Arts & Heritage Proposals
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REPORT TO: Scrutiny and Overview Committee 8 February 2011 AGENDA ITEM: 6 SUBJECT: CALL-IN: ARTS & HERITAGE PROPOSALS LEAD OFFICER: Cover report: Julie Belvir Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, Director of Democratic & Legal Services CABINET MEMBER: Councillor Sara Bashford, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture and Sport ORIGIN OF ITEM: Cabinet’s decisions of 24 January 2011 on the Arts & Heritage Proposals have been called in by fifteen Members of the Council. BRIEF FOR THE To consider and respond to the Call-In in accordance COMMITTEE: with the procedure set out in the Council’s constitution. 1. Executive Summary The decisions taken by Cabinet on 24 January 2011 on the Arts & Heritage Proposals have been called in by fifteen Members of the Council. Attached is the original report to Cabinet and this report details the decisions of Cabinet, the reasons given for the call-in and the relevant procedures for call-ins in the Council’s constitution. 2. Call-In – Arts & Heritage Proposals 2.1 Report to Cabinet The Cabinet considered a report by Councillor Sara Bashford (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture and Sport) and Tom Jeffrey (Executive Director of Community Services) on the Arts & Heritage Proposals at its meeting on 24 January 2011. The report is attached as Appendix 1. The Cabinet, having given consideration to the report, agreed to: i) A budget saving of £1.482m; 59 ii) Deletion of the arts and heritage service; iii) Retention of the Local Studies & Archives with a value for money exercise conducted on its optimum operating model and opening hours, ensuring that there is no hiatus in the archive collection for future generations; iv) Retention of the museum function, subject to negotiation with the HLF; v) Retention of the arts participation programme for people with learning disabilities and young at risk (some elements of activity will be delivered through external funding); and vi) That despite the strong support for the David Lean Cinema which is sympathetically recognised, no cost-effective option for retaining a 67-seat stand alone cinema in the Clocktower is possible. However, discussion with the Fairfield Halls and local commercial cinema providers (e.g. Virgin Vue) will be undertaken to seek to source local art-house cinema provision, particularly for older people, where possible. 2.2 Call-In Cabinet’s decision was called in on 28 January 2011 by fifteen Members of the Council. The completed pro forma is attached as Appendix 2. The reasons stated for the Call-In were that: i) The decision is outside of the Policy Framework ii) The decision is inconsistent with the budget The alternative decision proposed by the signatories is that: i) “That the Council re-consider the answers to the Consultation which were clear in opposing option 4 and looks again at the consultation evidence and the options before it. ii) That the Council looks again at the closure of Stanley Halls, Selsdon Halls and Canterbury Halls and seek an alternative method for protecting these significant community assets. iii) That the Council seeks to maintain the Venue Development Grant from the Arts Council for the Clocktower iv) That the Council seeks to make savings in back office functions, and not front line services. v) That the Council looks at the budget of the department as a whole, and not the narrow focus of the Arts and Heritage budgets.” 2.3 Call-In Procedures The Council’s constitution states: 11.09 At the meeting, the referral will be considered by the Committee which shall 60 determine how much time it will give to the call-in and how the item will be dealt with including whether or not it wishes to review the decision. If having considered the decision there are still concerns about the decision then the Committee may refer it back to the Cabinet for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of the concerns. The Cabinet shall then reconsider the decision, amending the decision or not, before making a final decision. 11.10 The Scrutiny and Overview Committee may refer the decision to the Council if it considers that the decision taken by the Leader or Cabinet is outside the Budget and Policy Framework of the Council. The Council may decide to take no further action in which case the decision may be implemented. If the Council objects to Cabinet’s decision it can nullify the decision if it is outside the Policy Framework and/or inconsistent with the Budget. 11.11 If the Scrutiny and Overview Committee decides that no further action is necessary then the decision may be implemented. 11.12 If the Council determines that the decision was within the Policy Framework and consistent with the Budget, it will refer any decision to which it objects, together with its views on the decision, to the Cabinet. The Cabinet shall choose whether to either, amend, withdraw or implement the original decision within 10 working days, or at the next meeting of the Cabinet after the referral from the Council. 11.13 The responses of the decision-taker and the Council shall be notified to all Members of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee once the Cabinet or Council has considered the matter and made a determination. 11.14 If either the Council or the Scrutiny and Overview Committee fails to meet in accordance with the Council calendar or in accordance with paragraph 11.08 above, then the decision may be implemented on the next working day after the meeting was scheduled or arranged to take place. Appendices 1 – Report to Cabinet 24 January 2011 ‘Arts & Heritage Proposals’ 2 – Completed proforma ‘Referral of a Key Decision to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee’ CONTACT OFFICER: Craig Bowdery, Member Services Manager – Scrutiny 020 8726 6000 x62806, [email protected] BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: No unpublished background documents were relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report. 61 Agenda item 6 Appendix 1 REPORT TO: CABINET 24 JANUARY 2011 AGENDA ITEM: 8 SUBJECT: ARTS & HERITAGE PROPOSALS LEAD OFFICER: Tom Jeffrey, Executive Director Of Community Services CABINET MEMBER Councillor Sara Bashford, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture and Sport WARDS: All CORPORATE PRIORITY/POLICY CONTEXT: The provision of the Council’s Arts & Heritage Service contributes to the following corporate priorities: • Safer, stronger and more sustainable communities • Achieving better outcomes for children and young people • Promoting economic growth and prosperity • Improving health and wellbeing • Improving the environment • Delivering high quality public services and improving value for money FINANCIAL SUMMARY: The Council is considering different ways to make efficiencies. This paper proposes reductions to the arts & heritage service budget in light of the Comprehensive Spending Review. If the recommendations in this report are accepted it will result in a reduction in spending of £1.482k. Forward plan key decision reference number: 985 This is a Key Decision as defined in the Council’s Constitution. The decision may be implemented from 1300 hours on the 5th working day after it is made, unless the decision is referred to the Scrutiny & Overview Committee by the requisite number of Councillors. 1. RECOMMENDATION The Leader of the Council has delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out in the recommendations below: 1.1 Having considered the responses received from the public consultation and the Equalities Impact Assessment undertaken in respect of impact on the Arts and Heritage service of the proposed spending reduction, agree implementation of the proposals for the reductions in spending on the Arts and Heritage service as detailed in paragraph 3.4 of the report. 62 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1 This report seeks agreement to reduce spending on the arts and heritage service (the Service) provision in light of the Comprehensive Spending Review. 2.2 Following the public consultation on the five options detailed below, and an Equalities Impact Assessment undertaken in respect of the proposals to reduce spending, this report recommends selection of a level of saving of £1,482k as per Option 4. In addition, the local studies and archives, a museum function, and an arts programme for people with learning disabilities and disadvantaged young people would be retained. 3. DETAIL 3.1 Summary of options 3.3.1 On 15 November 2010, Cabinet approved a public consultation on the following options for the Service (Minute A134/10): OPTION SERVICES AFFECTED One Two Three Four Five Croydon Summer Festival & Mela X X X X 9 Museum of Croydon (main galleries and 9 9 9 conservation 9 collection) only Museum of Croydon (Riesco Gallery) 9 9 9 9 9 Museum of Croydon (Exhibition Gallery) 9 reduced Reduce X 9 d Space C and Café Galleries 9 9 X X 9 Museum education programme 9 reduced Reduce X 9 d Local studies library and archive service 9 reduced Reduce archive only 9 d Clocktower Arts (theatre, music, events) 9 9 X X 9 David Lean Cinema 9 X X X 9 Clocktower arts participation activities for young 9 9 X X 9 people, people with learning disabilities, refugees and schools. Borough-wide arts events and activities (e.g. 9 reduced Reduce X 9 Croydon celebrates black history) d Braithwaite, Stanley, Canterbury, Selsdon halls 9 9 X X 9 community and event hire SAVING £150k £765k £1.113m £1.482m zero 9 = service retained X = service deleted reduced = service reduced 3.2 Consultation findings 3.2.1 A summary of consultation findings is given in Appendix 1 of this report 63 below. 3.2.2 The public consultation was conducted between 22 November 2010 and 6 January 2011. A range of methods were used to engage people in the consultation including: the use of an online and hard-copy questionnaire, delivery of workshop sessions and meetings with statutory bodies and funding partners.