Click here to search commentonline

Cycle Event: More P&K Responses to Questions

On 25 April at the ‘Open Day’ in Aberfeldy Recreation Centre, the following points were raised with  P&K officers which were prompted by Comment readers:

Upon what data, derived from which sources, are the claims founded that the planned event this summer “is expected to be worth £500,000 to the local economy”?

Is that “local economy”

• The whole of Perth & Kinross?

• The whole of Highland Perthshire?

• Pitlochry?

What evaluation was made of the opportunity costs attached to this event which are to be borne by those businesses operating along the proposed route AND those which, although not ON the route, are nevertheless quarantined from custom by the closures?

Without properly founded opportunity costing, any impact study to be conducted on the event will be worthless

What methodology is to be adopted for assessing the impact of the event

• economically

• environmentally and

• socially?

As public monies have already been committed to this event’s deficit funding for this year (and for two subsequent years), what is the extent of the further commitments from public sources that have been pledged to support the event’s preparation, management, administration etc with such functions as policing, safety stewarding, waste & litter management, and marshalling, etc

Response

On Friday 4 May P&K Economic Development Director Ken MacDonald replied by letter as follows:

"Following use of a pre-event economic impact model it is estimated this event will bring approximately £500,000 to the local economy.  I can confirm that an independent economic impact study will be conducted during the event and that this will take into account both the benefits and costs to the local economy.

"The local economy in this context is taken to be the whole of Perth & Kinross, therefore the study will not only take into account businesses along the route.  The economic consultants commissioned to undertake the study will determine the robust methodology to be used.  I am happy to share this with you when it is available.

"Council funding has been allocated to support the event in 2007, however no further funding has been committed.  It is anticipated that the event will not be self-financing for an additional two years, however this will be assessed on an annual basis before any further council funding is committed.  The Council will not financially support this event when it is profit making for the event organisers. 

"The Council will resource this event as any other in the area with regards to liaison with council services to ensure the safety of all affected (participants, residents, etc), however the Council does not fund the additional stewarding, marshalling, additional policing or waste management for this event."

Further Enquiry was made in follow-up to this:

• At the Recreation Centre Open Day the written request made for information enquired after data and sources used in the pre-event economic impact model which projected the gain of £500,000 to the local economy. As your response does not address this, do we take it that P&K considers such information to be confidential?
• Noting that independent economic consultants are to be employed by the council to conduct the economic impact study on the event, can you please confirm that their fee will also be factored into the public costs incurred for the 2007 event.
• Noting as well that the event will not be self-financing for a further two years, is the council satisfied that 'cost covering' until then does not include any donations to the charities which the organisers publicise that the event will be supporting?

The following clarification was received from Joanne Deponio on 10 May:

"I can confirm that the model used two sources of data - one from the event organisers relating to the number of participants and accompanying family/friends and a second from EventScotland which provided average spend figures for day and overnight visitors. 

"As part of monitoring the impact of the Perth & Kinross Events Strategy & Action Plan
it is important the Council undertakes a small number of full economic impact assessments per year to build up a picture of the importance of variety of events to the local economy.  In previous years we have evaluated the Perth Festival of the Arts, Scottish Fair and the Enchanted Forest and this year we will evaluate the Etape Caledonia.  We often receive
part-funding from partners and I understand this will also the case for the Etape Caledonia study.  I will be happy to forward a copy of the completed study to you when it is available.

"The budget received as part of the funding application for 2007 does not
include any expenditure to charities.  As mentioned, there is no commitment
to fund the event in the future.

"Our information days in Kinloch Rannoch, Aberfeldy and Pitlochry were very
successful and I can confirm that we had a positive response from most of
the residents and businesses who attended - 80% of the attendees were
supportive of the event."