THE work of a publicly-funded company set up to raise the profile of Gloucester has been called into question.

Councillors have questioned the work Marketing Gloucester Ltd.

The organisation's chief executive Graham Walker gave a presentation to Gloucester City Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Councillors quizzed him about just what the company – which received £25,000 from Gloucester City Council this year – did for the city.

Councillor Colin Organ (Con, Tuffley) said: "How do we know if Marketing Gloucester is successful?"

Committee chairwoman councillor Kate Haigh (Lab, Matson and Robinswood) said: "What would you say is the biggest difference that Marketing Gloucester makes?"

Marketing Gloucester has been organising summer events on behalf of Gloucester City Council, Christmas celebrations and other occasions such as the Tall Ships festival.

Mr Walker said the company brought in funds from a number of sources – which the council would be unable to do.

"I arrived just a few years ago, without any money and any staff. We have now built up a relationship with a number of important companies in the city and they bring added expertise and support to the campaigns and – in some instances – significant finance, like the shopping centres. It is really for others to judge but I think this is a method which councils in other parts of the country will want to explore in the current financial climate."

Mr Walker told the committee about some of Marketing Gloucester's projects including its new slogan 'The city of Gloucester – Your city".

He also talked about the organisation's business champions project to get firms in the city working together and the Summer in Gloucester events including the urban beach in Gloucester Park.

Councillor Susan Witts (Lib Dem, Elmbridge) said: "We have many civic functions but these are not promoted by Marketing Gloucester. I thought Marketing Gloucester was all about marketing to potential visitors and informing them about what is going on here but that doesn't seem to be done.

"We have a lot of historic events and marches for things like the soldiers and Good Friday and when we were doing it people asked what we were doing because they hadn't been told. They say if there was better advertising they would have come."

Mr Walker said a number of events were promoted by the company, but it was unable to promote everything. He added people could approach Marketing Gloucester to help promote their events. "We also have Twitter and Facebook pages for events, which is free."