HERITAGE, CULTURE AND LEISURE COMMITTEE		Tuesday 1 March 2016
Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?			Yes

Destination Management Plan � Action Plan Progress Update

Final Decision-Maker	Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee
Lead Head of Service	Head of Commercial and Economic Development
Lead Officer and Report Author	MCL Marketing & Sales Manager, Laura Dickson
Classification	Public
Wards affected	All

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:
1. That the update report on the progress on the Destination Management Plan three year action plan be noted.

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:
� Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all - � Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough -

Timetable
*Meeting*		*Date*
(Heritage, Culture & Leisure Committee		1 March 2016

Destination Management Plan� - Action Plan Progress

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 This report provides an update on the progress made against the three year Action Plan relating to Maidstone Borough�s Destination Management Plan.

2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1 The Destination Management Plan was adopted by Committee in July 2015 and the accompanying three year Action Plan was endorsed by Committee.

Following a launch event in September 2015, the DMP Board members were appointed and four working groups set up to deliver the Action Plan.

River - River Access Improvement & River Experience

Town � Look, Feel and Do, Access and Visitor Management

Events � The Place for Big Events

Countryside � Explore Further

The purpose of the working groups is to bring together the delivery partners from within the tourism and visitor economy.� In addition the groups have member representation from other Council committees where action requires their involvement.

The DMP Board and working groups are chaired by MBC officers. Cllr David Pickett has been appointed to the DMP Board to represent Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee and has also attended all the initial working group meetings.

2.2�� Prioritisation of Action Plans

The board considered the action plans allocated to each working group and ��prioritised the following which was communicated to the individual groups:

River Group

� River Management

�� Town Group�

� Shop front improvements

� Clutter & signage � ward councillors could provide info on their area on redundant signage

� Distinctive Lighting (TCM)

� Street Food (TCM)

� Maidstone in Bloom (TCM)

�� Events Group

� Three seasonal events (TCM)

� Audit Gap analysis

� No Clash Diary

Countryside group

� Marketing Audit

� Rural information points

� Redundant signage

Some actions will be led by the new town centre Management (TCM) organisation One Maidstone.

2.3�� Key Successes to Date

A number of initial key activities were required in addition to the actions by the specific working groups. These are now in place:

� Shared Story toolkit created and available online.�

� Stakeholder event in December to launch Shared Story toolkit.

� Creation of an Image Library.

� Online Event Planning Calendar created.

� New Historic Interpretation Panels in the town centre designed and installed.

2.4� �The Action Plan updates from the four working groups can be found in �� Appendix 1.

�� The key actions from the groups so far are:

River Group:

Formation of Friends of Maidstone River Park

Proposed signage from new bridge gyratory scheme and cycle path

New River Park website

Events Group:

Audit of venue facilities and suppliers underway

Event Planning Calendar tested and live

��

Town Group:

Farmers Market in Jubilee Square

Audit of shopfront at North End of Week Street

It should be noted that the town Group actions overlap with TCM/Town Team and the new Town Centre Strategic Board.� The work of this action group is currently being reviewed to establish where the best place for the action plan to sit and to avoid duplication and overlap

Countryside Group:

�� Product and marketing audit of tourism in the rural area. Survey to all�� parishes, tourism businesses and other organisations such as Produced in Kent and Explore Kent

�� Brown signage audit

2.5�� DMP Budget

�� There is a DMP Budget for 2015-16 of �20,000. The budget for 2016-17 has yet to be confirmed.� The board have approved the proposed budget plan. (See Appendix 2)

3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS

3.1 This report is an information update only.

4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 None

5. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

5.1 None

6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

6.1 None

7. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

Issue	Implications	Sign-off
Impact on Corporate Priorities	This work contributes to the priority �Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all�.	Head of Commercial and Economic Development
Risk Management	none	[Head of Service or Manager]
Financial	None. The action plan will be delivered through a combination of exiting related budgets, collaboration with the sector and bids for funding to appropriate sources. Finance have not reviewed at time of publication.	[Section 151 Officer & Finance Team]
Staffing	None.� This project is being delivered within current resources.	[Head of Service]
Legal	Legal have not reviewed at time of publication	[Legal Team]
Equality Impact Needs Assessment	none	[Policy & Information Manager]
Environmental/Sustainable Development	none	[Head of Service or Manager]
Community Safety	none	[Head of Service or Manager]
Human Rights Act	none	[Head of Service or Manager]
Procurement	none	[Head of Service & Section 151 Officer]
Asset Management	none	[Head of Service & Manager]

8. REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

� Appendix I: DMP Action Plan Progress

� Appendix II: DMP Action Plan Draft Budget

9. BACKGROUND PAPERS

Destination Management Plan