Stamford Town Partnership
PRESS RELEASE Wednesday 7th March 2012
Following a full year of operating without any core funding, the ‘Stamford Town Partnership CIC’ board has decided, in the interests of preserving the remaining funds for the benefit of the town, to wind up the current structure as a ‘Community Interest Company’.
The costs of operating under this corporate structure are greater than other structures available that could follow to replace the STP CIC. In the past the CIC has been the most suitable structure to apply for large funds, having achieved great success in accessing funds otherwise not available to Town, District or County Councils, but now that those funds have all but dried up it is deemed no longer to be the best way forward.
Partnership Co Chairman Philip Sagar said “The STP CIC used to be able to employ a Town Centre Coordinator to obtain funding for and to manage the now established and successful Xmas Festival but this has not been possible now for over 15 months, so instead we have sub contracted the management of these events out whilst at the same time maintaining financial control, handling all the accounting functions and statutory obligations that are attached to putting on these sort of events”.
The partnership has also been able to provide core funding and sub contract out the management of other festivals such as the Festival of History in October 2010 and the Stamford Feast in May 2011.
This year, the partnership is again staging the ‘Stamford Feast - The Big Lunch’ on the Meadows on Monday 4th June but as with the 2012 Xmas Festival this will be in partnership with the Stamford Town Council, who are keen to be more involved. Following the ‘Feast’ plans will be made to wind up the STP CIC and pass over any funds remaining to the most appropriate bodies that meet with the CIC regulators guidelines and approval.
Ali Hawley Smith has again been contracted to obtain sponsors and manage the summer event. Mr Sagar added “The success that Ali has made of managing the Xmas and Feast Festivals is testimony to the benefit of having a structured body stage these type of events for the town. The level of insurance and statutory requirements as well as the need for careful control of the accounts requires a body such as the partnership to underwrite and be responsible for these events. The original aims of the partnership are now frustrated by the lack of funding available and the time has come to look at a new structure going forward. It is vital that we secure the continuation of the Xmas festival and the excellent work Ali has done for us along with the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly with her. I am confident that the board members that have in particular been involved with the accounting and statutory management will wish to continue to be involved in the Festival’s future success.”
Andrew Leech, STP CIC company secretary said “The board is confident that the STP has done an excellent job in meeting all of its objectives over the past few years. The CIC is a very expensive vehicle to run and in the absence of guaranteed funding the time is right to wind the company up and pass the event management role (which is tried and tested) over to the most appropriate body.
The £20,000 East End of the High Street project is nearing completion awaiting only the tree, planter and some other street furniture to be added in the spring. This project has been made possible following successful bids made by the STP CIC and the Urban group in particular with contributions from the Skells Trust, Marks and Spencer and SKDC added to the core funding from the partnership. The Urban Group will seek to continue their projects including the Greening of Stamford working closely with other groups and plans are being made to secure their future under a new structure.
The responsibilities of the Partnership’s ‘Tourism and Marketing group’ has already been assumed by a new Town Council working group chaired by Cllr Maureen Jalili. This was very important said Mr Sagar as for the last 5 years the partnership has been the only vehicle promoting the town to Tourists working closely with the TIC, Burghley and others in the area. The ‘Discover Stamford brochure’ and support for ‘The Hidden England’ promotions along with the City Scape map dispensers have been possible only through funding from the Partnership.
The events license for the town along with the diary for the use of Red Lion square and Sheep market are held by the STP CIC.
Mr Sagar said that “He and all the current board were confident that a new partnership or group with similar aims would emerge in due course as and when funding became more readily available but that plans had to be put in place now to secure the future success of the Xmas festival and other ongoing projects that the Stamford Town Partnership CIC had successfully established.”
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