Response to the Scrutiny & Overview Recommendations on Arts

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Response to the Scrutiny & Overview Recommendations on Arts For General Release REPORT TO: CABINET 23 APRIL 2012 AGENDA ITEM: 19 SUBJECT: Response to the Scrutiny & Overview Recommendations on Arts and Commissioning LEAD OFFICERS: Paul Greenhalgh, Executive Director, Children, Families and Learning Nathan Elvery, Deputy Chief Executive & Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services CABINET MEMBER: Councillor Sara Bashford, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture and Sport WARDS: All CORPORATE PRIORITY/POLICY CONTEXT: Arts services and services commissioned through the third sector contribute to the following corporate priorities: • Safer, stronger and more sustainable communities • Promoting economic growth and prosperity • Improving health and wellbeing • Achieving better outcomes for children and young people • Delivering high quality public services and improving value for money FINANCIAL IMPACT: The recommendations in this report may have a financial implication and as each recommendation is developed the financial implication will be explored and approved. FORWARD PLAN KEY DECISION REFERENCE NO.: not a key decision The Leader of the Council has delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out in the recommendations below 1. RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1. to approve the responses to the recommendations on arts & commissioning contained in Appendices 1 and 2 for report back to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee. 184 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1 This report conveys a series of recommendations from Scrutiny and Overview on Arts & Commissioning and asks Cabinet to approve a response for report back to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, as requested at the Cabinet meeting on 20 February 2012 (min A23/12 refers). 3. SCRUTINY RECOMMENDATIONS ON ARTS & COMMISSIONING 3.1 At its meeting on 31 January 2012, the Scrutiny Community Services and Safety Sub-committee considered the topic of ‘the arts scene now and in the future’, with a report and further information from Children, Families and Learners (CFL), contributions from four local organizations (Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, Warehouse Theatre and Croydon Young People’s Theatre (CRYPT) / Shoestring Theatre) and comments from the Cabinet Member, Councillor Sara Bashford. 3.2 At the end of this item, the Sub-committee recorded its recognition of “the wide range of artistic output in Croydon and its value to the borough and its economy” and made the following recommendations: (a) The council should look to allow the use of its various advertising media, including "Your Croydon" and the JC Decaux poster sites, to publicise arts events in the borough; (b) The council should receive a joint business case for investment in the arts in Croydon and its potential impact on the economy, which Fairfield Halls, London Mozart Players, the Warehouse Theatre, CRYPT and CYTO are intending to prepare: (c) The council should look at the application process for arts grants and simplify it considerably, enabling smaller groups to make successful bids for funding. 3.3 At the same meeting, the Sub-Committee also reviewed the information and opinions which had been provided by five local voluntary organisations (Croydon Voluntary Action, Off The Record, Welcare, Imagine and the BME Forum) at the previous Sub-Committee meeting when considering an item on ‘the voluntary sector and the council’s commissioning framework’. 3.4 The Sub-committee noted its recognition of “the value of the social capital generated through the work of the voluntary and community sector in Croydon” and made three recommendations: (a) The commissioning process for the lowest levels of funding be dramatically simplified to enable smaller voluntary organisations to bid more easily (b) Additional weighting should be given to any bid, from the voluntary sector or any other sector that demonstrates potential for developing social capital within the borough (c) Whenever possible, the bidding process should not coincide with summer holidays, so that small voluntary groups, which may rely on one person with fundraising skills, are not impeded by the timetable from bidding to provide local services. 185 3.5 A proposed Cabinet response to all the recommendations in 3.2 and 3.4 is contained in Appendices 1 and 2 attached. 4. CONSULTATION 4.1 There are no direct consultation implications arising from this report. 5 FINANCIAL AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONSIDERATIONS 5.1 The recommendations in this report may have a financial implication for the Council and as each recommendation is developed the financial impact will need to be explored and approved. At this stage the two main financial implications are a potential loss of income from advertising and the cost of developing and providing an expert commissioning and support programme. (Approved by: Lisa Taylor – Head of Finance – Children, Families and Learning 21.3.12. 6. COMMENTS OF THE COUNCIL SOLICITOR AND MONITORING OFFICER 6.1 The Council Solicitor comments that there are no direct legal implications arising from this report. 6.2 (Approved by: Gabriel MacGregor, Head of Corporate Law on behalf of the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.) 7. HUMAN RESOURCES IMPACT 7.1 There are no direct human resources implications arising from this report. 7.2 Approved by: Atia Williams on behalf of the Director, Workforce & Community Relations 8. EQUALITIES IMPACT 8.1 There is no direct equalities impact arising from this report. 9. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 9.1 There is no direct environmental impact arising from this report. 10. CRIME AND DISORDER REDUCTION IMPACT 186 10.1 There is no direct impact on crime and disorder reduction arising from this report. CONTACT OFFICERS: Aileen Cahill, Head of Libraries and Culture Sarah Ireland, Director of Strategy, Commissioning Procurement and Performance Genine Whitehorne, Commissioning Support Manager BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS : Reports to the Community Services & Safety Scrutiny Sub-Committee, 31 January 2012 http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/documents/meetings/894828/990364/2012/2012- 01-31/css20120131artsscene.pdf http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/documents/meetings/894828/990364/2012/2012- 01-31/css20120131voluntary.pdf Appendices 1& 2 attached: draft responses to the Scrutiny recommendations 187.
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