PAPER D1

Purpose : for Decision

REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE

Date : 28 JULY 2004

Title : ISLE OF WIGHT CULTURAL STRATEGY

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES

IMPLEMENTATION DATE : 9 AUGUST 2004

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

1. To adopt a local Cultural Strategy for the Isle of Wight and seek the support of the Local Strategic Partnership in its delivery.

BACKGROUND

2. 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.

3. The strategy that is before Members today (the Strategy has been circulated to Executive members under separate cover) is intended as the Island’s response to this Government aspiration. 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.

4. The 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 seeks to embrace.

· Balancing the needs and interests of young people and the retired.

· Recognising the common priorities within the key strategies now underpinning Island life.

· Capitalising fully on the Island’s major asset – its physical environment.

· Acknowledging the importance of tackling access and inclusion to make cultural opportunities widely available.

· Linking cultural activity to lifelong learning and healthy lifestyles.

· Strengthening sustainable tourism actively.

· Addressing cultural facility deficiencies on a priority basis.

5. These key issues are taken into account and have informed the six major themes of the strategy and the objectives and desired outcomes in each. The themes being:-

a) Promoting the sustainability and importance of the Island’s Environment and Heritage.

b) Encouraging Lifelong Learning, Healthy lifestyles and Heritage.

c) Engaging young people.

d) Developing all-year-round tourism.

e) Maximising the availability of high quality cultural facilities and opportunities.

f) Improving information, communication and co-ordination on the cultural scene.

6. 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 production of an annual action plan which will guide the delivery of the expressed outcomes to the community.

7. The Council has been the lead body in realising the production of the final strategy but is clearly not the only agency capable of delivering on its aspirations, given the Island-wide nature of its ownership. The success of the strategy’s implementation will depend therefore on identifying the right delivery mechanism for it. Some local authorities have developed separate cultural consortiums for this purpose, which bring together all of the key players in the cultural sectors of an area. Other Councils have used the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) for the area. Given the number of representative bodies already in existence on the Island, the LSP would seem to be the most appropriate route.

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

8. 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 it. The aspirations listed under theme 2 – improving access to services and facilities are especially relevant in this regard:-

· To promote the use of parks as community recreation centres

· To encourage physically and/or mentally stimulating activities as a route to staying healthy and a foundation for a full and active life.

· To ensure that everyone has equal and greater access to sporting and recreational facilities.

9. 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.

10. The production of the Cultural Strategy was one of the Council’s key actions in the 2003/04 Annual Action Plan.

11. The 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.

12. The strategy also seeks to complement and support a number of wider strategies which impact on the Island.

· GOSE objectives

· DCMS objectives

· Strategy of the South East Cultural Consortium

CONSULTATION

13. A significant amount of public consultation was undertaken in producing a draft strategy in early 2004. This was the subject of further public and internal consultation which has been used to arrive at the final strategy which accompanies this report.

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

14. The adoption of the strategy as an action in itself carries no budget implications for the Council. The actions which are to be identified to achieve the desired outcomes in the strategy may require revenue and capital finance. This may need to be provided from partner organisations, re-allocation of existing Council resources, external funding agencies or through revenue and capital funding bids to Council.

15. The source and application of new funds to achieve desired outcomes would need to form part of the annual action planning cycle needed to deliver the strategy.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

16. The completion and adoption of a Cultural Strategy is not a statutory requirement. The Government has however made recommendations that all Councils should lead the production of a strategy for their area and has also published guidance on linking such strategies with Community Strategies.

17. Public libraries remain the only one of the Cultural Services which the Council must provide by virtue of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

OPTIONS

1. To adopt the strategy as set out here.

2. To ask the Local Strategic Partnership to take the lead role in the delivery of the strategy through its Leisure and Tourism theme group.

3. To reject the strategy.

EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT

18. Whilst there is no statutory requirement to have a cultural strategy, there have previously been best value indicators which relate to its production. Information is currently vague as to how the Government will evaluate the Council’s cultural services in the forthcoming CPA round. It would be appropriate however to assume that the existence and use of a cultural strategy to inform decision making would form part of the evaluation criteria in the CPA.

19. The Local Strategic Partnership encompasses many bodies and organisations that would also form the core of an Islandwide Cultural Forum that would need to be developed to deliver the strategy. It is therefore a logical step to avoid duplication of effort amongst these partners to request that the LSP take the lead in the delivery of the strategy. Ultimately however, the Council will continue to be one of the main partners in its delivery.

20. The strategy has come out of extensive consultation processes outlined within it. It therefore carries the support of many in the Island’s cultural sectors. The time taken to undertake this consultation is entirely appropriate but does mean that any delay in its implementation will reduce the potential impact that the strategy could have on the Island.

RECOMMENDATIONS

21. That options 1 and 2 be adopted.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

22. As listed within the strategy.

Contact Point : John Metcalfe, Head of Community Development

( 823825 Email: [email protected]

DAVID PETTITT Strategic Director of Children’s Services

JILL WAREHAM Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services