Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy seeking that a contribution be made to Gloucester Cathedral for the implementation of Phase 2 of Project Pilgrim subject to the conditions described within the report.

RESOLVED that:

(1)   the City Council contributes £150,000 over three years from 1 April 2020 to Gloucester Cathedral towards the Project Pilgrim Phase 2: Reveal to Sustain project of which £50,000 is available for preparing the bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and

(2)  authority be delegated to the Head of Place to agree the terms of a grant agreement with Gloucester Cathedral, in consultation with the Council Solicitor and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy that proposed a contribution be made to Gloucester Cathedral for the implementation of Phase 2 of Project Pilgrim subject to the conditions described within the report.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy invited the Dean of Gloucester to address Cabinet.  The Dean thanked the Council for its support of Project Pilgrim Phase 1 which had been recognised nationally as a model for working in partnership and formed a key part of opening the Cathedral to all people and communities regardless of their faith.  He advised Members of the importance of demonstrating to potential funders that this strong partnership was continuing and using the proposed contribution towards building the highest possible quality funding bid in the first year.  The Dean further emphasised that Phase 2 would be as much about people as bricks and mortar and commented on its anticipated role in social prescribing (meeting wellbeing needs identified by health professionals).

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy summarised the key parts of the report.  He reminded Members of the importance of building on the previous contribution and that regeneration had to be social as well as physical.  The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy stated that he was impressed with the proposed actions to welcome the whole community to what he considered the most important building in the county and commented that it represented the continuation of the vision of the Cathedral’s founders 1,000 years ago.

RESOLVED that:

(1)   the City Council contributes £150,000 over three years from 1 April 2020 to Gloucester Cathedral towards the Project Pilgrim Phase 2: Reveal to Sustain project of which £50,000 is available for preparing the bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and

(2)  authority be delegated to the Head of Place to agree the terms of a grant agreement with Gloucester Cathedral, in consultation with the Council Solicitor and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economy.