Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will meet on Thursday 1 December, and hear of the economic success that festivals and events have brought to the region in the last year.
As well as considering the findings of a review into the effectiveness of the Major Festivals and Events Strategy (MFES), members will also be asked to agree to the continuation of the current strategy until the end of financial year 2017/18.
The Strategy helps our Council contribute towards its number one priority – to build the local economy. The committee will hear that from a total spend of £764,500 from funds allocated through the Strategy, over £17.6m worth of event and visitors spend has been generated in Dumfries and Galloway. Over 161,000 people attended events funded through the MFES in the past 3 years, with just under half of these visitors coming from out with our region. Eighteen different organisations benefitted from MFES funding in the same timeframe.
The Council’s Events Champion, Councillor Colin Smyth praised the impact that the Events continue to have on the regional economy, he said;
“Building the local economy is our council’s top priority. This report goes a long way to laying out exactly why we invest in major events within Dumfries and Galloway. For an investment of less than £1million, we’ve brought in over £17million worth of revenue. Whether you’re a festival organiser, a shopkeeper, a publican or a hotelier this level of spend in our region can only be positive. I look forward to more events taking place in our region next year, and offering visitors and locals alike something exciting, world class and unique right on our doorstep.”
The Communities committee will also be asked to agree to receive a follow up report before September next year, which will set out the recommended way forward for funding events in the next 3 years, from April 2018. Councillor Tom McAughtrie, who Chairs the Communities Committee commented;
“This is great news and a real boost for the local economy. I look forward to receiving the report next year. The review that was carried out certainly shows how beneficial the Strategy is for all stakeholders – with over 95% of respondents agreeing that investing in events in good use of public monies. Roll on 2017, for another fun packed year of festivals and events right here in Dumfries and Galloway.”
To see the full report that’ll be tabled at the Committee meeting on Thursday 1 December go to http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/users/public/admin/kab14.pl?operation=SUBMIT&meet=4&cmte=MUN&grpid=public&arc=71
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