Key information
Decision type: Director
Reference code: DD2125
Date signed:
Decision by: Martin Clarke, Executive Director of Resources
Executive summary
Vaisakhi is a major annual event, celebrating Sikh and Punjabi heritage and culture, delivered by the GLA with the support of a community steering group.
In 2017 the event has returned to Trafalgar Square, and encompasses a programme of Sikh devotional and folk music, martial arts, children’s activities, turban tying, exhibitions by Sikh artists and vegetarian food prepared and served by Sikh volunteers.
Decision
The Executive Director of Resources approves:
1. Expenditure of up to £75,000 from the 2017-18 Events for London programme budget to cover the full production and programme costs for the Vaisakhi Festival in 2017 and for the procurement of production services for Vaisakhi 2018; and
2. A search for additional sponsorship for Vaisakhi to be used to enhance the event, if forthcoming.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1 Under the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (GLA Act) the Mayor has a statutory duty to promote the economic and social development and improve the environment in London. Events have a profound potential to bring economic and social benefits to London, and major events in particular can raise the city’s profile and present a positive image to the world’s media.
1.2 The core events programme responds to the Mayor’s manifesto pledge to “Continue to back major cultural festivals to celebrate London’s religious and racial diversity”. These events mean that we are able to celebrate our diversity as a city, and be proud of the enormous range of different communities that call London their home.
1.3 Up to 1.5% of London’s population (source: Dailysikhupdates.com) is made up of people from the
Sikh Community, amounting to about 126,000 people.
1.4 Vaisakhi Festival recognises the important contribution the Sikh community make to the capital. The event celebrates Sikh culture, heritage and history and has been developed as a result of working together with representatives of the Sikh community. This year, particular attention was paid to presenting a programme that corresponded with Sikh community aspirations and the objective to mark the occasion’s spiritual and historical significance and meaning.
1.5 Given the timeframe for this annual event, which took place on 29 April 2017, each year’s project budget and approvals are split over two financial years. The production and marketing services to deliver this event were initially procured between January - March 2017, with approval from MD 1576, and expenditure of £45,399 from 2016-2017 events budget.
1.6 To cover full production and programme costs for Vaisakhi 2017, additional expenditure totalling
£49,988 was incurred in 2017-18. Approval to meet this expenditure is sought from 2017-18 events budget.
1.7 In addition expenditure of up to £28,512 is to be allocated in 2017-18 as initial payments towards pre-planning production services and marketing costs in Jan-Mar 2018 for Vaisakhi 2018.
Budget
2.1 Events bring economic and social benefits to London, and can raise the city’s profile, promote London as a leading global city encouraging investment and tourism, and present a positive image to the world’s media.
2.2 Through the events we actively promote wider mayoral priorities directly to key community groups or audiences, and to captive audiences. This can be evaluated through the attendance at events and market research at the event on recall, and through digital traffic and click through rates on the GLA website.
2.3 The additional benefits of the event are:
• Increased positive global reputation of London.
• Positive profile for London, encouraging economic investment.
• Education and increased awareness of other communities in London encouraging social integration and cohesion.
• Increased skills through volunteering opportunities.
2.4 Whilst difficult to measure, there are a number of additional benefits that we are actively trying to foster through staging events, including;
• Increased sense of community through volunteering opportunities and social interaction at events.
• Encouraging a sense of pride in Londoners for the city they live.
• Enjoyment and satisfaction to support the well-being of Londoners and improving their health and wellbeing and quality of life (particularly where Londoners disposable income is limited and free events offer access to arts and entertainment which they may otherwise not be able to experience.
3.1 The events programme is planned to be inclusive and aimed at all Londoners, culturally and socially, achieved through the programme content, the broad and targeted approach to marketing channels, and access facilities at the event.
3.2 Vaisakhi Festival engages with Sikh community grass root organisations via community steering group and in consultation with Community Relations team.
3.3 As a high quality outdoor festival, the event invites diverse communities to come together to enjoy the rich cultural offering which represent the Sikh community in London, thereby supporting social integration.
4.1 Key risks
4.2.1 In approving the Vaisakhi Festival, this directly links to:
- Manifesto Commitment – Access to the Arts: Continue to back major cultural festivals to celebrate London’s religious and racial diversity, and ensure Pride continues to be a fantastic, community-led showcase of all London’s LGBT+ communities.
- City for all Londoners: Making London a fairer and more tolerant city open and accessible to all, and one in which we can all live and prosper free from prejudice. Enabling all Londoners to benefit from the city’s fantastic arts and culture.
- Impact assessments and consultation
- The impact assessment of the Vaisakhi Festival will be through the multi-agency planning process (Licensing Operational Safety Planning Groups), including MPS, TfL, LAS, LFB and other key stakeholders. This is an essential part of the Premise Licence process. Key agencies will be consulted as part of this multi-agency process.
- The Vaisakhi Festival is organised by the GLA Events Team. For this event the Events Team works closely with the GLA Community Relations team to ensure satisfactory engagement with Sikh community.
4.4 Procurement
4.4.1 Event production services to deliver the GLA’s Vaisakhi Festival procured via the Events Framework. The Vaisakhi Festival is managed by an events officer from within the Events for London team.
5.1 An allocation of £75,000 has been earmarked in the 2017-18 Events for London programme budget to fund the Vaisakhi Festival.
5.2 The GLA will seek additional income via sponsorship to enhance the event and, where appropriate, reduce the Authority’s contribution to the event. It should be noted that no contractual commitments on enhancing the event will be made until funding sources have been confirmed.
6.1 The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the mayor fall within the statutory powers of the GLA to promote and/or to do anything which is facilitative of or conducive or incidental to the promotion of social development in Greater London and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have set out above how they have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
(a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
(b) consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
(c) consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2 In taking the decisions requested of him, the mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.3 As regards the decision to seek further sponsorship for Vaisakhi, the officers should ensure that the GLA enter into a binding, legal agreement with all sponsors and that the officers familiarise themselves with the GLA’s obligations under the said agreement.
Signed decision document
DD2125 Vaisakhi 2017 (signed) PDF