasing the funding for eventled tourism.  Event led tourism is a vital component ofourownideas and strategies concerning the revitalisation ofthe tourism economy. Moreover the departmentisnowworkingmuch more closely than in the past with the Education, Sport & Culture – specifically the Assistant Minister with responsibility for Culture and the new Cultural Co-ordinator to better co-ordinate cultural and tourism and the event led programme.