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Parks consultations: please have your say – thrice!

(adapted from a rather confusing email from Edinburgh Council) 

Survey of events in parks

This year’s survey about events held in parks across the city in 2018-19 has been published today: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/copy-of-copy-of-parks-events-review-2018-19.

This surveyfocuses on views and comments on a range of events which took place between October 2018 to September 2019. Events include the Beltane and Samhuinn Fire Festivals on Calton Hill, the Summer Sessions and the Virgin Festival Fireworks in West Princes Street Gardens, the Circus and Colour Bomb Carnival in Sighthill Park and many more.

Future consultations

Two separate, but related consultations, are planned for early 2020:

  • one will be on plans for a revised Parks Events Manifesto
  • the other will be a citywide survey on the future of Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals.

More details on these will be announced in due course.

(This is the bit that confused NTBCC’s web-weaver: how can a consultation ending in December 2019 be relevant to the above two consultations?)

The public consultation, which runs until 18 December 2019, also invites feedback on proposals to procure events in four additional parks in 2020/21 – Leith Links, Sighthill Park, Gyle Park and Calton Hill. In 2018/19 the Council procured two events in parks: the Circus Hub on the Meadows and the Foodies Festival on Inverleith Park.

Procured Events

The Council will advertise these opportunities to suitable organisations who can apply and demonstrate that they offer the most appropriate event.  Selection is undertaken by an independent assessment panel who adhere to procurement legislation and decisions are made on the basis of quality of the event and price.

Procuring an event gives the Council more control over the type of event that is hosted in a park.  It provides the local community with the opportunity to build a relationship with the chosen event organisers, offers more security to the organisers themselves as well as generating vital revenue for the council which allows for investment in services as well as improvements to parks.

As part of their submission, the interested parties are asked to detail what community benefits they can offer to the local area.  For example, donations for new equipment, discounted tickets and improvements to the parks infrastructure.  The Council advertise these opportunities and submissions are reviewed by an independent assessment panel who follow strict government legislation in assessing submissions based on both quality and price.

This consultation has been sent out to local community groups, Community Councils, Elected Members, Friends Groups, and internal partners, please share this email with anyone who you feel may wish to take part.

If you have any queries please contact Parks@edinburgh.gov.uk