Sport, Leisure & Culture Cabinet Member – Minutes – 8 December 2010

96 (14) NORMANBY HALL COUNTRY PARK ADMISSION CHARGES 2011-12 – The Service Director Asset Management and Culture submitted a report for consideration of the admission prices for Normanby Hall Country Park for 2011-12 season.

Work needed to start in December 2010 in promoting the park for the 2011-12 season. To do this effectively the admission prices needed approval for inclusion in promotional material, which was prepared for print in December 2010. Officers had taken account of performance against income targets for this year to bring forward recommendations for future prices and also, market intelligence from across the sector.

Season ticket sales up to the end of September 2010 totalled 7,097. This was a decrease of 798 on sales for the same period in 2009. As such the Country Park failed to reach its target for the sale of season tickets by £6,048 last year. The sale of day tickets, however, exceeded its target by £11,766.

Advice from the Finance Service suggested that income targets would increase by 2.5 per cent in 2011-12. In addition VAT would rise to 20 per cent in January 2011. These increases could create a budget pressure of £7,000. Officers had calculated the new fees suggested, with a view to meeting this pressure.

The proposed prices for 2011-12 were set out within the report. Officers had taken account of customer feedback on prices when preparing the proposed prices. These suggested that reasonable price rises were acceptable.

Resolved – (a) That the admission prices for 2011-12 be approved, and (b) that the ‘early bird’ promotion for the Season Ticket which offered £1 reduction on all season tickets purchased before 1 June 2010 be approved.