Agenda item

To receive the update.

Requested a post Glastonbury wash up session be added to the committee work programme later in the year, with the potential to run jointly with Scrutiny Committee – Climate and Place in order to capture all of the Council’s festival activities.

Sarah Dowden, Service Director for Regulatory and Operational Services, gave an update on the change in approach to managing Glastonbury Festival and monitoring the licensing conditions, and how efficiencies will be made by reducing staff on site this year.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:

·       What are all the services on site that we are expected to provide? We don’t provide services, we monitor to ensure they are complying with their license.

·       For services provided by the police and SWAST, do they fund their own operations? Other agencies are able to charge for resources, if there are extra staff on site.

·       What about public health? Not aware of the detail of that, but know that they work alongside UKHSA, so have external support. They don’t charge for their services.

·       £32,000 is the maximum we can charge for licensing, could we ask them to volunteer more money to support services? No, we are charging within the licensing regulatory framework.

·       Are there any test runs for the efficiency changes? What are the risks of the efficiencies? We can adapt on site. That is the role of the silver officer. Two or three times a day there are formal feedback meetings with staff on site, allowing us to focus resources and be flexible in areas we are monitoring.

·       Is there scope to roll it back part way through the festival? No, we wouldn’t be able to get administrative staff on site. There will be capacity on site with the staff already there (over 80).

·       Are highways compensated for their work in the festival? Not under the remit of licensing and regulatory, but don’t believe so.

·       Highways falls under Climate and Place, which recently had an item on Glastonbury Festival. A post-Glastonbury wash up session probably needs to cover the whole festival, run jointly with Climate and Place. We would hope to get Glastonbury Festival to attend as well.

·       We can only charge on a cost recovery basis, so it would be useful to review how much it actually costs us so that we can charge.

·       Do we have an overall view of all the agencies involved? Yes, there is a monthly all agency meeting chaired by Sarah Dowden. Looking at how to efficiently use staff resources.

·       How did you come by the figure of 80 officers? This is the historic number from Mendip District Council. This is due to the rotas and the rest periods, as some work until 3am so time off is needed. There are also students, graduates, and volunteers. There are efficiencies to be made with the rotas.

·       Are staff paid overtime? Some are, depending on TUPE conditions.

·       It is clear that our hands our tied financially with how much money we can charge and how much we are required to be on site.

·       District councillors in the past have been invited on site to Glastonbury to see how much goes into monitoring. Would that be possible? Yes, we can have a conversation to see if that is possible.

·       Positive feedback for Highways on improvements in recent years, leading to less disruption.

·       Festival generates £32m for businesses in Somerset, £168m for businesses overall. We shouldn’t underestimate the impact of it.

·       Have we had the opportunity to learn from other global events around the country? Yes, have spoken to local authorities of some of the festivals around the country, including Reading and Leeds, and taken learning from that.

·       Are there plans for counties that host music festival to be involved in more lobbying around license fees? No, we are not involved.

·       Do we get a license fee for other events Glastonbury holds, such as the Extravaganza, Pilton Party, etc.? The license is related to the premises, so those based elsewhere have separate licenses. Can’t confirm from memory.