Folkestone Town Council Back Proposals to Support Folkestone Tourism

Folkestone Town Council agreed to support proposals to support Discover Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh with £5,000 of financial assistance and look into developing a new Tourism Information Point in the centre of Folkestone.

The decision at the full Council meeting on 12 July will give support the organisation as it develops a new business plan to deal with the end of three years of funding from Eurotunnel.

The motion, proposed by Lib Dem Councillors Lynne Beaumont and Tim Prater, also seeks to develop closer links between Folkestone Town Council and Discover Folkestone in future.

Lynne Beaumont said:

"Tourism is a huge part of the future for Folkestone: we simply could not afford to let Discover Folkestone fail. Local Councils, businesses and other organisations all have a real interest in seeing Discover Folkestone succeed in their work as promoting Folkestone as a tourist destination.

"This support will allow them to help develop a long term plan, and to work to develop their membership of local businesses, in particular, those who benefit from seeing more tourists locally."

Tim Prater added:

"We all have a vested interest in developing Tourism locally. We need to make sure our town is clean and green, and welcoming to tourists as well as a good place to live and work. And we need Discover Folkestone to tell people about our town and local attractions."

You can learn more about Discover Folkestone at www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk

The full motion reads:

"That this Council strongly believes that tourism is a key part of the future for Folkestone. Discover Folkestone is a key part of this, and this Council notes with alarm the threat to its future as a result of financial support being withdrawn. Discover Folkestone is a membership based organisation, with member businesses across the area. We further note that although Discover Folkestone has been offered office space in the new Bouverie Square development, this will not be accessible to the public, leading to a loss of the only remaining Tourist Information Office in Folkestone.

"This Council welcomes recent moves by Kent County Council and others to provide immediate funding to keep Discover Folkestone afloat while a new business plan is developed.

"This Council commits to supporting Discover Folkestone with one-off financial assistance for the year 2007-08 of £5,000, to be taken from the New Services Reserve, which should be used to rapidly develop other sources of income, including developing its membership and supporter base. This support is conditional on Folkestone Town Council's support being acknowledged in all appropriate literature and on their web site, and Discover Folkestone seeking support from the other Town and Parish Councils representing areas which benefit from their work.

"This council will seek monthly co-ordination meetings between Folkestone Town Council, Folkestone Town Centre Management and Discover Folkestone to share plans, investigate opportunities to work together in future and develop a long term plan to ensure an active and vibrant town centre with well supported tourism activity.

"This council further calls on the Community Services Committee (and Personnel if appropriate) to urgently investigate the possibility of using the front of the current Folkestone Town Council Offices as an unstaffed Tourist Information Leaflet point, with appropriate leaflet racks in the office and signage both on the office and from other locations, and to bring a report back to the next full Council."