EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE - 17 NOVEMBER 2003
CULTURAL STRATEGY
HEAD OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM
Members agreed to receive a report on the production of a Cultural
Strategy when settling the Committee’s work plan for the year.
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
To make comment on the draft cultural strategy before it is subject to
wider public consultation.
To comment on the consultation draft play policy for the Island in the
context of the cultural strategy.
BACKGROUND
The Government, through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), has recommended that all local Councils facilitate the production of a cultural strategy for their local area. Its intention being that such strategies are “owned” by the whole of the Island’s cultural community and therefore that a range of organisations will work in partnership to implement the strategy.
The document that is before Members today is intended as a first draft
of a cultural strategy for the Island.
It aims to celebrate the cultural life of the Island and provide a
strategic framework that will help to sustain and develop the Island’s cultural
assets and values for the benefit of both residents and visitors.
The draft strategy has been almost 2 years in the making and is based
on extensive research and public consultation.
This has identified a number of key issues which the strategy must seek
to embrace:-
These key issues are taken into account and have informed the six major
themes of the draft strategy and the 24 objectives which support them. The themes being:-
A)
Sustaining and
promoting the Island’s Environment and Heritage
B)
Encouraging
Lifelong Learning, Healthy lifestyles and social cohesion
C)
Engaging young
people
D)
Developing
all-year-round tourism
E)
Maintaining and
improving cultural facilities and opportunities
F)
Improving
information, communication and co-ordination on the cultural scene
The identification of these themes is important to ensure that the
Island can maintain a focus on its aspirations for its cultural
activities. The strategy will be
supported by the identification of specific actions against these themes for
some of the individual services which form part of the basket of services
having the “cultural” label. For some
of these services an individual strategy may also be produced but for others,
actions will be reflected within the overall action plan for this strategy.
One such service for which a specific strategy has also been drafted is
for play. This consultation draft has
been produced by an advisory group drawn from play providers across the
Island. The authors having produced a
strategy to be endorsed by the Island and then implemented by each of the
partners involved in its production.
Members are asked to consider and comment on this draft within the
context of the draft cultural strategy.
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES,
STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
The production of a Cultural Strategy is in itself not an explicit action within the Community Strategy. However, the Cultural Strategy does underpin all of the cultural and related actions within the Community Strategy. The aspirations listed under theme 2 – Improving access to services and facilities are especially relevant in this regard:-
The Cultural Strategy underpins 5 of the 6 themes in the Council’s
Corporate Plan. The only exception
being that which relates to improving public transport and highways.
The production of the cultural strategy is one of the Council’s key
actions in the 2003/04 Annual Action Plan.
The recent best value reviews of Community Development, Wight Leisure
and Tourism all identified improved planning across these service areas which
is effectively achieved through the cultural strategy.
There is no statutory requirement to produce a cultural strategy but
there is a specific best value performance indicator (BVPI 114) in which the
Council must report whether it has one and how it has been produced.
As set -out in the draft strategies.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
None for the Council arising out of this report.
APPENDICES ATTACHED
“Vectis First – Isle of Wight Cultural
Strategy 2004-08” – Consultation Draft
“Defining Play – Isle of Wight Play
Strategy” – Consultation Draft
“Defining Play – Isle of Wight Play Policy”
– Consultation Draft
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Contact Point : John Metcalfe, F 3285 e-mail [email protected]
JOHN
METCALFE
Head of Community Development and Tourism