Issue 48 April 2011 £4.75
Ideas for beating economic downturn
Manager quits amid security firm claims By Christina Eccles A COUNCIL’S events manager has quit her job following an investigation into an alleged conflict of interest because of her links with a security firm which landed several council contracts. Sylvia McCann was employed by Leeds Council and had managed high profile events such as Leeds’ Party in the Park and the Jane Tomlinson Run For All Leeds 10k. But an investigation was launched after it emerged a security company she co-owns had secured contracts to work on some of the council-organised events. The Main Event has learned Sylvia is a 50 per cent shareholder and director of Horsforth-based Controlled Space, the other shareholder being Steven Arthur Johnson. Neither Sylvia nor Leeds City Council have been prepared to discuss the investigation and in a brief statement, the council confirmed she had left her post at the end of March. It also claimed she had never been suspended from her role and the decision she should leave was taken ‘by mutual consent’.
The statement added: “A settlement satisfactory to both parties was agreed and it is a term of the settlement that no further comment be made.” It is understood she had made no secret of her ownership of Controlled Space with her council bosses and was adamant she had played no part in any of the contract tendering processes that involved her company. She took on the event manager’s role in 2004 after the management of Millennium Square, its facilities and city centre events merged with the former general events section to create one bigger team. She is also a former National Outdoor Events Association council member. She had worked for the authority for more than 15 years but it is understood she had been on long-term sick leave prior to the investigation being concluded. Over the last few years, the council’s events programme has gone from strength to strength and the 2010 Party in the Park was the busiest ever with 30 acts including Dizzee Rascal, Alexandra Burke, Pixie Lott, The Script and The Saturdays taking to the stage.
A popular Swansea sporting venue will provide the backdrop for Rod Stewart’s only Welsh concert date of 2011. He will perform at the Liberty Stadium – home of Swansea Football Club and the Ospreys Rugby Team – on June 1. General manager Andrew Davies said: “It has been four years since Rod played Cardiff in front of a packed Millennium Stadium and we are looking forward to welcoming music fans of all ages to his first show in Swansea.”
FESTIVAL organisers have been urged to find new ways of generating revenue at their events to help them cope in a difficult climate. At a conference in Leeds advising how festivals can find ways to beat the economic downturn, a panel of some of the UK’s most respected organisers revealed alternative ways to make money at events. The session – organised by the team behind the successful UK Festival Awards and Conference in London – included thoughts from the managing director of The Green Man Festival Fiona Stewart, CEO of the Cream Group James Barton and director of the Evolution Festival Jim Mawdsley. Up for discussion were areas such as ticket pricing, sponsorship, merchandising and the benefits of running a fringe event. See inside for more news from the conference.