Agenda item

Councillor Mrs Nockolds presented her report.  Councillor Smith asked if the County Council’s financial cuts would affect the Borough’s museums.  Councillor Mrs Nockolds explained that the Council currently had a Service Level Agreement with the County Council which sets out the Council’s requirements for a sum of money paid, including outreach work with the community and free entry between October and March to encourage local people to visit the museums.  She further informed Members that she expected consultation on the budget to feature on the next Museums meeting she attended.  The Stories of Lynn at the Town Hall was funded for four years.

Councillor J Collop asked if the rumours he had heard regarding the garage for the Mayor’s car having to be pulled down were correct.  Councillor Nockolds explained that it had been noted that the bricks it was built with were not in keeping with the Town Hall building, so a new outer skin was being built with suitable bricks.

Councillor Mrs Wilkinson asked what the cost of the additional work to the garage was, to which Councillor Mrs Nockolds informed Members that the bricks were an additional £8,000, but discussions were taking place with the contractors. Councillor J Collop asked who was responsible for the error to which it was reiterated that discussions were ongoing with the contractors.

Councillor A Tyler asked if the King’s Lynn Festival was thriving and whether they planned to do any work with young people or those with disabilities.  Councillor Mrs Nockolds confirmed that she attended the Festival Board meeting regularly and it was doing well with a number of overseas visitors attending this year, and a number of concerts sold out of all tickets.  She informed Members that the Festival was working with Alive Leisure to work with the Groups mentioned.

Councillor Mrs Spikings congratulated Councillor Mrs Nockolds on the excellent National reporting of the town’s Lumieres which along with the town itself had been praised very recently.  She drew attention to the number of people in the town centre after dark to see the light displays and the number discussing the programme of events King’s Lynn had been offering. Councillor Mrs Nockolds drew attention to the fact that as well as being advertised locally, the light displays were being advertised on trains from London, Classic FM and the Visit England Web site, all of which had been successful.

Councillor J Collop asked what information was available for Members on the performance of Alive Leisure.  Councillor Mrs Nockolds responded that in her last report she had referred to the Alive Leisure AGM on 29 September which had been a meeting open to the public, where their annual report had been presented.  The report which was open to the public set out the information on how the Trust was performing.  A report from the Trust was also being made to a Panel meeting in November which any Member could attend.  Councillor A Tyler asked if there was a mechanism where Councillors could be informed in advance that the information from the Trust was available so it wasn’t missed.  Councillor Mrs Nockolds responded that  the Trust operated in the same way as any other Trust and that if Members had specific questions they could email her with them or read its annual report.