Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure providing an update on progress made against the Cultural Strategy for the period January to June 2021 and informing Members of the intention to submit expressions of interest to the Cultural Development Fund and the UK City of Culture 2025.

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the report is accepted and progress against the objectives of the Cultural Strategy noted

(2)  the City Council submits a bid to the Cultural Investment Fund

(3)  should the eligibility criteria be met, the City Council submits an expression of interest to the Arts Council England Cultural Development Fund round 2 and submit a full bid should the City Council expression of interest be successful

(4)  authority is delegated to the Head of Culture, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Council Solicitor, to

a)    submit bids to the Cultural Investment Fund and Arts Council England Cultural Development Fund round 2

b)    enter into any grant agreement required by the grant providers

c)    enter into any necessary agreements with the cultural partners referred to in paragraph 3.3 of the report to facilitate the submission of the applications for funding

(5)  that an expression of interest for Gloucester being UK City of Culture 2025 be submitted by Gloucester Culture Trust is fully endorsed and supported.

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure that provided an update on progress made against the Cultural Strategy for the period January to June 2021 and informed Members of the intention to submit expressions of interest to the Cultural Development Fund and the UK City of Culture 2025.

The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure informed Members that he was pleased to present so positive a report which represented so much achievement over what had been such a difficult period.  He outlined the recommendations.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure reminded Members that the deadlines to submit the expressions of interest (8.1, 8.2) were tight and the content complex but commented on their importance to the future of the City.  He especially highlighted the breadth of cultural events that have taken place since January 2021 despite the challenge of COVID-19 restrictions (Appendix 1) and the success of the Great Place scheme repeating the words of one key partner that Gloucester had made `giant leaps’.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure drew Members’ attention to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Appendix 2) and confirmed that they would be consulted should Gloucester progress to the next stage of a UK City of Culture 2025 bid.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy reiterated that the report was very positive.  The Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure commended the Head of Culture and his team for their efforts as well as those of the partner organisations.  He commented that these were exciting and ambitious times for culture in Gloucester.  The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that the City was fortunate to be making so much progress despite COVID-19 and offered his own thanks to everyone in the Culture and Leisure teams and partner organisations.

RESOLVED that:

(1)              the report is accepted and progress against the objectives of the Cultural Strategy noted

(2)              the City Council submits a bid to the Cultural Investment Fund

(3)              should the eligibility criteria be met, the City Council submits an expression of interest to the Arts Council England Cultural Development Fund round 2 and submit a full bid should the City Council expression of interest be successful

(4)              authority is delegated to the Head of Culture, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Council Solicitor, to

a)  submit bids to the Cultural Investment Fund and Arts Council England Cultural Development Fund round 2

b)  enter into any grant agreement required by the grant providers

c)  enter into any necessary agreements with the cultural partners referred to in paragraph 3.3 of the report to facilitate the submission of the applications for funding

(5)              that an expression of interest for Gloucester being UK City of Culture 2025 be submitted by Gloucester Culture Trust is fully endorsed and supported.