Agenda of Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 5

7/3/2018

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at 5:00 pm in the Lady Osborne Room, Town Hall.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Harvey (Chairman)

Sexton

Zucco

Cocker

Thomas

ALDERMEN

Lord Mayor Hickey

Deputy Lord Mayor Christie

Briscoe

Ruzicka

Burnet

Reynolds

Denison

APOLOGIES: Nil.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Nil.

1. Co-Option of a Committee Member in the event of a vacancy

2. Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes of the Open Portion of the Community, Culture and Events Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 7 February 2018, are submitted for confirming as an accurate record.

3. Consideration of Supplementary Items

Ref: Part 2, Regulation 8(6) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

Recommendation

That the Committee resolve to deal with any supplementary items not appearing on the agenda, as reported by the General Manager.

4. Indications of Pecuniary and Conflicts of Interest

Ref: Part 2, Regulation 8(7) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

Aldermen are requested to indicate where they may have any pecuniary or conflict of interest in respect to any matter appearing on the agenda, or any supplementary item to the agenda, which the committee has resolved to deal with.

5. Transfer of Agenda Items

Regulation 15 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

A committee may close a part of a meeting to the public where a matter to be discussed falls within 15(2) of the above regulations.

In the event that the committee transfer an item to the closed portion, the reasons for doing so should be stated.

Are there any items which should be transferred from this agenda to the closed portion of the agenda, or from the closed to the open portion of the agenda?

Item No. 6.1

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 8

7/3/2018

REPORT TITLE: Taste of Tasmania Post Event Report

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Festival Director - Taste of Tasmania

Associate Director City Economy, Tourism and Events

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. The purpose of this report is to examine the 2017 Taste of Tasmania festival (The Taste). This report notes the appointment of a new Festival Director and the subsequent changes to The Taste in 2017, specifically in the areas of festival programming, entertainment, marketing, communications and media.

1.2. Furthermore, this report presents the key outcomes achieved in brand development, overall patron and stallholder attendance, waste management and overall financial results.

2. Report Summary

2.1. Currently in its 29th year The Taste, an annual seven day event in the Hobart City cultural calendar opened on Thursday 28 December, 2017 and continued until Wednesday 3 January, 2018. The festival trading hours were from 11:00 to 23:00, daily with the exception of New Year’s Eve which opened at 10:00 to 15:00 and reopened at 18:00 to 01:00.

2.2. In 2017, The Taste engaged Myriad Research a company specialising in social and marketing research to capture attendance, profile the audience demographic and conduct a post-event survey to get a greater understanding of the audience attending the festival and to assist with future planning of festivals.

2.3. This report directly references the Myriad Research findings. Other sources of data included in this report come from a collaborative approach between The Taste retail and food curation team and several internal team members from City Marketing, Financial Services and the Cleansing and Solid Waste team.

3. Recommendation

1. That the report be received and noted.

2. A further report outlining the planning for the 30^th Anniversary Taste festival will be submitted to Council in due course

4. Background

4.1. Aldermen were invited to attend an open Council workshop on Tuesday 27 February, 2018. The presentation from this workshop is shown as Attachment A to this report.

4.2. On Monday 4 September, 2017 the Council resolved to proceed with the 29th Taste of Tasmania Festival. At this same meeting, Council further approved a reduction in the existing stallholder levy from 10% to 5%. It was noted at this meeting that the material impact of this decision would increase the net operating result by $185,000 to an approved total investment of ($819,092). (please refer to Attachment B)

4.3. A new Festival Director commenced in the role on Tuesday 5 September, 2017. Recognising the short lead-time of approximately 14 weeks, the Festival Director and immediate team were limited by what could realistically be achieved in the short timeframe. The four core deliverables that were driving forces for The Taste in 2017 were: a stronger focus on a visual identity for The Taste; one that highlighted a sensory experience. This identity would translate across 5 areas within the footprint. Namely The Atrium, The Waterfront, The Shed, The Lawns and The Entrance

· review and reconfiguration of the site layout. This translated into opening up the lawns for the patrons, redefining the entrance to the festival, reassessing the space and stallholder layout in The Shed. Also, across the site footprint there was significant consideration given to additional seating and consideration of crowd control to optimise the patron experience

· enhance the entertainment program by featuring a combination of local emerging and established artists, community groups and associations

· reinvigorating the Taste Brand through marketing, advertising, PR and communications.

Programming and entertainment

4.4. The 2017 Taste festival featured an enhanced entertainment program that featured over 160 local emerging and established musicians, dancers, buskers and community associations. Every artist involved in the program was given a paid opportunity to perform.

4.5. Some very positive feedback regarding the entertainment program was received from the public following the festival that commended the organisers on their courage, integrity and direction.

4.6. The look and feel of the festival was anchored in decorating and designing the five core areas at the festival. Initial concepts, renders and designs were offered by the Festival Director and once approved through the Taste Advisory Group (TAG), four local designers were engaged to develop, deliver and install the concepts. Feedback on social media and also from patrons onsite was positive and encouraging. This visual identity supported the brand transformation of The Taste with many saying “it feels completely new”.

Attendance and Audience Demographic

4.7. In 2017, Myriad Research reported an attendance of 220,885 patrons which is an increase of approximately 10,231 patrons compared to the festival in 2016.

4.8. The table below details a breakdown of reported attendance throughout the festival and further indicates that the days with the highest visitation were 29, 28 and 30 December.

Date	2017-18	2016-17	2015-16	2014-15
28/12	35,560 (2)	30,928	39,317	44,397
29/12	38,419 (1)	35,426	36,702	28,759
30/12	34,340 (3)	41,732	34,997	33,151
31/12 (10:00 – 15:00)	18,221	20,972	18,156	24,368
31/12 (18:00 – 01:00)	4,888	3,200	N/A	N/A
1/1	31,207	13,423	34,695	41,999
2/1	29,195	34,440	42,285	41,289
3/1	29,055	30,533	29,398	39,222
TOTAL	220,885	210,654	235,550	253,185

4.9. Results from research undertaken by Myriad has detailed that of the total attendance at The Taste 60 per cent were Tasmanian, 29.6 per cent from interstate and 9.6 per cent were from overseas.

4.10. The 2017-18 event saw an increase in visitation by local residents and those from overseas, with a lower proportion of interstate patrons attending the event.

4.11. Highest visitation from overseas included patrons from the UK, USA and China – in total 48 per cent of the total overseas component.

4.12. There was a significantly higher proportion of the younger age group (16 – 19 years) and those 60 years plus, with an overall average age of 43 years for both events. A small skew towards female patrons at 51 per cent versus males at 49 per cent, this data is consistent with the past three year’s post event reports.

Taste Advisory Group (TAG)

4.13. The TAG consisted of Lord Mayor, Alderman Sue Hickey, Alderman Bill Harvey, the City of Hobart General Manager, Taste of Tasmania Festival Director and immediate core team including Marketing and Sponsorship Manager, Production Manager, newly appointed Food Curator, various Stallholders and a number of independent external members from organisations such as the Department of State Growth, the Waterfront Business Association and the Tasmanian Hospitality Association.

4.14. The TAG meetings were chaired by Lord Mayor, Alderman Sue Hickey and driven by the Festival Director. TAG meetings were conducted on a monthly basis and were a fundamental part of the planning for The Taste whereby concepts, ideas and decisions were approved then actioned / executed by the festival team.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the report be received and noted.

5.2. It is further proposed that a report detailing considerations for the 30^th Taste will be presented to the Council in the near future.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. Recognising that The Taste was tired and the brand in decline, teamed with a significant amount of negative feedback, the City of Hobart acknowledged that change was imperative to the future success and growth of The Taste.

6.2. Historically speaking, relationships with the existing Stallholders have been unstable and required attention. Also, the programming elements including the entertainment and aesthetic (‘look and feel’) was tired and required change. Much of the strategic planning and considerations in the lead-up to The Taste were heavily focused on financial and stakeholder management.

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. The Taste is owned and managed by the City of Hobart. The Taste is largely funded by the Council with a total budgeted investment for the 2017 festival of (*819, 092). At the time of writing this report, The Taste budget is undergoing a full external audit by Wise Lord and Ferguson and the final net operating result is subject to final confirmations, however preliminary calculations have indicated that there is a total investment of ($705,090). Therefore delivering an improvement on the council approved budget of $111,541.

7.1.2. This is a very successful result for The Taste. Taking further into consideration the many transformations of The Taste in 2017 and the limited resources and time that were available.

7.1.3. There are three revenue sources within The Taste. Ticketing (including New Year’s Eve, Taste Tours and reserved seating areas), Stallholder site fees and levies as well as retail areas including the sales of Taste Festival wine glasses.

7.1.4. In 2017, the entertainment program for New Year’s Eve was curated specifically to increase the revenue income for The Taste. Three stages of entertainment ran concurrently to not only increase the footprint of the event but an attempt to cater to a diverse and broad audience. In 2017, 4,888 tickets were sold compared to 3,200 in 2016. This reflects an increase of 1,688 tickets (34 per cent increase). A total of $397,000 in tickets was sold exceeding set box office target by $5,000.

7.1.5. The Taste Tours were further remodelled to showcase the provenance of local, seasonal Tasmanian products. The Taste Tours further reinforced the opportunity for festival patrons to have direct contact with the farmers and food producers. A total of 12 Taste Tours were put on-sale (at a capacity of 10 patrons per tour) with an average ticket price of $35.

7.1.6. Taste Tours reached sell-out status approximately 4 days before the festival opened. The Festival Director then requested an additional two tours to go on-sale as a means to maximise revenue. A total of $10,200 revenue was generated through Taste tours, reaching box office targets.

7.1.7. In 2017, five sponsors engaged with the festival offering financial support to the total of $95,000. Sponsorships decreased by 60 per cent compared to the festival in 2016. This was primarily a result of the poor quality and integrity of the Taste of Tasmania brand. A total of 7 sponsors offered in-kind/ contra support to the value of $205,000. This included media partnerships with Southern Cross and the Mercury as well as the Department of State Growth

The budgeted allocation for hire of PW1 was $95,000. The State Government sponsorship of the event meant that there was no hire fee for PW1. The letter from the Premier advising of this fact was distributed to Aldermen under separate cover on 16 January 2018. Given this amount was effectively a contra deal the cost of the shed hire and the associated fee is reflected as a neutral cost in Attachment A.

It is further noted that as part of the State Government sponsorship there is a commitment to jointly fund an economic analysis of the event to assist with future business planning of the Taste.

7.1.8. The Taste featured a total of 73 Stallholders, 41 of which were food specific vendors, 31 alcohol specific vendors and two vendors that sold both food and alcohol. This was an increase of seven new stallholders and ensured that every available stallholder space was occupied at the festival. This translated into a total stallholder site fee revenue of $462K (Ex GST) which is an increase of $62K compared to the 2016 Taste festival.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. The expenses and revenues of the 30th Anniversary Festival will be considered as part of the 2018-19 budget process.

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. No legal, risk or legislative considerations arise from this report.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. The City of Hobart Cleansing and Solid Waste Unit reported that The Taste was very successful in all areas of waste management. Despite an increased attendance at The Taste, overall reporting has celebrated less landfill. Complete metric outcomes are as follows:

· Increase in overall diversion of waste to landfill from 69 per cent to 70 per cent

· Major increase in per cent of organic material from 15 per cent to 24 per cent

· Interesting reduction of per cent of recycling from 38 per cent to 34 per cent

· Small but significant reductions in cardboard from 11 per cent to 7%

· Minor increase in per cent cooking oil from 5 per cent to 6 per cent

· Screeners diverted an addition 1.5 tonnes of material from landfill – predominantly recycling (glass bottles).

10. Social and Customer Considerations

10.1. Social and Customer Considerations have been discussed elsewhere in this report.

11. Marketing and Media

11.1. Through a combination of positive, pro-active and strategic campaigning through the vehicle of television, radio, print and banner advertising; consistent electronic direct mail (EDM) and social media; the marketing, communications and media campaign successfully achieved the following objectives:

· To build and grow The Taste database through digital engagement

· To consolidate The Taste brand by positioning the festival primarily as a food and beverage event, supported by a high quality music and arts program and offering multiple ‘lifestyle’ and ‘sensory experiences’

· To deliver a strong, consistent stream of positive messages to the media

· To demonstrate the high value placed by the City of Hobart on its relationship with its event partners, particularly our sponsors, stallholders and ratepayers.

11.2. The marketing and media campaign was heavily focused on building digital engagement. Statistics detailing when the campaign officially launched on Wednesday 25 October until the close of the festival on Wednesday 3 January, have confirmed that Facebook engagement increased by 17 per cent and Instagram engagement grew by 25 per cent.

11.3. Data from the marketing campaign has further indicated that the total reach of The Taste content peaked at over 539,743 people in Australia, 48,866 people in the United Kingdom and 31,055 in the United States of America. There is no comparative data from The Taste in 2016.

11.4. The Taste website was one of the primary tools for communicating with patrons, reinforcing the focus on digital engagement. The website, affiliated with the City of Hobart website and associated with ‘Open Cities’ was based on a template design and the architecture of it was extremely limited in what it could do, how it could display information and essentially how it functioned. The limited functionality of this website was problematic. Consideration will be given to developing a website that is better suited to the needs of The Taste.

11.5. At the time of writing this report, a final Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) was not available, however The Taste featured prominently in many media and news outlets including The Mercury, The Examiner, Channel Seven News, WIN News and ABC News in the two weeks prior to the festival commencing until the close of the festival. The media featured positive stories of The Taste with many media outlets calling The Taste “the most successful festival yet”.

12. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

12.1. Community engagement has been addressed earlier in this report.

12.2. Following the 2017 Taste, a debrief was held with the Taste Advisory Group to determine strategic and operational key learnings. Subsequently, post-event surveys were sent to all stallholders, the results of which are still being assessed, compiled and reviewed. Overall, stallholders have reported they had a positive experience both in terms of experience at the festival and financial gain. Further work in building the relationships with stallholders remains integral to the success of The Taste.

13. Delegation

13.1. This matter is delegated to Council for its consideration.

As signatory to this report, I certify that, pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, I hold no interest, as referred to in Section 49 of the Local Government Act 1993, in matters contained in this report.

Brooke Webb

Festival Director - Taste of Tasmania

Tim Short

Associate Director City Economy, Tourism and Events

Date: 2 March 2018

File Reference: F18/19013; 16/118

Attachment a: Open Council Workshop - 27 February 2018 - Taste of Tasmania Post Event Presentation ⇩

Attachment b: Open Council Resolution - 4 September 2017 - The Taste of Tasmania 2017-18 ⇩

Item No. 6.2

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 38

7/3/2018

REPORT TITLE: Review of Christmas Carol Grant Program

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Manager Community and Cultural Programs

Associate Director Community Development

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. This report provides a summary of outcomes from the Community Development Christmas Grant Program, implemented in 2017 and details the community benefits identified through this model.

1.2. The report also provides recommendations for future delivery of the program and details the community benefit derived from the program.

2. Report Summary

2.1. The City of Hobart Christmas Grant Program made $55,000 available to community organisations to support the delivery of Community Carols and Christmas Activation projects for the 2017 Christmas period.

2.2. A total of 17 community organisations were successful in securing funding through this grant program. This comprised seven Community Christmas Carols grants and ten Community Christmas Activation Quick Response grants, utilising all of the available funds.

2.3. A report listing each of the projects funded through this grant program and the community outcomes achieved is provided at Attachment A to this report.

2.4. As well as information provided by a number of the Community Christmas Carol Grant recipients through the grant acquittal process, debriefs were held with each group. The information collected through this process has informed a series of recommendations to enhance the program.

3. Recommendation

That:

1. The Community Development Christmas Grant program continue in its current form.

2. The $55,000 of funding available within this grant stream be increased by $30,000, to a total of $85,000 annually, to be included in the Community Development Planning and Coordination function for consideration as part of the 2018-19 budget process.

3. $75,000 of this annual funding pool be allocated towards Community Carols, for grants of up to $15,000 per project and that $10,000 be allocated towards Christmas Activation Quick Response Grants, for grants of up to $750 per project.

4. The General Manager be authorised to make any necessary changes to the grant guidelines and application forms relating to this grant program.

5. The City of Hobart Policy Applications for Grants - Community Development Division be amended in accordance with Attachment B to this report.

6. The value of support provided be recorded as a grant in the Council’s Annual Report.

7. A further report in relation to the use of other venues, including the Amphitheatre at the Soldier’s Memorial Oval, being utilised for community and/or Council events be provided to the April 2018 Community, Culture and Events Committee meeting.

4. Background

4.1. On 22 May 2017 Council resolved inter alia:

“That the Council endorse the implementation of two new Community Development Christmas Grant categories to be open in June 2017 in conjunction with the existing Community Development Grants Program annual grant categories as follows:

(i) Christmas Carol Grants where community groups can apply for grants of between $1,000 and $10,000 to deliver a community carols event with a total grant pool allocation of $48,000; and

(ii) Christmas Activation Quick Response Grants for grants of up to $1,000 towards local Christmas activities with a total grant pool allocation of $7,000.”

4.2. Funding for this program was transferred from the Carols by Candlelight budget function to the Community Development Grants and assistance.

4.2.1. Prior to the 2017-18 financial year the City had allocated $85,000 within the Carols by Candlelight budget function for the delivery component of the event.

4.3. All of the available $55,000 within this funding stream was allocated with a total of 17 community organisations successful in securing funding. This comprised of seven Community Carols and ten Christmas Activation Quick Response Grants.

4.4. All Community organisations within Hobart were emailed information regarding this grant stream, with advertisements placed in The Mercury and information also promoted via the City of Hobart’s web and social media channels.

4.5. City of Hobart staff worked closely with the organisers of each of the seven Community Carols’ events to ensure that these, mostly large and complex events, were delivered successfully. This support focused on access and inclusion, promotion, safety and sustainability.

4.6. Feedback regarding the delivery of each of the Community Carols’ events from community members, event organisers and elected members has been extremely positive.

4.6.1. It is noted that the larger events found the delivery of the event with the $10,000 grant challenging when taking into account the production costs associated with holding an event to the required standard.

4.7. Each of these events provided an opportunity for local communities to plan and deliver an event suited to their needs and their aspirations. Each event responded to and built on the resources, networks, venue and skills available within each of the local communities.

4.8. A diversity of venues were utilised by the seven Community Christmas Carols events funded by the Council. This included Council-managed parks and community halls as well as churches and school grounds.

4.9. For future iterations of the Community Christmas Carols program it is envisaged that, subject to the Council’s standard booking processes, all Council-owned and managed facilities would be available.

4.9.1. This could include sites on the Queen’s Domain, including the small amphitheatre which will be constructed by August this year at the Soldier’s Memorial Oval, or other venues identified for development within the Queen’s Domain Master Plan 2013-2033 over time. It is understood that the Soldiers Memorial Oval amphitheatre will accommodate around 30 to 40 people.

4.9.2. A further and more detailed report is being prepared for the April 2018 Community, Culture and Events Committee meeting in relation to the opportunity for Council venues being utilised for larger scale events.

4.10. It should also be noted that there is still the capacity for event organisations to apply for funds through the Community Development Event or Event Partnership Grant programs to stage large scale Christmas focussed events within Hobart.

4.10.1. The Event Grant round, which is for funding of up to $20,000 closed on 5 March. The Event Partnership Grant round, which is for funding over $20,000, will be open on 4 June and will close on 16 July 2018.

4.11. While some of the grant recipients are yet to complete their acquittals, based on completed acquittals, as well as information collected during debriefs with event organisers, a summary of the delivery and outcomes of the events funded through the program is shown at Attachment A to this report.

4.12. There was a good spread of Carols events across the city over two weekends in December, with events taking place in the city centre, western and northern suburbs, at times of day that encouraged families to attend.

4.13. The seven Community Carols events ranged from smaller indoor events such as the ‘Carols Together’ event held at the Central Church in Elizabeth Street, which had an audience of approximately 100 people to larger outdoor community wide events such as the ‘Carols at John Turnbull Park’ that had an audience of approximately 1,500 attendees.

4.14. Based on completed acquittals and estimates from event organisers collected during debrief meetings with City of Hobart staff, attendance at events funded through the Community Christmas Carol grant stream was approximately 5,290 and for the Christmas Activation grant stream, 2,790, a total of 8,080 audience members.

4.15. This is similar to the total audience attendance at previous Christmas Carols events delivered by the City of Hobart at St David’s Park.

4.16. The community and business benefit outcomes (in terms of equipment hire and the provision of other services) are also seen to have been successful.

4.16.1. It should be noted that this was the first year that this approach was trialled by the City and the community. Based on the positive feedback of event organisers and the community it is envisaged that audience numbers will grow in any future iterations of this program.

4.17. Whilst each of the Community Carols events were locally focused and each event had a different feel, all of the events were successful in bringing local communities together to share, celebrate and connect, helping to nurture individual and community wellbeing and resilience across the city.

4.18. The financial investment by the City has provided the community with multiple opportunities to plan and deliver its own events in an inclusive, safe and sustainable way.

4.19. While many of the community benefits resulting from programs such as this are difficult to quantify, information provided by grant recipients indicate that the $48,000 investment by the City through the Community Carol stream leveraged considerably more in financial and in-kind support from businesses, community organisations and individuals.

4.20. It should be noted that as well as the $48,000 in cash provided through this funding stream a further $5,350 of in-kind support was also provided by the City in support of the Community Christmas Carols events. This was made up of the waiving of park hire fees valued at $1,114, the provision of waste services valued at approximately $2,500, traffic management staff costs of approximately $500, and Environmental Health services valued at $300. The City also funded two Auslan interpreters to provide a service to the deaf community at the Guildford Young event at a cost of $950.

4.20.1. Given the extra support provided by the Council outside of the budget allocation for this grant stream, it is recommended that the amount that each Community Christmas Carols event can apply for be increased to cover future requests.

4.20.2. It was noted that feedback from some of the larger event organisers was that $10,000 was insufficient to cover production costs so an increase to grants of $15,000 is proposed.

4.21. A considerable amount of officer time was also allocated to support the seven Community Carols events. It is envisaged that a similar level of officer support for successfully funded projects will be required for future iterations of this program; however the nature of the support may become more specific as event organisers increase their skills and experience, such as in the areas of creative or concert program design.

4.22. While requiring less financial input and in-kind support from City of Hobart staff, the ten smaller Christmas Activation projects nonetheless successfully delivered a diverse range of activities, events and projects within a broad range of venues within the city.

4.23. The $7,000 investment by the City in the Christmas Activation Quick Response grant stream leveraged a further $28,000 of in-kind and financial support by other community organisations and members, the involvement of 553 volunteers with a total of 2,940 people attending the ten funded projects.

4.24. Of the ten funded projects within this stream, two were for approximately $500 and eight were for $1,000.

4.24.1. In order to maximise the use of funds within this stream it is recommended that in future iterations of this grant stream the maximum amount per project be reduced to $750. This would provide sufficient funds to support smaller activations while potentially increasing the number of projects able to be supported.

4.25. The next Community Christmas Carol Grants round is scheduled to open on 18 June and close on 16 July 2018, with advertising and promotion taking place mid-May. The next round of the Community Christmas Quick Response Activation Grants is scheduled to open on 1 October and close on 29 October, with advertising and promotion taking place mid-September.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the Community Development Christmas Grant program continue in its current form, with the $55,000 of funding available within this grant stream being increased by $30,000, to provide a total of $85,000 annually.

5.1.1. This would be consistent with previous years’ funding of $85,000 within the Carols by Candlelight budget function for the event delivery.

5.2. It is proposed that $75,000 of this annual funding pool be allocated towards Community Carols, for grants of up to $15,000 per project and that $10,000 be allocated towards Christmas Activation Quick Response Grants, for grants of up to $750 per project.

5.3. It is further proposed that the General Manager be authorised to make any necessary changes to the grant guidelines and application forms relating to this grant program. This would include the City of Hobart Policy Applications for Grants - Community Development Division being amended in accordance with Attachment B to this report.

5.4. Further information in relation to the use of other venues, including the Amphitheatre at the Soldier's Memorial Oval, being utilised for community and/or Council events will be provided to the April 2018 Community, Culture and Events Committee.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. This item responds to the following strategic objectives in Goal 1 - Economic Development, Vibrancy and Goal 4 - Strong, Safe and Healthy Communities in the Capital City Strategic Plan 2015-2025.

“1.3 Vibrant city centre and suburban precincts;

1.5 Cultural and creative activities build community wellbeing and economic viability;

4.1 Community connectedness and participation realises the cultural and social potential of the community;

4.3 Build community resilience, public health and safety; and

4.4 Community diversity is encouraged and celebrated.”

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. No impact on current financial year operating result.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. An increase of $30,000 would be required to the Grants and Assistance Budget task within the Community Development Policy Management budget function for 2018-19, and subsequent years, noting that previously there was an $85,000 allocation for the service delivery component of the Carols event in 2016.

7.3. Asset Related Implications

7.3.1. At this time there are no asset related implications arising from this report, though consideration is being given to the need to acquire additional beanbags to better support increased community requests for this type of equipment.

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. Successful grant recipients enter into a grant agreement that provides the funded organisation and the City of Hobart with clearly defined responsibilities and benefits.

8.2. This includes a requirement that all funded organisations have appropriate risk assessments, emergency management plans and all necessary insurance in place.

8.3. All funded projects are acquitted to ensure that funds and resources have been allocated as indicated within funding applications.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. All funded projects within the Christmas Grant stream agree to abide by the City’s waste minimisation guidelines, which includes the use of compostable take away containers if required and the promotion of public and non-motorised transport.

9.1.1. All of the Council funded Community Christmas Carol events that provided take away food complied with this requirement.

9.1.2. There were significant numbers of attendees at all events that utilised non-motorised transport such as bicycles and walking and one event held at Guildford Young College organised buses to reduce vehicle traffic within the area.

10. Social and Customer Considerations

10.1. The recommendations within this report provide opportunities for local community organisations to increase their ability to deliver safe, sustainable and inclusive community events.

10.2. The increased opportunities for the wider community to participate in these events will further enhance community health and wellbeing, resilience and social inclusion.

11. Marketing and Media

11.1. While there was some initial negative comment in relation to the Council decision to fund local community Carols events rather than one large City coordinated event, community feedback on the delivery of the Community Carols and Christmas Activation Quick Response funded activities has been extremely positive.

11.2. There is the potential to build on this positive community perception of the program in collaboration with the City’s communications and marketing staff as part of the delivery of the 2018 program.

12. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

12.1. In the preparation of this report, the author has consulted with the Manager Community and Cultural Programs, Community Development Officer - Grants, Program Leader Parks and Reserves and the Senior Executive Communications and Marketing.

12.2. While the Christmas Grant program impacts on the wider community, key stakeholders in relation to this issue are community, church and school based organisations.

12.3. All grant recipients have been contacted to provide feedback in relation to their specific event as well as the grants program as a whole.

12.4. Emergency services such as Tasmania Police also have an interest in the development and delivery of events stemming from this funding program and are involved in planning and coordination with City of Hobart staff.

13. Delegation

13.1. This report is delegated to Council.

Kimbra Parker

Manager Community and Cultural Programs

Philip Holliday

Associate Director Community Development

Date: 2 March 2018

File Reference: F18/15797; 17/308-004

Attachment a: 2017 funded Christmas grant projects ⇩

Attachment b: City of Hobart Policy - Application for Grants - Community Development Division ⇩

Item No. 6.3

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 56

7/3/2018

REPORT TITLE: Food Not Bombs - Request to Waive Venue Hire Fee

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Manager Community and Cultural Programs

Associate Director Community Development

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. This report seeks approval to continue to waive hire fees at Criterion House for Food Not Bombs which is a local not-for-profit (NFP) collective of volunteers who source food donations which they then prepare and serve as a free weekly vegan meal for the community.

1.2. This volunteer group has been using Criterion House as part of a six month trial and have consistently delivered a weekly free, friendly and dignified community meal.

2. Report Summary

2.1. The Food Not Bombs program operates across the world providing an inclusive and welcoming invitation to those people marginalised in society through homelessness, a lack of healthy food and social isolation.

2.2. Food Not Bombs is a local NFP collective of volunteers who source food donations, then prepare and serve a free weekly vegetarian meal for the community every Saturday evening.

2.3. Over the past few years the group has developed a loyal clientele of approximately 40 people in Hobart. Volunteers describe many of their clientele as being older and homeless.

2.4. Food Not Bombs has been operating out of Criterion House, utilising a fee waiver which has enabled them to offer meals to the community for free.

2.5. Numbers of community members accessing the service average between 20 and 30 people each Saturday. This includes homeless people, travellers, students, older people and many other members of the community. There are some people who attend each week and others that attend every so often. The service has created a sense of community and the place to build relationships.

2.6. Food Not Bombs has stated that it appreciates the support of the City of Hobart and consider Criterion House to be a well suited venue.

2.7. Food Not Bombs has agreed to support the access of Pets in the Park (a volunteer pop up vet clinic for homeless or those at risk of homelessness once a month) to the venue and welcome common users of both community programs.

2.8. The ongoing viability of this program relies on the availability of an affordable and preferably free venue, as no income is generated by the group. Users are asked to contribute a gold coin donation if they can afford it. Weekly donations collected amount to ten to fifteen dollars and this is spent on dry goods such as spices, bean, rice and oil.

2.9. Approval is sought for a fee waiver, for the weekly usage of Criterion House, to allow Food Not Bombs volunteers to prepare and serve free meals to the community, in an inclusive environment every Saturday evening.

3. Recommendation

That:

1. The Council waive the hire fees of $60.00 per week for the not-for-profit community group, Food Not Bombs to use Criterion House. The group will prepare and serve free weekly meals to community members on Saturday evenings.

2. The value of the support be recorded in the City of Hobart Annual Report in accordance with the Council’s policy in relation to the disclosure of grants and benefits.

4. Background

Food Not Bombs

4.1. Food Not Bombs is gaining momentum throughout the world. There are hundreds of autonomous chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and raising awareness around war and poverty. Food Not Bombs is not a charity. This energetic, all volunteer, grassroots movement is active throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. For over 30 years the movement has worked to end hunger and has supported actions to stop the globalisation of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people, end exploitation and the destruction of the earth and its beings.

4.2. Users of this service, the volunteers engaged in the project and the wider community benefit from the community capacity building outcomes of this project.

4.3. The Hobart organisers were lucky enough to find a local organic vegetable stall that was happy to donate all its unsold vegetables from the Salamanca Market.

4.4. The Hobart organisers have the support of a local baker who also donates unsold goods.

Venue Hire

4.5. Mathers House and Criterion House have become well recognised as a welcoming community space for all people and especially older people.

4.6. During weekdays between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, the venue is primarily used for Council organised positive ageing programs. Outside of these times, the venue is available for casual and regular hire by both the private and NFP sectors.

4.7. Unlike the upper level of Mathers House, the Criterion House facility is not available for private usage for evening parties which restricts the bookings for Saturday evenings.

4.8. The hire fees for the venues have both NFP and commercial rates with the venues being highly utilised, particularly on weekday evenings.

4.9. Under the Council’s Fees and Charges Policy, the cost per hour of $15.00 for a NFP group at Criterion House would apply. Food Not Bombs would require the venue for four hours every Saturday evening and do not have the capacity to pay the fee of $60.00 per week.

4.10. The Food Not Bombs organisers have requested a full waiver of fees for the use of Criterion House which equates to $3,120 per annum.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the Council waive the hire fees of $60.00 per week for the NFP community group, Food Not Bombs, to use Criterion House. The group will prepare and serve free weekly meals to community members on Saturday evenings.

5.2. The funding provided by the City of Hobart be recorded in the relevant Annual Reports in accordance with the Council’s policy on the disclosure of grants and benefits.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. This aligns with the Capital City Strategic Plan 2015-2025 Goal 4 - Strong, Safe and Healthy Communities “Our communities are resilient, safe and enjoy healthy lifestyles.”

Strategic Objective 4.1 - Community connectedness and participation realises the cultural and social potential of the community.

“4.1.4 - Facilitate and support local community groups to enhance community programs and reduce social isolation.”

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. Under the current Fees and Charges schedule, the weekly hire fee would be four hours use at $15.00 per hour (not-for-profit rate). Per annum, this would equate to a grant of $3,120.

7.1.2. Whilst the fee waiver may reduce the potential commercial income generated by Criterion House, it is noted that there are no current bookings for this space in the upcoming six months.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. Ongoing use of the space may minimise the potential for commercial hire. On average income generated by the venue for Saturday evening bookings would equate to approximately $250.00 per annum.

7.3. Asset Related Implications

7.3.1. As several users of this venue utilise the kitchen facilities as well, officers will monitor the impact on kitchen equipment.

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. A standard booking agreement will be entered into that covers all risk factors associated with any hire of the space.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. Food Not Bombs operates with strong environmental ethics, sourcing excess food for meals and ensuring minimal waste.

10. Social and Customer Considerations

10.1. The Food Not Bombs project has developed a weekly following through its welcoming and inclusive approach. The benefits to both users of the service, the volunteers themselves and the wider community are aligned with promoting social potential and encouraging community diversity.

11. Marketing and Media

11.1. The project would be supported by the Council through access to Criterion House but it would remain an independent project of Food Not Bombs.

11.2. If a fee waiver is granted, a media release relating to the support would be prepared and the Council’s support of the project would be promoted.

12. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

12.1. The Mathers House Coordinator and Community Programs Coordinator have been consulted in the preparation of this report.

13. Delegation

13.1. This matter is delegated to the Council.

Kimbra Parker

Manager Community and Cultural Programs

Philip Holliday

Associate Director Community Development

Date: 2 March 2018

File Reference: F18/17341; 16/194

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