To: Members of the Supporting the Local Economy Policy Professor Steven Broomhead Committee Chief Executive
Town Hall Councillors: Sankey Street Cllr T Jennings – Chair Warrington Cllr P Warburton – Deputy Chair WA1 1UH Cll rs C Froggatt, M Hannon, S Parish, R Purnell, T Williams, B Barr and R Bate.
26 November 2018
Supporting the Local Economy Policy Committee
Tuesday, 4 December 2018 at 6.30pm
Council Chamber, Town Hall, Sankey Street, Warrington, WA1 1UH
Agenda prepared by Julie Pickles, Democratic Services Officer – Telephone: (01925) 443212 - E-mail: [email protected]
Note – In line with The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 this meeting may be recorded. A guide to recording meetings has been produced by the Council and can be found at https://www.warrington.gov.uk/info/201104/council_committees_and_meetings/1003/a ccess_to_council_meetings
A G E N D A
Part 1 Items during the consideration of which the meeting is expected to be open to members of the public (including the press) subject to any statutory right of exclusion.
Item Page Number 1. Apologies for Absence
To record any apologies received.
2. Code of Conduct - Declarations of Interest Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012
Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda no later than when the item is
reached. 3. Minutes
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 2 October 2018 as a correct record.
4. Update on Warrington Means Business, Towns Infrastructure Plans and Strategic Transport
Reports of the Director of Growth Economic Regeneration Growth and Environment (Steve Park) and Director of Environment and Transport Director of Environment & Transport (D Boyer)
5. Repopulating the Town Centre
Report of the Assistant Director Transport and Economic Regeneration Growth and Environment
6. The Cultural Commission – Update on Progress
Report of the Managing Director of Warrington and Co – Steve Park
7. Work Programme 2018/2019
To note the work programme for 2018/19.
8. Dates of Future Meetings (2018/2019 Civic Year)
12 February 2019 9 April 2019
Part 2
Items of a "confidential or other special nature" during which it is likely that the meeting will not be open to the public and press as there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972.
NIL Agenda Item 3
SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY POLICY COMMITTEE
2 October 2018
Present: Councillor T Jennings (Chairman) Councillor P Warburton (Deputy) Councillors B Barr, R Bate, C Froggatt, M Hannon, R Purnell and T Williams.
Also Present Steve Park – Managing Director, Warrington & Co Steven Fitzsimmons – Warrington & Co David Boyer – Assistant Director Transport and Environment, Economic Regeneration Growth and Environment Bill Carr – Carpe Diem Jazz – Tech North
STLE 6 Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence had been received from S Parish.
STLE 7 Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interests received.
STLE 8 Minutes
Decision – That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record by the Chairman subject to the addition of M Hannon on the attendance list.
STLE 9 Update on Warrington Means Business, Towns Infrastructure Plans and Strategic Transport
S Park reported on the following;-
Times Square • Now coming out of the ground • Will be weather tight by end of year • On programme with build and spend • Council office move on plan • Units attracting alternative offer • Market to provide diverse offer • Cineworld - looking at working with regional operators • Disabled change facility – part of scheme
Stadium Quarter
Agenda Item 3
• Base doing remarkably well • Working sympathetically with Show People • Youth Base • John Street / Winwick Street – Build to commence in January for apartments and car park • UTC
Cabinet Works • Site now cleared • Had discussions with various developers • Maybe good quality hotel space
Warrington Waterfront • Still some parcels of land to secure • Project going well • Start date December 2018
Town Centre Master Plan • Working with company that will develop a 3D model / interactive map to show master plan, should have finished product in March / April 2019
Cultural Quarter • Springfield Street now complete • Now bring forward plans for Bank House
Decision,
That the report be noted.
STLE 10 Strategic Transport Initiatives
D Boyer reported on the following;-
Key Work Areas • Governance - Statutory Sub National Transport Body from 1/4/18 - WBC one of 19 Local Transport Authority Members - Cllr O’Neill on Partnership Board (Cllr Mundry deputy) - Cllr Mitchell Chair of Scrutiny Committee (Cllr Parish deputy) - Pete Waterman – Cheshire and Warrington LEP - Officer representative on various Boards • Strategic Rail – including Northern Powerhouse Rail • Rail Performance in the North • Strategic Roads • Strategic Development Corridor work • Integrated and Smart Travel
Agenda Item 3
• Strategic Transport Plan • Final version to be published early 2019 • Will include an Investment Plan • Looking for a 50% increase in funding • Schemes with a ‘pan-northern’ impact • Some schemes to directly benefit Warrington - Western Link - Smart Motorways - Rail improvements including Warrington Bank Quay
Northern Powerhouse Rail • Strategic Outline Business Case December 2018 • Tie in with HS2 Phase 2B Hybrid Bill
Other Major Improvements Confirmed and Completed Schemes
Scheme Name Description Status Cost Warrington East Two junction improvements & Bus gate Complete £5.0m Phase 1 Improvements to motorway junction to improve M62 Junction 8 Complete £11.0m access to north Warrington On site Warrington East Three junction Improvements on A574 Birchwood complete £11.0m Phase 2 Way Dec 19 Warrington East Dualling of A574 between M62 J11 and Moss Gate On site £11.0m Phase 3 Three major route improvements: Omega to Complete Sustainable Travel Burtonwood; Chester Road; Trans Pennine Trail March £3.5m Major Package Ph1 2021 Complete Omega Local Omega Boulevard/Lingley Green Ave junction by March £6.5m Highways Phase 1 improvement scheme. 2021 Omega Local Burtonwood Road/Kingswood Junction On site £3.0m Highways Phase 2a Improvement and Local widening Complete Omega Local Liverpool Road/ Lingley Green Avenue Junction by March £2.3m Highways Phase 2b Improvement 2020 Omega Local Developer funded junction improvements at two Complete £8.5m Highways Phase 3 key junctions around Omega Site by 2021 On site - Warrington West New station on the CLC line to serve housing and Open £19.6m Station employment sites in West Warrington. Autumn 2019 Centre Park Link New bridge over the River Mersey and junction Start on £19.7m
Agenda Item 3
improvement at Slutchers Lane/Wilson Patten Site Spring Street. 2019
Decision,
That the report be noted.
STLE 11 Digital Hub for Small Businesses
The Members considered a report from the Business Growth and Investment Manager from Warrington and Co.
It was noted that the purpose of the report was to introduce the Digital and Creative Industry in Warrington with a view to Members considering a recommendation of policy to the Executive Board.
It was reported that a corporate objective of Warrington Borough Council was to “Deliver the Economic Growth and Regeneration programme”, including “Warrington Means Business”. A key output was number of new jobs and the increased wealth that this generated. In the last 5 years, 10,000 jobs have been created, leading to Warrington having the highest level of GVA (Gross Value Added) in the North of England at £49,400.
Many of these jobs had been in logistics and manufacturing distribution, however it was important to have a balanced and diverse economy to react to future adversity and opportunities. The Digital & Creative Industries (DCI) sector enjoyed productivity levels nearly three times the national average and accounts for 4% of all UK exports. Warrington was the is home to many Advanced Engineering companies who had developed world class solutions within DCI such as Kawasaki Robotics. In the town centre the sector presence was more about Digital Marketing with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) such as MAD Design and Mosaic.
The concern that is commonly shared is with regard to recruitment as this was seen as threatening their future prosperity in Warrington. Excellent connectivity to Liverpool and Manchester makes it relatively easy for a new generation of DCI professionals to seek employment elsewhere. Warrington’s DCI sector is geographically distributed across the town, with no commonality, identity or focal point.
The private and public sectors have been collaborating throughout 2018 to identify a project that will help Warrington to better embrace the DCI sector and improve its future prosperity.
Carpe Diem is a Digital Marketing Agency located in the Base on Dallam Lane and soon to move to the Pyramid building in the Cultural Quarter. Carpe Diem are involved in numerous other activities including the Business Improvement District (BID), Business Exchange, Institute of Directors (ID) and Warrington Town FC.
Carpe Diem is to launch a new Digital Hub in the Pyramid on the 18th October 2018. This involves attracting small, independent start-ups into a shared space with amenities and mentoring support. The model is commonplace in Liverpool and Manchester, however not yet in Warrington.
Agenda Item 3
It is hoped that the work being undertaken and led by Carpe Diem will prove to be the start of a new DCI industry cluster in the town centre of Warrington.
Bill Carr from Carpe Diem and Jazz from Tech-North gave a joint presentation to the committee, they told the members how they started in the industry, where they were today and what their aspirations were for the future of their companies and for the future of Warrington Digital Hub.
The Chairman thanked them for their attendance and for their presentation.
Decision,
That the report be noted and that a further update report be presented to the Committee in April 2019.
STLE 12 Work Programme 2018/2019
The Committee considered a report on its Work Programme for 2018/19, which included information on the monitoring of actions and recommendations arising from the Committee and any Working Groups.
The Work Programme was a living document and would be updated periodically in response to changing priorities and other factors.
Decision,
That the report be noted.
STLE 13 Dates of Future Meetings (2018/2019 Civic Year)
12 February 2019 9 April 2019
Signed…………………………..…….
Dated………………………………….
Agenda Item 4
Regeneration Projects Update – November 2018
Time Square Development Programme
• All new buildings have now commenced on site and are progressing well • Works are several weeks ahead of programme. • Multi-storey car park in defects correction period and defect rectification process is progressing • Continue to engage occupiers for leisure units
Stadium Quarter
• Work is continuing to identify an alternative accommodation site for the travelling show people to enable their relocation as soon as practical following challenge to planning permission. • Meetings continue with Youth Zone, design received. Planning application submitted. • Residential and car parking site adjacent to Winwick Street is progressing. Planning application approved.
Cabinet Works
• Demolition complete. • Warrington & Co will take the site to market and request offers that comply with the masterplan and ambitions for the town centre.
Warrington Waterfront – Centre Park Link
• Enabling Works have commenced on site • Project has received additional HiF funding • Planning Permissions have been granted for the site remediation and highways construction. • Agreement has been reached with all major landowners except one. • CPO papers have been issued and process proceeding to secure all land interests
Warrington Waterfront – Western Link
• Outline Business Case for DfT funding now complete and submitted for discussions with Government around funding. • Have recently requested a decision from DfT • The preferred route has been selected and masterplanning will commence for Arpley Meadows following confirmation of road alignment.
Masterplans
• Masterplan developed for the Garden Suburb. • Town Centre masterplan is progressing well.
Page 1 of 1
Agenda Item 5
WARRINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL
SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY POLICY COMMITTEE Tuesday 4th December 2018
Report Author: Andrea Turner
Contact Details: Email Address: Telephone: [email protected] 01925 443449
Ward Members: All
TITLE OF THE REPORT: Repopulating the town centre
1.0 PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of this report is to present the Committee with an update on progress with regard to the development of housing in the town centre. It is also to promote a discussion on how the Council can encourage the development of homes to enable home ownership within the town centre.
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 Warrington is a successful economy with high GVA and listed as one of the most successful ‘cities’ in attracting jobs and reacting to a changing labour market (Centre for Cities Outlook 2018). Warrington regularly features as being within the top ten places to live in the UK in a number of surveys and its attractiveness as a place to live and therefore the market to deliver housing is good.
2.2 However, the delivery of housing is not controlled by any one entity alone, it is a market and investment driven process with many organisations involved in the development, investment, construction and management of residential property.
2.3 The Government has recognised that housebuilders only build properties to maximise profit. In response to this, Warrington is witnessing an increase in the private rented sector particularly new Build to Rent schemes in the town centre, which is partially filling this provision gap.
2.4 Although some people may choose to rent accommodation, many would prefer to purchase if they could. In June 2018 MHCLG reported that: “Respondents were asked to select whether they would choose to rent or buy if they had a free choice. The majority, 88 per cent, said they would choose to buy and 11 per cent would choose to rent. This figure has changed little in the last thirty years."
1
2.5 At present 1 bedroomed and 2 bedroomed properties for outright sale are generally not provided by the market and this lack of provision for outright sale limits choice and ability to move onto the housing ladder for those who could afford those properties.
2.6 The Housing Strategy and Delivery Plan - Cheshire and Warrington LEP 2018, the GL Hearn housing needs assessment (Sep 2018) and Homes for the North all emphasise that “there is an urgent need to focus initially on delivering a high quality housing offer that meets the specific needs of an expanding and changing workforce.”
2.7 In Warrington the population aged 65 and over is projected to grow at a faster rate than in the North West region (57% compared to 49%) and conversely, the younger population (15 to 35 year olds), is expected to contract by 3% during the next 15 years.
2.8 This demand is set against a supply side that views viability within Warrington as marginal and therefore Warrington competes against other regional centres for skills and investment in housing delivery where sales rates are higher and therefore are potentially more attractive. Indeed recent applications for residential developments within the town centre have demonstrated limited ability to deliver Section 106 contributions as well as affordable rent properties and properties for sale. The relatively low level of recent residential developments within the Town Centre presents a level of rental and sales value risk to investors as there is relatively little comparable data.
2.9 Recent completed developments however, have shown that the provision of rented properties within the town centre are viable and this combined with investment in the town centre from the Council is starting to change this perception, with the potential to change appetite for developing residential units for outright sale.
2.10 Recent assessments of true affordability within the town centre have shown that the cost of the product coming to market at the moment is affordable to a person earning an average wage within Warrington, but that affordable units, as defined by the National Planning Policy Framework 2018, are not yet viable for developers.
2.11 The challenge for Warrington therefore is to build confidence in the supply side of the market to enable a number of developments of different types and tenures to come forward with confidence in the values that would be achieved to enable affordable rents to be offered within the Town Centre.
2.12 The need to develop a range of housing options which assist younger people onto the housing ladder and which fits their aspirations of high quality design and choice needs to be balanced with the need for high quality accommodation and care for our increasing ageing population, together with housing to address the diverse needs of the vulnerable and the homeless. Developments that contain inter-generational, varied households who live in different types and tenures of accommodation are an aspiration for the Council.
2 3.0 PROGRESS
3.1 Whilst the Council has a remit to influence this market, it is clear that the Council alone is unable to achieve the shift to enable the right mix, tenure and level of affordable homes in the Town Centre.
3.2 However to achieve the change needed, there are ways to influence and engage the market. This is brought about by a range of actions from direct investment in projects such as Time Square or the purchase of the Cabinet Works, to projects such as working with Scottish Power, utilising funding from Homes England to re-enforce the town centre electricity grid and remove perceived barriers to the development of residential property by others.
3.3 The Council assisted by Warrington & Co continues to lead, facilitate and enable the change necessary to bring forward housing development across the town centre, developing new partnerships, and new models of delivery such as the Local Housing Company, to diversify the market and encourage the development of housing that is not being provided by the market. This influential role will take longer to deliver homes but will increase supply.
3.4 This is starting to bring benefits with approximately 700 units with planning permission within the Town Centre and a number more in pre-application discussions with the Planning Department.
3.5 Genuinely affordable housing needs to be linked to incomes. The intention is to investigate the range of income levels necessary to meet the range of housing products required. This will assist people onto the housing ladder across a variety of tenures to maximise customer appeal across generations and abilities including options in the town centre.
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Members are recommended to note the contents of this report and to consider the potential opportunities of encouraging home ownership within the town centre to contribute to the economic growth and sustainment of the town centre.
3 Agenda Item 6
WARRINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL
SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY POLICY COMMITTEE Tuesday 4th December 2018
Report Author: Eleanor Blackburn
Contact Details: Email Address: Telephone: [email protected] 01925 443874
Ward Members: All
TITLE OF THE REPORT: Culture Commission – update on progress
1.0 PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of this report is to present the Culture Commission report (see Appendix A) and the key elements related to supporting the local economy. This report will be supported by a presentation to update the committee on progress to date.
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 A Culture Commission was established in February 2018 with the aim of reviewing evidence and research and seeking input from local stakeholders, recognised experts and key cultural interest groups in order to inform debate and review emerging opportunities for growth and improvements in Warrington’s cultural offer. The Commission was established following a partnership bid to become the UK City of Culture 2021. Whilst the bid was unsuccessful, the bid process unlocked significant appetite for an improved cultural offer in Warrington among the local arts and digital communities.
2.2 The Commission was chaired by an independent representative with experience of working across the Country supporting other areas, such as Hull, to develop their cultural growth agendas. Membership of the commission included key cultural sector and other influential representatives. Guest speakers provided evidence on key issues and challenge for discussion and debate.
2.3 Further evidence was gathered via a public consultation seeking public views and opinion about the current cultural offer in Warrington and how people would like to see it being developed in the future. In addition evidence was also sourced via an analysis report by the Audience Agency which provided statistic intelligence about the current levels of engagement within arts and culture within the local population, as well as the potential demand for cultural activity. Both exercises demonstrated the potential for growth.
1
3.0 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Key issues identified by the commission included: • Lack of clearly defined governance and delivery structures. • Lack of identity of place. • Lack of cultural education strategy and low engagement of schools and young people in the wider cultural agenda in Warrington. • The importance of developing partnerships and relationships with national and regional organisations who could make a contribution to the development of Warrington’s cultural offer. • The importance of developing the cultural offer in the town centre. • The need to support the development of the digital industry and its impact on culture. • The need to secure investment for arts and culture.
3.2 The Commission presented fifteen recommendations, which are set out in detail from page 16 within the Commission report (Appendix A). Of key relevance to this committee are the following recommendations: (2) Cultural commissioners, deliverers, planner and developers work closely together to ensure that town centre and other developmental plans incorporate arts, culture and heritage. (3) We secure ongoing cultural investment from Warrington’s successful economic growth. (4) A Place Branding Strategy is developed and implemented with culture at its heart, which establishes an identity for Warrington and develops a strong sense of shared vision. (9) We place community at the centre of physical and cultural growth of the town, instilling a sense of pride in the place and a renewed cultural appetite. (12) We welcome creative, entrepreneurs and digital innovators who wish to establish their businesses within the town. (14) We develop the longer term visitor offer and capitalise on Warrington’s tourism assets.
3.3 A new Culture Board and Consortium has been established and is challenged with progressing the recommendations of the Commission. The Board is chaired by the Deputy Provost and Head of Media from Chester University, and has a range of representatives from across culture, digital, business, regeneration and community / voluntary sectors. It has taken ownership of developing the strategic vision for cultural growth. The Consortium brings together key providers and is tasked with growing and delivering new cultural opportunities. It is chaired by Warrington Voluntary Action.
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Members are recommended to note the contents of this report and the attached Commission report, and to consider the potential opportunities cultural growth brings to the wider Warrington economy.
2 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 1 Contents
Forward 3
Headline Recommendations 4
Why hold a Cultural Commission? 6
Aims and objectives of the Cultural Commission 7
What we did 9
Commission Findings - Research 10
Key issues highlighted by the Commission 14
Detailed Recommendations of the Commission 17
Appendices 23
References and Further Information
2 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Foreword
‘Over the coming decade, arts and cultural organisations will be looking to In compiling the report, the Commission has benefitted from the grow partnerships which allow them to reach new audiences, access generous commitment of time and expertise from local stakeholders, specialist skills, tap into new sources of revenue and experiment with cultural interest groups, and specialists from the creative industries. technology. The Commission has started to identify and forge strategic partnerships with organisations and agencies regionally, in the The emphasis on local partnerships is set to become even more North, and beyond, and argues for these to be fostered and extended pronounced in funding and policy, building on a longer-term trend towards in addressing the recommendations it makes. place-based strategies in both arts and cultural policy and the wider creative industries.’ The vital place of culture in modern, dynamic and successful communities is a consistent conclusion of the evidence and research Experimental Culture, Nesta report for Arts Council England, 2018 that has been presented to the Commission. There is every reason to believe this will characterise the next period in Warrington’s The experience of developing Warrington’s bid to host UK City of development as a place that is confident, vibrant, innovative and Culture 2021 highlighted the richness of creative thinking and appetite people-centred. for collaboration in the town, and the opportunities ahead to place culture at the heart of one of the most rapid periods of growth in Warrington’s 1,500-year history.
The Culture Commission has worked to harness this energy and the innovative ideas it brought forward to develop a new cultural vision for Warrington, informed by what arts and cultural opportunities its people want to see, and help to build a great cultural future for everyone in Warrington.
This report sets out the key findings from the Commission’s work and makes a series of recommendations to address the challenges and opportunities it has identified from the evidence collected. It is deliberately ambitious; arguing that strategic development of arts and culture is fundamental to celebrating Warrington’s identity and sense of place; making the creative economy an intrinsic part of planning; securing a dynamic and targeted uplift in cultural programming, audiences and outreach activities; and growing and diversifying the Adrian Friedli Cllr Dan Price local creative industries. Chair of the commission Warrington Borough Council
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 3 Headline recommendations
The Warrington Culture Commission’s vision is to support the 8. An Alumni of Warrington network is established to provide positive development of culture in the borough by providing realistic yet role models to young people and ambassadors for culture in aspirational recommendations to further Warrington’s ambitions to Warrington. become a place where culture can thrive. As part of both the short term and long term plans, the commission recommends that: 9. We place the community at the centre of physical and cultural growth of the town, instilling a sense of pride in the place and a 1. A culture board and an independent cultural consortium is renewed cultural appetite. established to drive and deliver an ambitious and expanding cultural agenda in Warrington which reflects the increasing diversity 10. We deliver a new theatre for Warrington which meets the needs of within the town. both the local vibrant and successful amateur community and touring professional companies. 2. Cultural commissioners, deliverers, planners and developers work closely together to ensure that town centre and other 11. Existing assets within the town centre are developed into developmental plans incorporate arts, culture and heritage. attractive, thriving venues in which a varied cultural programme exists. 3. We secure ongoing cultural investment from Warrington’s successful economic growth. 12. We welcome creatives, entrepreneurs and digital innovators who wish to establish their businesses within the town. 4. A Place Branding Strategy is developed and implemented with culture at its heart, which establishes an identity for Warrington 13. An innovative, contemporary arts programme is developed and develops a strong sense of shared vision. throughout the borough.
5. As a borough, we connect with the wider cultural sector through 14. We develop the longer term visitor offer and capitalise on stronger regional, national and international partnerships. Warrington’s tourism assets.
6. A Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) is established to 15. We work collaboratively to find opportunities to ensure that provide a strategic plan for cultural education which aligns with culture and arts are a fundamental part of tackling our biggest wider borough plans and initiatives. health, well-being and social issues.
7. We embrace new technology to devise an inclusive strategy which will aim to increase engagement.
4 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Why hold a Culture Commission?
Warrington recently submitted a partnership bid to become the UK City of Culture 2021. While the bid was unsuccessful, the bid process has unleashed significant appetite for an improved cultural offer in Warrington among the local arts and digital communities.
Warrington’s cultural aspirations have previously been set out in the Cultural Framework for Warrington 2015 – 2020, which can be broken down into six goals: Goal One – A thriving cultural scene Goal Two – Creative excellence and talent Goal Three – Marketing Warrington Goal Four – Maximising investment Goal Five – Participation and inclusion Goal Six – Celebrating Warrington’s heritage.
The Commission will build on the work already undertaken for Warrington’s City of Culture bid and associated feedback to objectively lead an open debate, which focuses on cultural provision in Warrington and future opportunities to strengthen our cultural offer. Effectively, this will steer a refreshed cultural strategy, within which the council will take the role of commissioner, enabler and supporter. In response, a delivery plan will be developed which has public, community, voluntary and private sector representation. This will lead to key, collectively agreed priorities, including small steps that can be taken immediately and longer term goals.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 5 Aims and objectives of the Culture Commission
The Warrington Culture Commission was set up with the aim of • Review emerging opportunities for growth both in traditional arts objectively reviewing local, national and international evidence and and culture and more current approaches, such as contemporary research, seeking input from local stakeholders, recognised specialists arts or dance, and in new emerging areas such as digital. in the field and key cultural interest groups in order to inform public • Review good practice from other cities, both nationally and (if debate. The Commission took account of Warrington’s plans to relevant) internationally. develop into a new city and the desire to establish a unique sense of place in which culture plays a key part. • Seek engagement from a wide range of local stakeholders in terms of the needs and opportunities for cultural development in the Based on the informed debate and associated research, the new city. Commission has drawn evidence-based conclusions on current position and identified opportunities and areas for improvement. This • Review approaches to developing, supporting and retaining report sets out the recommendations of the commission. culture-related talent in Warrington. • Review our collective approach to events planning, commissioning The objectives of the commission were as follows: and management. • Review the existing evidence as regards Warrington’s current • Identify a range of opportunities and develop recommendations cultural provision, including deficits and assets. for action to improve Warrington’s cultural offer, including any effective marketing approaches to support and promote the offer • Review existing evidence, including that collated as part of the City as it develops. of Culture bid, as regards opportunities and ambition for culture in Warrington in the future. • Review opportunities for greater investment and how these could be maximised. • Seek evidence in various forms in terms of cultural offer in the surrounding areas, and potential strengths and niche opportunities • Report on its findings and conclusions. Recommend any changes for Warrington - creating opportunities for stronger collaboration. in approach required to ensure Warrington’s future cultural and economic competitiveness and support the development of a cross • Strengthen links to existing strategies. sector action plan for change. • Give specific consideration to governance arrangements (which was a key element of the feedback from DCMS on our City of Culture bid) in the context of Warrington’s desire to become “A thriving New City […] where arts and culture sit at the heart of the future development of our people, our creative industries and our place.”
6 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 What we did
The commission was launched on 7th February 2018 and membership During this time, a public consultation was taking place to gather public included key cultural sector and other influential representatives. opinion about the current cultural offer in Warrington and how people Members were sought to share their knowledge of their own sectors would like to see this being developed in the future. These views and work collaboratively to identify issues, solutions and improvement were taken into account within the final recommendations. At the actions, adopting an integrated approach to identify opportunities concluding meeting on 3rd May, 2018, the final recommendations in Warrington. A full list of commission members is including in detailed in this report were agreed by the commission. Appendix 1 and can be found on the Culture Commission webpage detailed below. All documents relating to the commission, its members and activity to date can be found on the Culture Commission webpage: An inclusive and engaging approach was adopted for the review which https://www.warrington.gov.uk/info/201085/culture_community_and_ was undertaken in several stages. Each stage informed the next, health/2386/warrington_cultural_commission resulting in a comprehensive body of evidence and themes to enable the commission to identify key issues and potential solutions, forming the basis of the resulting recommendations. Commission members provided positive challenge throughout the review and demonstrated collaborative and inclusive behaviours, seeking to overcome barriers to ensure the commission objectives were achieved.
A desktop review was completed to pull together recent international, national and local research into the impacts of investment in culture on people’s health, well-being and lifestyles, the economy and on the identity of the place itself. The current state of play in Warrington and possibilities for future development were outlined.
The emerging issues and aims of the commission were presented at the first full meeting of the commission in February 2018. This was followed up by a full day where ‘expert witnesses’ were invited to present evidence on some of the key issues. Comprehensive notes of the discussions around these issues and copies of the presentations on the day are all available on the commission webpage. A third meeting was held to review the emerging issues and possible solutions from all the evidence gathered in order to formulate a set of recommendations.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 7 Commission Findings – Research
An overview of Warrington
Warrington Borough has a population of more than 200,000 people authorities to come together to drive a joined-up art and cultural offer and is located 20 miles from both Liverpool and Manchester. Its locally, to share resources and bring about a more coherent and visible location and connectivity ensure that Warrington will continue to grow delivery of cultural education through Local Cultural Education and prosper. By 2040 it is anticipated that there will be a minimum of Partnerships. 26,000 new homes and 31,000 new jobs. Warrington is continually in the top ten best performing places in the UK for economic growth and It was identified that Warrington has an issue in retaining the 20-40 is one of the most attractive investment locations in the UK. age bracket. University of Chester, Padgate Campus, has the largest percentage of students that leave in the first year. 78% of students at Warrington is very mixed in terms of Multiple Deprivation but there are Padgate Campus have never been into the town centre. wide inequalities between people living in areas of high levels of deprivation and those living in areas of low deprivation; more deprived populations generally have poorer outcomes in terms of health, education etc. Therefore, the economic success of the borough masks the vast inequalities between wards meaning the ‘trickle down’ effect is poor.
Warrington’s population has more children (5-17 years old) than the North West as a whole. There is already a high level of engagement in arts and cultural education in Warrington schools, with 100% of schools engaged with the ACE funded Music Education Hub, and 27.8% of schools being registered for Artsmark. However, due to pressures from tight budgets, rising pupil numbers and an emphasis on core subjects, many schools are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. Quality cultural education is low on the agenda, with some secondary schools being forced to cut certain arts subjects from their GCSE options list.
In some areas, Local Cultural Education Partnerships (LCEPs) have been established to improve the alignment of cultural education for young people, in places where this is most needed. This requires art and cultural organisations, educational institutions and local
8 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Warrington’s cultural offer Some of the main providers of culture in Warrington are: • Culture Warrington (Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Pyramid Warrington town centre hosts a designated Cultural Quarter, and Parr Hall) characterised by many historic buildings and an attractive open space • Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival (Queen’s Gardens). This area provides a focus for development and a • Warrington Wolves Foundation cultural core. However, culture is not limited to this geographical • Cultural Remedies area. Warrington is home to many events and festivals, including • Walton Hall and Gardens Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival, which attract visitors from • Accent Warrington & Halton Music Education Hub. within and outside of the borough. There is an abundance of creative talent within the town. For example, there are many successful adult In addition, many community and voluntary groups participate in a and child amateur dramatic societies and drama, dance and wide variety of cultural activities across the Borough, including performing arts groups. Warrington Disability Partnership and Warrington Ethnic Community Association.
An audience analysis informed us that more of Warrington’s residents access culture outside of the borough than inside.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 9 Highlights from the desktop review
The Culture White Paper, published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2016, emphasised the role played by cultural activity in: education and life choices; physical and mental health; local economic growth; community cohesion.
The Local Government Association (LGA) document, People, Culture, Place: The role of culture in place making (2017), provides models of good practice. Specific relevant learning included:
• The process of building trust and confidence across organisations cannot be underestimated: moving too quickly, or not checking that everyone is on board and being listened to, risks the integrity of the partnership. • Every step must make sense to all the partners and this starts with developing a proper understanding of their shared territory, rather than jumping straight to delivery. Feedback from the City of Culture Bid • Pop-up museums can engage new audiences with local heritage; The feedback was very positive and encouraging. There were some areas with a permanent museum site can use pop-ups to provide outreach opportunities. development points as follows: • Effective community engagement should be in place from the • Warrington’s vehicle for delivering City of Culture activity was start, and this includes reaching out to communities seen as comparatively under-developed. disengaged from cultural activity. • Development of the cultural infrastructure to support the cultural economy. • Invest time and effort into the initial conversations: this will pay • Create evidenced baseline data, hard financial targets and a dividends in ensuring the strategy has a broad ownership. methodology to enable detailed economic projections to be made • Improving the historic environment and character of a place can based on past achievements. raise the quality of life for people who live there and attract new • Further develop regional and national partnerships. • Encourage business sponsorship. • Plan for rigorous evaluation. 10 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 businesses. • A focus on commercial business development, its ability to The responses, although negative in terms of how satisfied people attract partners with resources/expertise and a strong, inclusive are with the cultural offer in Warrington (64% thought that there vision is needed. Warrington did not have the right balance of cultural venues), are very much in line with the evidence presented to the commission and the • The need for sustainable business models for community discussions which took place at the meetings. buildings is necessitating a creative approach: new buildings need flexibility built into the plan so they can evolve and develop The stand out messages were: in relation to the needs, wants and resources of an area. • There is a strong desire for a theatre in Warrington – many Feedback from Hull people clearly expressed this in their comments. However, there was disagreement among some responses about the specific The success of Hull is thought to be the result of cohesive leadership, type of offer, and others did not specify the kind of theatrical strong communication and engagement with a wider group of experience they would like. stakeholders across the city region, including cultural, educational, health, regeneration and business sectors to develop a shared vision • There was a feeling that Warrington lacks identity or that people and programme. 50% of commissions during 2017 were inspired by are unsure what its identity is. history and heritage and artistic ambitions were rooted in what the • Linking with the above comment, many people felt that heritage people wanted. They used arts-based approaches to tackling issues and history were a very important part of developing a sense of within the city, such as health and well-being and connected with place and character. children and young people through schools. Hull’s volunteering model was highly successful. (The full analysis of the consultation can be found in Appendix 3) (A table of feedback from Hull which is relevant to Warrington can be found in Appendix 2)
What the people have said
A public consultation took place to gather public opinion about the current cultural offer in Warrington and how people would like to see this being developed in the future. A total number of 344 people took part in the survey, the majority of whom (77%) were Warrington residents. 43% of respondents work but do not live in Warrington.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 11 Key issues highlighted by the commission
Lack of clearly defined governance and delivery structures The commission has highlighted that there is currently a lack of shared vision despite the variety of quality grass roots arts and culture The City of Culture (CoC) feedback indicated that, although taking place. There is a recognition that community involvement in Warrington’s bid governance was in place, the lack of a cultural redevelopment, both physical and cultural, is key. The community are delivery vehicle was an area for development which would ensure an the heart and soul of any place and it has been recognised that it is infrastructure to implement the cultural delivery plan across the necessary to find out what people really want as part of a strategic borough. It was felt that, in addition to a steering body who would development process; the learning from other places strongly have a strategic overview of arts and culture in Warrington, developing advocates that research-led approaches will enable more robust a cultural framework and overseeing its delivery, there should also be planning of cultural activity. an ‘action group’ made up of cultural commissioners and producers. The commission felt that the composition of the steering body needs It emerged that it is necessary to develop an approach to improving, to be carefully considered to recognise and reflect the needs and promoting and marketing existing areas of excellence. There is a vast aspirations of diverse communities and therefore maximise impact. amount of cultural activity already taking place in the borough, strong features of this being community-led festivals and the Warrington Lack of identity Contemporary Arts Festival. The commission recognises the importance of supporting those communities and existing events It has been acknowledged that there is the need for a refreshed to enhance and raise the ambition of cultural activities across the cultural ambition in Warrington. The CoC bid acknowledged that many borough. people in Warrington do not have a strong sense of identity and that a feeling of ownership and pride of place are things that should be nurtured. While the heritage and character of Warrington came through strongly in the CoC bid, it is not always evident to the general public, residents and visitors alike. One of the strengths of the CoC bid was thought to be the way in which it embraced heritage in its future cultural plans, and evidence from other places (Hull, Coventry, Sunderland, Sheffield to name a few) reinforces the important message that heritage should underpin place-making strategies.
Warrington’s communities are disconnected which contributes to the lack of a sense of identity. The CoC bid promised to bring these communities together and now is a perfect time to involve communities in this process, give them ownership of the future of Warrington and to develop a cultural appetite.
12 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Lack of a cultural education strategy and low engagement The importance of developing partnerships and of schools and young people in the wider cultural agenda relationships with national and regional organisations in Warrington who could make a contribution to the development of Warrington’s cultural offer It was noted that there is a distinct lack of acknowledgement of the part that children and young people (CYP) can play in cultural The feedback from the CoC bid indicated that Warrington’s lack of development in the existing Cultural Framework document. The national partners was an issue in their bidding success. The lack of a commission felt very strongly that we drive forward an agenda for National Portfolio Organisation in Warrington is seen as something cultural education and consider how we can empower schools to come that needs to be addressed in order to enhance its reputation as a key along with us on a cultural development journey. The commission player in the cultural world. recognises the importance of engaging CYP in cultural activity from an early age and the value that their contribution into creating a vibrant, In addition, more clarity is needed around how regional partners culture-rich place could have. (e.g. Liverpool, Manchester and Cheshire) are being engaged in Warrington’s cultural journey. Potential partners include: VAiL (Visual The commission recommends that partnerships with schools could be Arts in Liverpool), FACT (Foundation for Arts and Creative Technology), a key factor in success and therefore a co-ordinated approach to CVAM (Contemporary Visual Arts Manchester), HOME, CVAN NW cultural education is needed, with schools working with each other (Contemporary Visual Arts Network North West), Film Hub North and and with cultural practitioners/organisations both in and out of the Culture Forum North. borough. There is a need to build understanding amongst young people and their parents about the scope and breadth of career The commission also identified the potential for collaboration between opportunities within the creative industries. the boroughs adjacent to Warrington, such as St Helens. Heart of Glass has a desire to facilitate a joined-up approach to addressing cultural It was identified that there is a need to examine how current venues development between the major centres of Manchester and Liverpool. attract young people; digital applications and social media were suggested as a means to engage certain age groups. The importance It was recognised that there is a need to further develop existing of libraries as key partners in cultural development was also partnerships between cultural deliverers already present in Warrington highlighted, as was the need to include libraries in discussions around – Culture Warrington, Contemporary Arts Festival, Walton Hall, Accent cultural development, as well as schools and cultural organisations. Music Education Hub, Warrington Wolves Foundation and others. Warrington is beginning to develop stronger links with Chester University but Manchester and Liverpool have well developed cultural research capabilities, as well as being centres of excellence which Warrington would benefit from making links with too.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 13 The importance of developing the cultural offer in the town centre
It has been identified that the town centre lacks vibrancy, which makes it unappealing to certain segments of the population. Warrington town centre is not seen as a place of high art and culture, and people are prepared to travel elsewhere to fulfil their cultural needs. There is a need to build an attractive proposition to encourage people to come to the town and to encourage the growth of a vibrant ‘café culture’ which is a place to both work and socialise. The commission felt strongly that in order to give both old parts and newer developments of the town centre the ‘life’ and vibrancy that it needs to instil pride, there is a need for future developments to be shaped by culture and therefore the commitment of the regeneration and planning departments to the process is key.
The lack of a physical theatre space, which meets the need of the amateur community and professional companies alike, has been identified in Warrington. Cultural audiences from Warrington are going out of the borough to access arts and culture and our high quality home grown amateur theatre companies are using venues outside of Warrington to perform. Research from other areas with a more developed cultural offer indicates successful growth of new assets can be achieved by building grass roots activities - develop a programme, attract investment and build an audience. Development of a new theatre space should be driven by our grassroots companies, working alongside professional partners to ensure delivery of a community owned and engaging asset.
14 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 The need to support the development of the digital industry and its impact on culture
It is important to include digital in any development plans. ‘Digital’ is one of the four prime capabilities in the Northern Powerhouse and can add significantly to the economy. The digital industry can be seen as a driver of creative demand as a digital economy attracts young, qualified urbanites who demand and expect culture. It was felt that more could be done to embrace the digital sector in Warrington, including engaging with the existing digital community, addressing the need for a physical hub and encouraging links with the education sector.
The need to secure investment for arts and culture
A barrier that has been identified is the lack of funding and the need to carefully consider how great ideas can become a reality. It was noted that organisations can become over-reliant on council support and that there is a need to find alternative ways of funding cultural activities. It was discussed that whereas capital is achievable, ongoing revenue support is more difficult and therefore a strategic approach to the sustainability of new and existing venues is necessary.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 15 Detailed Recommendations of the Commission
1. Establish a culture board and an independent cultural consortium to drive and deliver an ambitious and expanding cultural agenda in Warrington, which reflects the increasing diversity within the town.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Develop a vision for culture that integrates with wider place development and investment strategies. • Develop an understanding of how to use data sets to give an informed view of the cultural needs and help with decision making. • Build baseline data on the cultural sector to support advocacy. • Set clear objectives and time-frames, including planning for rigorous evaluation and financial targets. • Develop a refreshed Cultural Framework which builds on the City of Culture bid and includes reference to the views and needs of young people.
2. Cultural commissioners, deliverers, planners and developers should work closely together to ensure that town centre and other developmental plans incorporate arts, culture and heritage.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Place cultural commissioners within the regeneration department of the council. • Ensure that there is a shared understanding of heritage and culture around planning and re-development in Warrington. • Embed culture into every strategic development. • Adopt a flexible approach to licensing (e.g. pavement cafes, events, etc). • Work to reflect the increasing diversity within the town.
16 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 3. Secure ongoing investment into culture from Warrington’s cultural brand for the borough of Warrington. The Warrington successful economic growth. Contemporary Arts Festival should be key in implementing this. • Develop a place-marketing strategy, including better PR about To achieve this the commission recommends that we: town centre developments and better promotion of existing cultural activities, events and assets throughout the borough. • Develop a ‘Return on Investment’ formula for Warrington which • Develop a strong group of ‘Cultural advocates’ who will make a will inform an investment programme, potentially led by the positive case for culture. cultural consortium. • Develop a more positive approach to dealing with detractors, • Encourage investment in culture, for example, encourage acknowledging issues whilst clearly explaining the borough’s aims developers to contribute to the cultural economy in order to for the future. attract young, creative urbanites. • Develop partnerships and sponsorship with our large business 5. Connect with the wider cultural sector through stronger regional, base. national and international partnerships. • Explore how section 106 monies/community infrastructure levy can also result in cultural investment. To achieve this the commission recommends that we: • Request of the council that a new town centre housing council tax is used as additional funding for the arts and culture. • Build on the Accent Music Education Hub’s existing international • Explore how the Business Improvement District (BID) can be relationships through the Erasmus Programme to create involved in cultural investment in the town centre. borough-wide international links. • Further develop Warrington’s relationship with the University of 4. Develop and implement a Place Branding Strategy with culture at Chester. The university is keen to develop stronger connections its heart, which establishes an identity for Warrington and and greater visibility in central Warrington. develops a strong sense of shared vision. • Join relevant regional and national networks that are relevant to developing Warrington’s cultural offer. To achieve this the commission recommends that we: • Continue to develop the borough’s relationships with highly respected regional organisations such as FACT (Foundation for • Use a representative group, independent of the council, to lead Art and Digital Technology) in Liverpool, Heart of Glass in St on Warrington’s cultural branding strategy. Build on existing Helens, and smaller organisations such as Not Too Tame Theatre narratives and physical assets to represent the borough’s stories, Company and for dance, Company Chameleon (Manchester) and past and present, in a meaningful, ambitious and contemporary Phoenix Dance Company (Leeds). way. • Expand connections with Contemporary Arts organisations, • Involve communities, including the oldest and youngest regionally and nationally, to continue to develop the Warrington generations, in gathering these stories and presenting them as a Contemporary Arts Festival.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 17 • Develop relationships with Arts Council to put Warrington on 6. Establish a Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) to provide their radar and create a history of successful ACE funded a strategic plan for cultural education which aligns with wider initiatives, such as establishing a National Portfolio Organisation borough plans and initiatives. (NPO) to generate and drive change. • Develop relationships with other investors/funders, for example, To achieve this the commission recommends that we: Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, British Council, National Lottery, British Film Institute, Nesta, Innovate UK, Film Hub North. • Embed Children and Young people’s (CYP) voice in the review and • Develop relationships with local Museums, e.g. Liverpool future delivery structure of the Warrington Cultural Framework, Museum, Museum of Science and Industry (Mosi) and the with cultural education more clearly articulated as a priority. National Football Museum. • Utilise Warrington Association of Primary Heads (WAPH) and Warrington Association of Secondary and College Leaders (WASCL) meetings to provide a regular platform to reinforce the message that culture is beneficial to the town and should be an integral part of the education of young people. • Utilise Accent Music Education Hub and Livewire’s well-established relationships with schools and other CYP groups to further promote cultural education. • Champion the benefits of and develop opportunities for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for teachers and Youth Leaders, using the expertise within the borough, such as SLiCE (Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education). • Establish Cultural Ambassadors in schools and youth groups, including both staff and young people. • Encourage schools to provide high quality careers and pathways guidance in the arts. • Fully inform parents and school leaders of opportunities and of the benefits of studying arts subjects. • Work with University of Chester to support its ambition to have a stronger and more tangible impact on the cultural offer.
18 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 7. Embrace new technology to devise an inclusive strategy which will aim to increase engagement.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Consider the use of different digital formats to engage young people, particularly if the physical building does not meet their needs or expectations. • Use digital applications to build excitement around the town centre developments. • Digitalise libraries and museums to develop new audiences. • Enhance cultural activity in libraries to engage more people. • Ensure events are accessible for all and that facilities are access friendly. • Encourage inter-generational projects.
8. Establish a network of Warrington Alumni to provide positive role models to young people and ambassadors for culture in Warrington.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Work with school and local cultural networks to identify Warrington alumni who have gone on to achieve success in the creative industries. (Not necessarily famous – we need to reinforce the message that you don’t have to be famous to be successful.) • Include students from out of the borough who come to study in Warrington, in places such as Chester University and KS Dance. • Invite alumni to support the wider Cultural Marketing strategy, for example as speakers at events, schools, head teachers’ forums, business breakfasts and providing outreach activities.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 19 9. Place the community at the centre of physical and cultural growth of the town, instilling a sense of pride in the place and a renewed cultural appetite.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Use Warrington stories in creative, contemporary ways in order to develop regional identity and ownership across communities. • Build on existing events by merging activities and cross- pollinating audiences. • Use community hubs to further develop and promote cultural activity within the borough, building on the good practice which already exists. • Recognise the contribution made by volunteers in Warrington and support the development of the various groups. • Enable better use of public spaces to engage more people in cultural activity. • Maximise existing and new platforms to promote cultural events and activity in the borough, such as an Events Website or social media platforms. • Ensure communities and arts organisations are involved in embedding public art into future developments in the borough. • Encourage and recognise diversity and support engagement..
20 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 10. Deliver a new theatre for Warrington which meets the needs of • Commission professionals to work with young people to write both the local vibrant and successful amateur community and and put on plays in the communities, therefore encouraging touring professional companies. parents to engage with theatre. • Develop pop ups, using shopping centres and pubs as venues. To achieve this the commission recommends that we: • Cross-pollinate audiences by building on existing events and their ready-made audiences, such as Warrington Wolves. • Establish a sustainable theatre which has its own identity and • Engage with schools, families and communities. serves the market which is routed in Warrington and neighbouring locations. 11. Develop existing assets within the town centre into attractive, • Listen to the people and use Audience Agency Data and other thriving venues in which a varied cultural programme exists. evidence to inform decision making. • Use evidence-based approaches to further develop To achieve this the commission recommends that we: Warrington’s audience. • Support the Phase 1 application to Heritage Lottery Fund to develop the Warrington museum, art gallery and central library into a heritage and learning hub. • Put community at the heart of the redevelopment of Pyramid into a thriving, well-attended cultural destination. • Further increase the programming of Parr Hall as a live music venue. • Build on the success of the Makers’ Market by using Queens Gardens as a performance space. • Further strengthen the links between the cultural organisations in Warrington.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 21 12. Welcome creatives, entrepreneurs and digital innovators who 13. Develop an innovative, contemporary arts programme wish to establish their businesses within the town. throughout the borough.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we: To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Remove bureaucracy and create an invitational ethos. • Continue to build on the success of the Warrington • Establish a physical digital hub which encourages the Contemporary Arts Festival (WCAF). development of new talent through low-rent ‘start-up’ • Aim for Arts Council NPO (National Portfolio Organisation) opportunities, with accelerator programmes to develop young status in 2022 by ensuring that the aims and philosophy of the entrepreneurs, whilst tapping into the skills of the digital festival are aligned with Arts Council priorities. community which already exists. • Secure regular funding and investment to support the • Engage with schools, colleges and the University of Chester to development of the festival, for example ACE funding, business promote career development in the digital field and to provide sponsorship. apprenticeship opportunities. • Continue to develop a high quality offer in a wider range of • Create affordable artist studios/creative spaces for rent and/ art forms, such as dance, digital, theatre, music, which is or hot desk purposes, to attract creatives from a variety of art inclusive and accessible. forms to Warrington, with the potential for exhibition, • Continuously evaluate and analyse audiences to maintain an rehearsal, performance and retail space. exciting, relevant, well-attended programme of arts and • Work via existing networks with businesses which are already culture. established in the digital and creative sector. • Commission creatives to develop programmes of activity which instil pride in the town and create further demand, using spaces across the town, such as Golden Square, Queens Gardens, pubs, clubs, libraries and community hubs. • Improve the marketing approach to further develop audiences, increasing the number of participants and generating an interest in contemporary arts within Warrington. • Develop partnerships, within Warrington and neighbouring areas. • Move the festival from a regional platform to a national/ international one.
22 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Photo courtesy of The Manchester Evening News
14. Develop the longer term visitor offer and capitalise on • Embrace and build upon the growth of cultural events in Warrington’s tourism assets. Warrington by supporting existing events and encouraging the development of new ones, whether this be at a community To achieve this the commission recommends that we: level, or a national music festival. • Facilitate the event organising process by removing barriers to • Create a database of current spaces used for cultural activity, holding events in Warrington. An example of this would be the such as performance spaces, music venues, etc. ‘bond’ requested by the council from event holders. The council • Consider how wider borough assets might be developed, for should consider an alternative approach which promotes example: Burtonwood Airbase; Lewis Carroll (Alice in events whilst protecting community assets. Wonderland); Brewing and Distilling history (capitalise on the • Build on the existing Music Festivals (e.g. Neighbourhood gin renaissance); Wire manufacturing; Waterways, Transporter Weekender, RivFest). Bridge, Walton Hall. • Develop a joint marketing approach of the heritage attractions across the borough.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 23 15. Work collaboratively to find opportunities to ensure that arts and culture are a fundamental part of tackling our biggest health, well-being and social issues.
To achieve this the commission recommends that we:
• Develop partnership working (e.g. health and social care, young people’s services, housing associations) to include arts and culture in tackling some of the borough’s most pressing issues. • Investigate how the arts can be used in the prevention of illnesses and to supplement medicine and care. • Work collaboratively with the University of Chester to identify potential funding opportunities for applied research in arts, culture and wellbeing. • Commission programmes which encourage older people, including dementia sufferers, to engage in arts activities. • Ensure arts programmes engage with the most deprived communities.
24 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Appendix 1 - Culture Commission Membership
Adrian Friedli Cultural Consultant Cllr Dan Price Exec Lead Member for Culture, WBC Elected Member Andy Farrall Executive Director WBC Eleanor Blackburn Head of Strategic Partnership and Commissioning WBC Emma Hutchinson MD Culture Warrington Bill Carr MD Carpe Diem and Chair of Regional Institute of Directors Cheshire Ben Dunne Founder, River Reeves Foundation Janice Pounds Music Education Commissioner, Accent Music Education Hub Rob Griffiths General Manager, Motiv Sports Sebastian Farrell Theatre for Warrington Patrick Fox Director, Heart of Glass, St Helens Kate Lindley Head of Transformation WBC Stef Woof Warrington Voluntary Action, 3rd Sector Hub representative Brendan O’Sullivan Executive Dean of Arts and Media, University of Chester Leah Biddle Cultural Partnership Manager, Warrington Wolves Foundation Jude Bird Head of Education, Leadership and Research, Curious Minds Stephen Broadbent Artist (Warrington River of Life)
Support Team Lynn Radcliffe Cultural Commissioning Manager, WBC Jo Taylor Strategic Partnerships Manager, WBC Alison Harbidge Contracts and Commissioning Officer, WBC
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 25 Appendix 2 Relevant learning from Hull - Cultural Transformations Conference (March 2018)
Learning from Hull Why it is relevant to Warrington Implications for Warrington
Involve the people from the outset, bring Warrington’s communities are disconnected The Contemporary Arts Festival is a potential communities together. Hull was committed and there is a lack of a sense of identity. vehicle for this, as is a school’s programme. to supporting artists and communities. There has been a lot of negativity Community hubs should also be tapped into, surrounding culture in Warrington, as much great work is already taking place. particularly related to the CoC bid, which promised to bring these communities together. Now is a perfect time to involve communities in the redevelopment of their town, and give them ownership of the future of Warrington.
The council placed culture and economic It is now widely recognised that arts and Culture and economic development and development side by side (physically) in culture has the power to define, animate and regeneration need to work more closely order to widen the agendas for both. The regenerate towns and cities. Warrington is together to plan for arts and culture which is two departments worked together, which in an ideal position to take advantage of this built into the fabric of the place, rather than initially presented some challenges as both way of thinking. The town’s regeneration pro- just an ‘add-on’. Community involvement in were introduced to different ways of working. gramme is an ideal opportunity for bringing this is key, as an opportunity for bringing However, the outcomes were very positive communities together to celebrate the rich people on board in terms of both culture and and this is now thought to be one of the main heritage of the town and its future. regeneration. reasons for Hull’s success.
50% of commissions were inspired by history Warrington has a rich heritage, made up of Use Warrington’s stories, rooted in the and heritage. Using arts-based approaches to stories and physical assets. Place-making is borough’s heritage, and represent it in a present history made it more accessible. underpinned by heritage; build on existing meaningful, contemporary way. Involve narratives and physical assets. communities and young people in engaging with heritage through a variety of arts vehicles.
26 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Learning from Hull Why it is relevant to Warrington Implications for Warrington
Capital projects can lack community roots Warrington lacks a physical theatre space Look carefully at the results of the audience which leads to a big bang followed by silence. which meets the need of the amateur analysis which is being undertaken. Listen to Hull had long-term ambition and interaction community and professional companies the people – what do they want? between artist and audience. The ambition alike. Cultural audiences from Warrington are Develop an innovative programme – was rooted in what people wanted and the going out of the borough to access arts and contemporary artists doing bold things audience was ready and fired up for culture. throughout the borough. Continuously something new. evaluate and analyse audiences to maintain an exciting, relevant, well-attended programme of arts and culture.
A balance between a focus on local There is currently a lack of engagement with Improve the long term visitor offer. communities and cultural tourism was Warrington as a destination, and little reason Capitalise on Warrington’s assets to develop maintained. to visit, other than to work (with the the borough as a thriving tourist destination. exception of music festivals). For example, Burtonwood Airbase, Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland), Warrington as a producer – from wire to gin.
Hull used the challenges that the city faced Warrington’s economic success masks areas Use arts approaches to target these areas. and investing in culture was at the heart of that need to be improved. In terms of health, Develop a Cultural Manifesto for health and programmes to overcome these. They used well-being and academic success, there is a well-being and develop social prescribing to arts-based approaches to improving well- huge gap between lowest and highest areas include arts and culture. Take the arts to the being. The CoC evaluation found that the of deprivation and the ‘trickle-down’ effect is most deprived communities – can 10% most deprived in the city were not poor. Emergent health issues are: diabetes, Warrington reach the parts that other engaged. obesity, dementia, young people’s mental boroughs can’t? health, strokes.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 27 Learning from Hull Why it is relevant to Warrington Implications for Warrington
A world-class, highly praised volunteering Warrington has a rapidly aging population Use Hull’s highly successful model to develop programme was developed, attracting far and dementia is one of the borough’s a volunteering programme which aims to en- more volunteers than anticipated. High emergent health issues. gage targeted groups (for example, over 55s) quality training was provided. The biggest in arts and culture. impact of this programme was on the age group 55 – 64.
They engaged children and young people Schools are keen to be involved but have Partnerships with schools could be a key through schools. previously felt ignored. Young people’s men- factor in success. A co-ordinated approach tal health is one of the borough’s emergent to cultural education is needed, with schools health issues. working with each other and with cultural practitioners/organisations in and out of the borough.
Local partnerships planned for a legacy – Warrington is one of the most economically Develop partnerships and sponsorship with LAs and businesses worked in partnership to successful towns in the UK, and a thriving local and national businesses. Encourage provide financial support, advocacy, forward hub of businesses and growth. There is private developers to invest in keeping potential here for huge investment in culture young, creative people in the city. within the town. Further develop the relationship with Chester Warrington does not have a university of University. its own although it is home to a campus of Chester University.
Download the preliminary findings from Hull’s City of Culture year here: http://www.hull.ac.uk/beta/research/institutes/culture-place-and-policy-institute/report.aspx An Arts Council commissioned NESTA report which tries to predict how business and funding models are likely to change between now and 2030: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Experimental_Culture_summary_150318.pdf
28 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 Appendix 3 Cultural Warrington Survey - Summary results Corporate Services Directorate, Business Change and Transformation
1.0 Introduction
1.1 In March 2018 the Cultural Warrington consultation survey was opinions and viewpoints of respondents using various question types launched by Warrington Borough Council aiming to seek the including the use of scaling (e.g. very important…not all important, views on current art and culture provision in Warrington and how strongly agree…strongly disagree), yes/no questions and open-ended/ that offer could continue to be developed. free text.
1.2 The survey could be completed online or by completing the 3.0 Results questionnaire manually and sending it back to the Cultural Commission. The consultation was open to all including 3.1 In total 369 surveys were completed. Not all respondents Warrington residents, employees within the town, visitors and completed every question and in some questions respondents councillors. The survey consultation closed on 6th April 2018. could select more than one answer.
2.0 Context 3.2 There are 6 main questions with 3 additional free text questions that allow respondents to provided additional detail to support 2.1 Following on from Warrington’s City of Culture bid and the their answers. The survey also includes 10 ‘About You’ questions feedback received, the Cultural Commission is looking to which offer supporting data on the equality characteristics of identify future opportunities to strengthen our cultural offer and respondents, including age, gender, religion etc. provide aspirational recommendations to further Warrington’s ambitions to become a place where culture can thrive. 3.3 The following pages will provide a breakdown of each question.
2.2 The findings from this survey, along with other evidence and research including contributions from specialists in the field, will be used by the Cultural Commission to draw evidence-based conclusions on the current position and identify opportunities and areas for improvement.
2.3 The survey was designed by the Cultural Commission, in partnership with the Business Intelligence service, to capture the
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 29 3.4 Question 1 sought to identify the role of people responding to the consultation. Respondents could select more than one option Bolton Congleton Manchester Widnes in this question (i.e. someone could be a local resident and also Chester Liverpool Runcorn Wigan work in Warrington, therefore select both options). Cheshire Manchester Stockport Crewe Newton-le-Willows St Helens
3.7 8% (29) of respondents did not provide a full postcode so identifying the specific ward within Warrington in which they live was not possible. Over the page is a map illustrating the location of respondents who provided a full Warrington postcode.
Map1: Location of Warrington Respondents
3.5 The majority of respondents (77.9%) identified themselves as residents of the town. Respondents that selected ‘Other’ specified roles including cultural sector employees, chairs for specific local and community groups, school based respondents and local business and network representatives.
3.6 Question 2 asked for respondents to state their full postcode for their home. This information was collected to allow correlation between where people live and their views within this survey. Of those that responded, 78% (272) lived within Warrington and 14% (47) lived outside of the borough in one of the following areas:
30 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 3.8 The highest response rate came from the wards of Latchford 3.13 Graphs below illustrate the breakdown of culture importance West and Poulton North followed by Appleton, Great Sankey against the gender and age of respondents. South and Penketh and Cuerdley. The wards with the lowest response were Burtonwood and Winwick, Poplars and Hulme and Westbrook.
3.9 The largest out of area response came from Liverpool and Widnes.
3.10 Question 3 asked how important culture (arts and heritage) was in the Warrington’s future. Of those that answered, 53.2% selected Very Important, 39.4% selected Important and 6.9% chose either Not Important or Not Important at all. The gender (question 11) and age (question 10) of respondents were cross referenced with these selections where provided. There were no respondents under the age of 16 however, a number of respondents did not provide an age.
3.11 There were more females who responded to the survey (62%), compared to males (38%). Of the females that responded, 94% of them identified culture as either Very Important or important, similarly 93% males selected these options.
3.12 Of those respondents that provided an age, the 45-54 group were the highest responding age group, with over 25% of the total. 55-64 were next (22%) followed by 35-44 (21.3%), 25-34 and 65-74 both had 13.6% of respondents and 75-84 2.4%. 1.4%of respondents were 16-24 and there were no respondents from the 85 or over category.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 31 3.14 Question 4 asked if respondents thought Warrington has the • Requirement for a multipurpose venue (4.5%) right balance of cultural venues. 63.4% selected ‘No’. 20.4% • Consideration to the town heritage (3.8%) selected ‘Yes’ and 16.2% selected ‘Don’t know/Not Sure’. The • Happy with current facilities (3.2%) question also requests that people provide comments about the • Geographic consideration to facilities (2.6%) current venues in Warrington. • Other (7.9%)
3.16 Question 5 was a scaled question asking respondents to select to what extent they agree or disagree with the 5 statements. The 5 statements were:
1. Young people should play an important part in developing Warrington’s cultural offer. 2. Digital technology should be an important part in developing Warrington’s cultural offer. 3. It is important to have opportunities and support to develop creative businesses. 4. The rich history and heritage of Warrington should be an important part of Warrington’s cultural offer. 5. Cultural programmes should reflect the diversity and character of Warrington and its people.
3.17 The statement that most respondents ‘Strongly Agreed’ with was 5. Cultural programmes should reflect the diversity and character
of Warrington and its people closely followed by 1.Young people should play an important part in developing Warrington’s cultural 3.15 Over 150 comments were provided and these can be found in full offer. Statement 2 Digital technology should be an important part In Appendix A, however in summary, the main themes in developing Warrington’s cultural offer had the smallest volume respondents commented on were: of respondents strongly agreeing however had the highest level • Theatre venue required (46%) of respondents selecting ‘Agree’ thus illustrating it is still an • Clearer understanding and consideration of what the cultural important feature to many respondents. offer is (18.5%) • Current venues are not used effectively or not fit for purpose (13.5%)
32 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018
3.20 Over 220 comments were provided and in summary the main themes respondents commented on were:
• Investment in existing venues and future developments 3.18 Question 6 and Question 7 requested free text comments from • Promote town’s history and existing heritage respondents to the previous question giving them the chance to • Broader range of cultural services (e.g. music, art, dance, provide supporting commentary for the selection they had made. theatre) The comments reflected the themes with many enforcing their • A more diverse programme of events selection. • Communication and engagement with communities and groups.
3.21 Question 9 gave respondents the opportunity to add any further 3.19 Question 8 asked do you think the culture (arts and heritage) in comments they wanted to add. Warrington could be improved. 82.7% of respondents selected ‘Yes’, 2.9% said ‘No’ and 14.4% said ‘Not Sure/don’t know’ The 3.22 The remaining 10 questions relate to the ‘About You’ questions question also requests that people provide comments about how which offer supporting data on the equality characteristics of arts and heritage could be improved. respondents, including age, gender, religion etc. Age and gender have been referenced earlier in the report.
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 33 3.23 In response to Question 12 Is your gender identity the same as 3.29 Question 24 asked respondents to identify a religion/belief. you were assigned at birth, of those that responded, 94.5% said 55.8% selected Christian, 5.2% selected other and over 38% of ‘Yes’, 0.4% said ‘No’ and 5.3% selected ‘Prefer not to say’. respondents selected no religion or belief.
3.24 Question 13 asked are your day-to-day activities limited because 3.30 3.7% of respondents had served in the British armed forces of a health problem or disability which has lasted, or is expected (Question 25) and 27.5% of respondents had an immediate to last, at least 12 months. 9% of respondents said ‘Yes a little’, family member that had service in the British armed forces 2.8% ‘Yes a lot’, 84.1% said ‘No’ and 4.2% selected ‘Prefer not to say’. (Question 26).
3.25 Of those that selected ‘Yes’ to the above, Question 14 asked them to identify the impairment they had. Physical Impairment 4.0 Recommendations was the highest selected option with 55.9%, Long Standing illness was selected by 26.5%, and Mental Health condition was 23.5%. 4.1 The recommendations of this report are: Other impairments selected included sensory (2.9%), learning disability/difficulty (2.9%), autism (5.9%) and other (14.7%) which • Members of the Cultural Commission consider the responses included osteoarthritis, asthma and cardiac issues. of this survey and also review the individual comments made.
3.26 Question 15 asked respondents to identify if they were a carer, • Members of the Cultural Commission provide feedback to 90.7% said they were not, 7.2% said they were and 2.1% selected respondents about the how the feedback provided will be ‘Prefer not to say’. Question 16 asked those that said they were used in future decision making process. a carer to identify who they cared for, 43.5% of respondents selected parent and 34.8% said a partner/spouse. The remaining respondents cared for a child with special needs (13%) or other family member.
3.27 Questions 17 – 22 asked for information on respondent’s ethnicity. 98.6% of respondents described their ethnic origin as white, 0.4% selected mixed and 1.1% selected other ethnic group.
3.28 Respondents were asked to describe their sexual orientation for Question 23. 85.4% selected heterosexual/straight, lesbian/gay women was selected by 0.7%, gay man was 2.6%, bisexual 1.8% and other 0.7%. 8.8% of respondents selected prefer not to say.
34 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 References and Further Information
All documents relating to the commission, its members and activity to date can be found on the Culture Commission webpage: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/info/201085/culture_community_and_health/2386/warrin gton_cultural_commission
Culture White Paper - Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/culture-white-paper
People, Culture, Place: The role of culture in placemaking - The Local Government Association (LGA), 2017 https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/12.3%20-%20culture%20and%20place_v4_1_1.pdf
The Cultural Framework for Warrington https://www.warrington.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/9973/cultural_frameworkfor_warrington_2015
The Arts Dividend (2016) Darren Henley
For further information on this report or the work of the Cultural Commission contact [email protected]
Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018 35 36 Warrington Cultural Commission Final Report May 2018
Agenda Item 7- Supporting the Local Economy Policy Committee Draft Work Programme 2018-19 4 December 2018
Introduction - The purpose of this document is to assist in the development of the policy committee work programme 2018/19. The document contains the following information:
• Purpose and remit of the policy committee and topics it has looked at in 2017/18. • Guidance from the LGA on selecting work programme topics • National policy themes relevant to this committee • Local ideas for inclusion in the 2018/19 work programme.
What does the Committee do?
• The Committee assists the Council and Executive in developing, monitoring and reviewing the Council’s plans, policies and strategies • Scrutinises decisions taken by Executive Board, Committees, Sub-Committees and Officers where appropriate. • Makes recommendations to Executive Board relevant to its area of activity.
What topics can the Committee look at? • Development and implementation of leisure and cultural activities • Improvement of economic opportunities for residents • Employment skills and apprenticeships • Partnership working to develop training and career changing opportunities • Economic partnerships and growth • Regeneration • Council contracts – encouraging local businesses to compete and impact on jobs • Infrastructure improvement and development
What topics has the Committee looked at in the last year? During 2017-18 the committee looked at the following topics; • Warrington Means Business • Towns Infrastructure Plans • Strategic Transport • Homes/Houses and Infrastructure • Employment Support Programme • The Look of the Town Centre • Transport for the North • Airports and Ports • Skills Gaps and Barriers • Flood Management • Social Mobility of Young People in Warrington • WBC Careers for Young Peoples Service Agenda Item 7
Guidance for selecting work programme topics
The following criteria is a guide for prioritising and selecting topics for policy committee work programmes:-
Topics are suitable for inclusion when:
• the policy committee could have an impact and add value • the topic is of high local importance and reflects the concerns of local people • it avoids work duplication elsewhere • the issue is one that the committee can realistically influence • the issue is related to an area where the council is not performing well • the issue is relevant to all or large parts of the local area
Topics are not suitable for inclusion when:
• the issue is already being addressed elsewhere and change is imminent • the topic would be better addressed elsewhere (and will be referred there) • policy committee involvement would have limited or no impact upon outcomes • the topic is too broad to undertake any meaningful policy development • new legislation or guidance relating to the topic is expected within the next year • the topic area is currently subject to inspection or has recently undergone substantial change.
Defining work programme topics
For every item on the work programme, it should be clear:
• What is the issue/activity/policy development topic under consideration? • What is the policy committee being asked to do? • What are the reasons for/expected benefits of involving the policy committee in the matter?
• Is there a specific deadline for the piece of work?
Note: - Adapted from the Local Government Association Scrutiny for Councillors, Councillor Workbook Agenda Item 7
National Policy Themes relevant to this Committee
This section contains details of key national policy themes relevant to the committee which could have an impact on the Council’s customers and the town:- Infrastructure & Regeneration Tougher regulation for rogue landlords - A report by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has recommended that rogue landlords who exploit vulnerable tenants should face having their properties confiscated. The report also said that the most vulnerable tenants need greater legal protections from retaliatory evictions, rent increases and harassment so they can pursue complaints about repairs and maintenance in their homes. (19 April 2018)
Third of millennials ‘face renting into retirement - A new study has predicted that a third of the millennial generation will never own their own home. The housing outlook by the Resolution Foundation forecasts that half will be renting in their 40s, and a third could still be renting by the time they claim their pensions, meaning a significant leap in the housing benefits bill from £6.3bn today to £16bn by 2060. (17 April 2018)
Campaigners want improved greenbelt protection - The Campaign to Protect Rural England wants rules protecting greenbelt land to be strengthened, arguing that large- scale developments are being approved on designated land since new planning rules were introduced six years ago. The group says the number of major planning bids approved on sites within the greenbelt sites has risen from 15 to 27 a year since 2012 (14 April 2018)
Pothole fund – The Department of Transport has announced a further £100m from the Pothole Action Fund for local authorities to help repair any potholes and other storm damage. (26 March 2018)
Increase in Pothole related breakdowns - The number of cars damaged by potholes has almost doubled since the start of the year, according to figures from the RAC. The motoring organisation was called out to 5,540 vehicle faults linked to substandard road surfaces in the first three months of 2018. This was an increase on the 2,841 call-outs in the previous three-month period, but less than for the comparable time at the start of 2017. (18 April 2018) Sensor system trial to ease traffic congestion - City of York Council has been granted more than £3 million from the Department for Transport and the National Productivity Investment Fund to run a trial to tackle congestion. A network of sensors will collect data from passing vehicles to allow planners to change traffic lights to prevent congestion, predict traffic patterns and route vehicles through less busy areas. If successful, the scheme could be rolled out nationwide. (18 April 2018)
Agenda Item 7
Economic
Inflation lowest in a year - UK consumer price inflation fell in March to 2.5%, from 2.7% in February, according to the Office for National Statistics, the lowest rate in a year. (19 April 2018)
Rise in employment rates and wage growth - The number of people in work has reached a record high. The Office for National Statistics said that employment rose by 55,000 in the three months to February to 32.2 million. Unemployment fell by 16,000 to 1.42 million, a jobless rate of 4.2 per cent. It was also revealed that wages have grown faster than inflation for the first time in a year, with average earnings up 2.8 per cent in the three months to February year-on-year, while inflation was at 2.7 per cent. (18 April 2018)
UK manufacturing output dips - The ONS has reported that UK manufacturing output dropped by 0.2% in February - the first dip in almost a year and down from revised growth of zero in January. The ONS attributed the decline to falls in electrical appliance manufacturing and oil refining. Overall industrial output went up 0.1% in February, after a 1.3% rise the previous month. However, construction output dropped by 1.6% in February, on top of January’s 3.1% decline. (11 April 2018)
Retail woes force hundreds of store closures - Nearly 650 shops and restaurants have shut since the start of 2018 or are at risk of closure, according to analysis by BBC 5 Live's Wake Up to Money. Maplin and Toys R Us, both of which went into administration in February, account for half this total, with store closures affecting cities and towns. (24 April 2018)
High Street stores opening at lowest rate in seven years - New businesses are opening on UK High Streets at their lowest rate in seven years, research suggests. The Local Data Company, which studied the top 500 British town centres, found there were 4,083 new store openings in 2017, the lowest since 2010. A total of 5,855 outlets closed in 2017, meaning 1,772 shops disappeared overall last year. (11 April 2018)
Local Economy Policy Committee Work Programme 2018-19
Work Programme Purpose of the item What is the Committee Link to National Policy & Lead Date of Topic being asked to do? Local Context Officer Meeting Theme – Economic & Regeneration Digital hub for small To discuss how a policy to Forward findings and Nationally there has been Steve Park, 2 October creative businesses support the delivery of a recommendations to a growth in self- Managing 2018 digital hub could be formed. Warrington employment and small Director, This work will commence by Regeneration Board businesses, it is predicted Warrington & inviting representatives from and/or Executive Board that this trend will Co Carpe Diem, Sharpe Project continue. Some cities such and the Baltic Triangle to as Manchester have come and speak to the created hubs to support committee. such businesses Strategic Transport To review strategic transport Forward Transport for the North D Boyer, 2 October Initiatives initiatives either in progress or recommendations to have published a strategic Assistant 2018 planned Executive Board transport plan which Director, contains plans to Transport & transform road, rail, air Operations and sea connections to drive long term economic growth.
Starter Homes for First To explore what housing Forward findings and Nationally there is a Steve Park, 4 December Time Buyers types, tenures and schemes recommendations to shortage of affordable Managing 2018 are needed to support the Executive Board homes, particularly for first Director, (Homes in the right local economy, repopulate time buyers. Pocket living Warrington & places for the right the town and help the next is a London based Co people) generation into home initiative which provides ownership. This will include a compact heavily review of the demand/needs discounted homes for first analysis. This work will have time buyers who live or a specific focus on the town work locally
Centre.
Higher Education in To explore the changing Forward findings to Nationally skills shortages Steve Park, 12 February Warrington higher education landscape Executive Board continue to affect Managing 2019 and establish what the key productivity. Educational Director, factors are regarding the opportunities are a key Warrington & need for a higher education factor in enhancing social Co facility in the town centre mobility
Brexit To explore means / measures Forward findings to Steve Park, 9 April 2019 the council could consider to Executive Board Managing minimise any negative Director, impacts and exploit the Warrington & opportunities that arise from Co Brexit Digital hub for small To discuss how a policy to Forward findings and Nationally there has been Steve Park, 9 October creative businesses support the delivery of a recommendations to a growth in self- Managing 2019 digital hub could be formed. Warrington employment and small Director, Update This work will commence by Regeneration Board businesses, it is predicted Warrington & inviting representatives from and/or Executive Board that this trend will Co Carpe Diem, Sharpe Project continue. Some cities such and the Baltic Triangle to as Manchester have come and speak to the created hubs to support committee. such businesses
Theme – Leisure & Cultural Activities Cultural Commission To review and assist in the Forward The Cultural Commission Steve Park, 4 December delivery of the Cultural recommendations to was formed to develop Managing 2018 Commission’s objectives the Cultural and strengthen Director, Commission Warrington’s cultural offer Warrington & Co Standing Items for each meeting Update on developments and highway schemes