Shropshire Hills Tourism Committee meeting 22 March 2016

Present - Paul Davis (PD), Cynthia Prior (CP), David Palliser (DP), Catherine Evans (CE), Bob Welch (BW), Jo Longstaff (JoL), Nigel McDonald (NM), Francesca (FB)

Apologies – Jack Limond (JL), Phil Holden (PH), Kay Dartnell (KD), Lee Chapman (LC), Michael Turner (MT),

Venue - Shropshire Hills AONB Office

Time. 10.30am

Directors – Paul Davis (Chair), Lee Chapman (Treasurer), Alan Garner, David Palliser

Agenda item

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Notes

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Action

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Who

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Date

Matters Arising from Minutes 19th January 2016 / The corrected Minutes were accepted.
The Mini newsletter has been distributed. JL has added new members to the distribution list.
DDP – tie-up with SHT was agreed at the last DDP meeting.
Great Days Out Discovery Map has been printed and distributed: copies available from the AONB office. Thanks to DP for this work.
Funding – expect to hear during summer whether EAFRD funding bid has been successful.
The first SHT attraction now appears on Visit England website: others can be added. Members can get grading through VE without any joining fee.
Shropshire Tourism: JL has been accepted on to the Board, joining fellow SHT members, Michael Brogden and Sam Gray.
Chairman’s Report / AONB - PD and BW attended AONB Partnership Board meeting this morning to learn of Shropshire Council’s proposal, as part of their financial savings exercise, to reduce the funding of the AONB team and assimilate the AONB Manager’s post (Phil Holden) into a smaller Council management team following an interview process.
This proposal was met with unanimous disapproval by the Partnership Board as compromising the independence of the AONB Partnership. With the backing of the national AONB Association, the local AONB Management will explore options to become an independent Conservation Board and identify other ways to assist Shropshire Council with required savings- finalising its response to Shropshire Council at its next meeting on 18th April.
Representations to Shropshire Council on this AONB proposal would be welcomed from other bodies.
Arriva Trains Wales has commissioned Alison Caffyn and Les Lumsden to develop walks between the stations on the Heart of Wales line. Accommodation providers in the vicinity are advised to make contact, if wanting to be involved. NM expressed reservations about ongoing management of walks crossing local authority boundaries.
Treasurer’s Report / LC has not yet switched the accounts.
In LC’s absence, DP reported that just over £3,000 had already been collected on the adverts from the Great Days Out Discovery Map, leaving £1,165 (approx.. 25%) outstanding – contributions still awaited from Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow Brewery Centre, Ludlow Food Centre and Church Stretton Walking Festival.
A request to advertise in Three Weeks in Ludlow at £300 per half page was declined.
PD reported that, as at 2nd March, there was £1,520.03 in the Current Account and £3,049 in the Deposit Account. / Switch account / LC / Next Mtg
Admin/AGM / Owing to a misunderstanding, it is still to be resolved whether AONB staff are able to undertake the secretarial support of SHT meetings. PD to meet with PH and NM.
PH proposes that the Shropshire Hills logo be used on SHT publications. It was agreed that this be discussed at the next meeting
AGM is to be held on May 10th at the Discovery Centre in Craven Arms: PD to check if attendees will have free access to their Exhibition. Suggestions for speakers: Geo-caching, with over 2,000 caches now in the county. NM to check if the Discovery Centre will be promoting geo-caching: Louise Welsby, arts &crafts network: Clare Fildes, new Great Outdoors website, improving your Google rank
JoL wishes to stand down from the Board, so suggestions/offers of new Board members are welcome. / Secretarial support
SH logo
Free Exhibition
Geo-caching / PH
PD
NM
PD
PD
NM / Next meeting
Next meeting
Membership Promotion / New members- over ten new members since the new website launched in January. Members are encouraged to promote SHT membership on the new financial terms with any of their contacts.
Word of mouth/personal approach works best. Application forms were sent out with the last Newsletter encouraging members to recruit. / New members / All
Website / It was agreed to review the text on the SHT website for consistency and effective appeal. Board members were asked to send any suggested amendments to PD in the next two weeks. It was pointed out that the Visitor Guide heading should be amended to Accommodation Directory – PD to amend.
PD reported a spike in website hits following Griff Rhy Jones’ recent TV programme on the Shropshire Hills – deemed a good advert for the area.
In terms of developing future marketing and networking, it was agreed that Tim King, Shropshire Council Tourism Officer be contacted to share his experience/contacts before he leaves his post.
Shropshire Council has launched a new website detailing attractions, play areas and over 5,500 kilometres of Public Rights of Way.
CE passed on advice from a recent seminar that Google is the best means of promoting social media contacts. / .Website review
TK invite / Board members
PD / 12.4.16
Swapshop / NM reported that 70-80 attended, with some 23 table displays and it was deemed to have been a successful networking opportunity. The Discovery Centre had been most helpful and NM will write to thank.
Promotion of the event could be improved, clashing this year with a British Tourism event in Birmingham. Next year’s event may be held at Wilderhope Manor. / Thanks / NM / ASAP
Newsletter / DP will be issuing the next Newsletter after Easter. PD will put in a piece about Google Analytics and NM will put in information on the Shropshire Hills Business Network. Details of the Photo Competition will be included.
All members are encouraged to submit items.
JL has identified a helpful YouTube clip on “What analytics can do for you” which needs to be followed up in the next Newsletter. / Newsletter
YouTube ‘How to’ video / All
DP, PD, NM
JL
Local tourism group updates / Cleobury Mortimer – Tourism Group is about to fold but Walkers are Welcome branding will be maintained through the Footpaths group.
Church Stretton – Judicial Review regarding Library/VIC to be heard on April 4th; meanwhile VIC is being transferred into Library from Easter. Town leaflet is being re-printed – copies available from the Town Council. / Groups to feed into events on website and newsletters
PR – Photo Competition / Photo competition: There will be three categories with prizes for each, with closing date of 30th August. CP will seek more offers in kind of prizes from members – JL and PD have already made generous offers. PD will draft technical specifications for photos, whether SLR or higher specification as two megabytes minimum required for full colour printing. / Photo competition / CP
PD
AOB / KD has identified a provider of self-designed pull-up banners for £25 including delivery. PD to seek information from KD. / Pull-up banner / PD
Next Meeting / AGM May 10th 2016 at 11.00am at Discovery Centre, Craven Arms