YORK’S marketing body has brought in an extra £1 million to invest in the city in the last three years, executives have revealed.

Steve Brown, managing director of destination management body Make it York, has told councillors his organisation has grown its revenue by 30 per cent in the three years since it was set up, meaning there is an extra £1 million to be invested in the city without any cost to the public purse.

In his annual report to City of York Council’s economic scrutiny committee, he said Make it York’s biggest concern was not having the resources to meet its ambitions while its council funding was cut by 45 per cent.

He also told the committee that York now faced an “unprecedented” schedule of festivals and events in the coming months, with horticultural festival Bloom, Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, the Great Yorkshire Fringe, the Mediale, the Mystery Plays on wagons, and the second Hot Air Balloon fiesta.

“It is good for residents and visitors and a real opportunity to shine a light on the city.

“We’ve festival after festival and event after event, and it does give the city a really positive opportunity to shout about itself, get new people here, and position itself as a happening, vibrant city with literally something for everybody.”

The body was set up in 2015 and is wholly owned by the council. Its existing Service Level Agreement (SLA) ran out in March and executives are currently discussing a new one, which should be complete by June.

At Monday’s meeting, Mr Brown was also questioned on efforts to attract Channel 4 to York.

In July, city councillors backed a motion calling for the broadcaster to come to York, and although it emerged earlier this week that Leeds City Region – which includes York – had made a bid, that body has not released information about whether York features in its pitch.

Conservative councillor Chris Steward said: “It became obvious it was Leeds City Region, and Leeds, driving it and we were very much left behind. I think if Channel 4 comes to Leeds the peripheral benefits to us would be very minor. I hope to be proved wrong.”