Agenda item

To consider a report by the Traffic, Parking and Road Safety Manager and the Team Leader - Tourism, Marketing and Events, updating members on the initial development of a tourism signage strategy for Denbighshire.

11.15-12.00 p.m.

In the absence of the Leader the Deputy Leader (Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets) introduced a joint report by the Council’s Traffic, Parking and Road Safety Manager and the Team Leader:  Tourism, Marketing and Events (previously circulated) which updated members on the initial development of a tourism signage strategy for Denbighshire.  He briefed members on the background to the project and explained that once the ‘brown’ tourist signs were erected on the side of the A55 to direct visitors to Rhuddlan, St. Asaph and Denbigh, there would need to be other signs to signpost them to other attractions across the county.  Lead Members and officers were of the view that erection of the A55 signs and the introduction of the Welsh Government’s (WG) tourism initiative ‘The Wales Way’ (attached at appendix C to the report) which focussed on promoting three core tourism routes in the country, provided an ideal opportunity for the Council itself to develop a tourism signage strategy for Denbighshire which complemented both the A55 signs and the WG’s vision, whilst developing the county’s urban and rural economies.  In addition to working with town and community councils, tourism and other businesses to develop and provide ‘traditional’ signage it would also be advisable to maximise digital information portals and business opportunities, such as ‘i-beacons’.

Officers advised that North Wales local authorities had recently submitted a successful joint bid under ‘The Wales Way’ project to develop winter tourism in the region.  Work was currently underway with local businesses across the region with a view to engaging them with a project that would see tourist related businesses open all year round and thriving, whatever the season.  Whilst technology was developing on a daily basis, roadside signs were still an important way of drawing attractions to the attention of tourists, digital information was supplemental to signs. 

Responding to members questions the Lead Member and officers advised that:

·         tourist operator usually paid for ‘brown’ signs, but that the Council usually paid any maintenance costs relating to them despite not having a specific budget for maintenance costs of the signs;

·         the proposed elected member and officer working group could work out the details of preferred and alternative tourist routes throughout the county, as part of its work in developing ‘tourist trails’.  The Group could also discuss with city, town and community councils the benefits of developing and purchasing signs which had a consistent branding.  This working group would solely look at a signage strategy, including the inclusion of easily identifiable symbols etc., for the county’s highways network, it would not examine trunk road signage as they were the responsibility of WG.  Once established it was envisaged that there would be an opportunity for the Working Group to work with other neighbouring authorities with a view to ensuring that each authority’s ‘tourism trails’ would complement each other’s trails and those identified as part of the pan-North Wales Way bid;

·         whilst the Council no longer had its own ‘Sign Shop’ it could still procure road signs at a competitive rate, albeit that there would be some time delay for delivery;

·         the Working Group charged with progressing the A55 tourist signs for the Vale of Clwyd attractions had re-convened following the Committee’s November meeting with a view to progressing the project.  There was a slight shortfall in the funding available for the signs which the Assembly Member (AM) was attempting to solve via WG;

·         whilst tourist were increasingly relying on digital information about where to visit etc. there would still be a need for paper documentation such as maps and guides;  and

·         political balance was not a requirement for a working group, although given the remit of the proposed group it would be beneficial if it was made up of members from across the county.

The Committee agreed that it was extremely important for tourists to be directed to all areas of the county to ensure that county’s entire economy had an opportunity to benefit from their spending power.  Members were of the view that a representative from WG should be invited to join the Denbighshire Tourism Signage Strategy Working Group to ensure that the Group’s proposals supplemented the WG’s own strategy. 

Responding to members concerns about small local businesses and local authorities’ ability to purchase ‘digital’ advertising space on line and on social media to promote their businesses in comparison to large national and multi-national companies officers advised that businesses could list themselves on Google and Google Maps free of charge.  It would be a matter of educating businesses on how to list their business and what they had to offer.  Another effective and low cost method of promoting a business etc. would be via a ‘blog’, as ‘bloggers’ attracted a wide international audience.  Technology was evolving on a daily basis and provided excellent opportunities to draw services and businesses to the attention of tourists

Officers agreed to enquire whether the Local Government Act prescribed who should fund or contribute towards the cost of road signs.

Following a detailed discussion the Committee:

Resolved: -  subject to the above observations

(i)                 to support the continuation of the work to develop a tourism signage strategy for Denbighshire;

(ii)               to confirm that, as part of its consideration it had read, understood and taken account of the Well-being Impact Assessment in Appendix A;

(iii)             to recommend that the proposed officer and elected member working group to be established to develop a tourism signage strategy for Denbighshire comprise of 12 elected members, two representing each Member Area Group (MAG), and a representative from Welsh Government (WG), along with relevant officers; and

(iv)              that a report on the Working Group’s progress in developing a tourism signage strategy, including information on potential funding sources and anticipated timescale for the project’s delivery, be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time