Issue - meetings

8:50PM

Cambridge Live organises Cambridge’s City Events programme on behalf of Cambridge City Council. Come along and hear their future plans for future outdoor events and to share your ideas with them too.

The Committee received a presentation from Sara Garnham, Matt Deacon and Steve Bagnall of Cambridge Live. The presentation covered the history, funding streams, governance structures and the range of events offered by Cambridge Live.

Cambridge Live is a not-for-profit charity that runs the Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge Folk Festival and also delivers a range of outdoor events on behalf of Cambridge City Council, including its annual Big Weekend, Bonfire Night and the Mayor’s Day Out.

Cambridge Live were currently seeking feedback from local residents were urged to respond to the questionnaire (link below).

https://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/city-events/city-events-survey

The Cambridge Live representatives responded to questions and comments as follows:

Q1. Councillor Sargeant: Young people, particularly those in the North of Cambridge, feel that Cambridge Live events were not for them. How is this being addressed?

A.          The Team were aware of the challenges and were seeking to bring some events out to the wider community. Education and participation had grown over the last five years and was a priority for the future. 

Q2. Clare King: As an independent body Cambridge Live was now subject to less scrutiny of its governance. Board minutes appear to be very brief concerning the serious accident on Midsummer Common that occurred in November 2015. Subsequent actions were not reported. If this was discussed, where is the audit trail for the public to review?

A.          Sara Garnham: This would be included in the Annual Report to the City Council’s Community Service Scrutiny Committee. As a private company the Charity was under no obligation to publish it minutes. However, it chooses to publish a shortened form of its discussions. The matter was fully discussed.

Cambridge Live’s AGM was open to the public, and minutes and accounts are available for public scrutiny.

Michael Bond suggested that as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, Cambridge Live was publically accountable.

Q3. Councillor Smart: Agreed with Ms King that their needed to be more transparency about the Trust’s response to a serious incident. Suggested that this should have been mentioned in the presentation.

A. The the matter could still be the subject of legal proceedings and no more could be said at present.

Q4. Councillor Bird: Would the disabled children’s session of the Midsummer Fair continue?

A. Yes. This is regarded as important.

Q5. Member of the Public: Acoustics in the Corn Exchange are poor. Can anything be done to improve this?

A. Steve Bagnall: Some people love the acoustics and some dislike it. Any improvement would require a significant investment.

Q6. Councillor Manning: Are there any plans to measure the non-financial success of the Trust such as health and wellbeing benefits?

A. Sara Garnham: The Trust would widen its partnership working and would be rolling out future programmes with wider social goals.