To respond to the “Review of the Hereford City Partnership” outlining acceptance or otherwise of the recommendations made.

THAT the recommendations and Action Plan as set out in the report be endorsed.

The Community Services Scrutiny presented a report on the “Review of the Hereford City Partnership” on the 26^th March to consider the recommendations.  The purpose of the Review was to undertake an examination of the Hereford City Partnership (subsequently referred to as HCP), which is supported by several partners, one of which is Herefordshire Council.  HCP was set up as a company limited by guarantee in May 2000 and brings together public, private and voluntary sector partners who have an interest in the economic and environmental wellbeing of the City of Hereford.  A copy of the Review is attached for Members attention.

The desired outcomes for the scrutiny review were:

·         To gain an understanding of the role of the City Partnership

·         To outline a shared, strategic vision for Hereford City

·         To ensure the Council’s support is used to best value and fulfilling the corporate objectives

·         To work with partners on an agreed way forward in relation to new initiatives coming to fruition in the City and the activities of new emerging groups

·         To look at a method for performance management, with specific targets, milestones and outcomes

Out of the desired outcomes of the review the method of performance management has not been addressed and recommendation (vi) aims to address this point.

Interviews were undertaken with representatives of the HCP Board and Management Committee, Hereford City Manager, Officers and Council Members of Herefordshire Council, a retail sector representative, and the Chief Executive of ESG Herefordshire Limited.

In reference to the financial arrangements Herefordshire Council contributes a cash contribution of £3,000 plus in kind contribution through office accommodation, IT support, post costs and telephone.  In terms of clarifying the financial position, at local government re-organisation Herefordshire Council funded the post of City Centre Manager as a joint post covering Hereford and Ross.  Herefordshire Council led the establishment of the City Partnership as a way of ensuring that all key stakeholders were involved in the management of the City Centre.  With the establishment of the City Council the funding from the precept which had previously been raised by Herefordshire Council passed to the City Council who are now the major public sector funder.  The overall amount of public sector funding does however remain the same.  When the post of Hereford City Manager was created it was expected that time was allocated to raising external funding/income to contribute to salaries and activities.  Other funding currently comes from Boots, Chadds, Prudential Property Services Ltd. a total of £6,700, and potentially £2,200 via the Chamber of Commerce to be confirmed.  Fairs & Street Trading Section, also currently provides support to the Hereford City Partnership through free assistance in helping to organise a number of different promotions and events throughout the year, the waiving of certain consent fees and the allocation of specific income generated by nominated festive street traders. This amounts to circa £10k p.a.

Also, for a point of clarity, Hereford City Partnership is an independent organisation to the Council, and as such the Hereford City Manager is line managed by the Chairperson of HCP Board.  Market Town Support Officers are partially funded by Advantage West Midlands as part of the Markets Towns Initiative Programme.  Hereford City is not eligible for this funding, but can apply for Rural Regeneration Zone funding if the project or programme is deemed appropriate.

Paragraphs 8.7 to 8.11 of the report rightly point out that street trading consents can only be issued by the local authority.  Street trading consent fees are set through agreed formulae.  This income contributes to the running of the administrative and enforcement functions of a street trading section for the whole of the county.  HCP are already part of an established consultative process on assessing both existing and future street trading consent and highways amenities licence applications.

The council established the Hereford City Partnership understanding that Hereford as our key retail and business centre needed to be competitive with other areas outside the county.  It is through collaboration and a positive approach by the City Partnership and its partners, including the council, that the City can succeed in creating a competitive edge, now and in the future with the development of the Edgar Street Grid.

Recommendations reviewed.