Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Executive submits a report that presents a business plan for the operation of DMH and agrees a way forward to ensure the Hall is adequately funded and provides a cost effective and varied programme of live entertainment for the people of Leicester and beyond. The report alsopresents a range of potential options for the future management and operation of De Montfort Hall. The Board is asked to consider the report and advise Cabinet of its views on the recommendations.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report that presented a business plan for the operation of DMH and considered a way forward to ensure the Hall is adequately funded and provided a cost effective and varied programme of live entertainment for the people of Leicester and beyond.

The Director, Culture, was in attendance and introduced the report.  He informed Members that the key elements of the plan included an increase in the number of long-run touring musical theatre productions and maximising commercial hires for non performance events.  Furthermore, it was recommended to reduce the costs of the Philharmonic Orchestra residency by decreasing the number of concerts from 9 to 7 and to reduce the costs associated with outdoor festivals. 

It was made clear that the report recommended that the current management arrangements of the hall be continued, and acknowledged that there were arguments for and against with this proposal. 

Members welcomed the plans to try and hold more popular shows at De Montfort Hall, and it was recognised that people often had to currently travel to neighbouring cities to watch particular shows.  The Director, Culture stated that popular shows did not always generate high revenue, and felt that it was vital to ensure that there was a balance between putting on popular productions and ones that would produce a high income.  He was also of the view that De Montfort Hall had a tradition of providing popular productions, but that there was a desire to improve further.  It was pointed out that the De Montfort Hall stage had some technical restrictions which excluded the operation of particular productions. 

In response to a question around the possibility of outsourcing De Montfort Hall to an external specialist venue operator, the Director, Culture stated that a detailed analysis of all options had been carried out, and although many other theatres had outsourced management and operational arrangements, the proposal at this stage for De Montfort Hall was for the City Council to maintain governance. 

It was welcomed that the advisory board for hall management would include representation from Councillors, and it was felt that working in this way would lead to better outcomes.

The Board were divided in respect of their views around the governance arrangements for the management and operation of De Montfort Hall, but all Members were in agreement that De Montfort Hall was a huge asset to the City. 

Councillors Grant, Scuplak and Suleman stated a preference towards option 2 rather than the recommended option to continue with the current management arrangements.  Option 2 would see the ownership of the hall remaining with Leicester City Council but the management of it to be outsourced to a theatre management company. 

Councillor Suleman was of the view that the option that provided greater sustainability for De Montfort Hall should be pursued and was of the view that this would be fulfilled by option 2.  He also felt that it was not necessary for the City Council to have complete control over the operations of the Hall.  Councillor Grant was also of the view that option 2 was likely to allow De Montfort Hall to become more of a successful venue, and offered the best chance of firmly protecting it.  He opposed option 1 as it required the city council to invest additional resources into De Montfort Hall. 

In response to a question regarding the current legal proceedings that were taking place in connection with De Montfort Hall, the Director, Culture, stated that these issues were yet to be resolved and could therefore not provide any further comment.  However, he did confirm that there was provision in the current budget to cover any costs incurred from such proceedings. 

Concern was expressed around why only names of officers were listed under the ‘consultations’ section part of the report.  The Director, Culture, confirmed that this referred to those who had been consulted about the content of the report, and made it clear that there had been extensive public consultation as part of formulating business plan. 

Councillor Suleman, seconded by Councillor Grant proposed that Option 2 be recommended for the future governance arrangements of De Montfort Hall, rather than Option 1.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was LOST.

Councillor Suleman commented that he had serious reservations around the option for governance arrangements that had been recommended by the Board. 

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted and the recommendations contained within it be endorsed.