1. To give approval to submit a funding bid application for £382,500 to Arts Council England to develop a Place Partnership project as set out in this report and subject to:

a. The Portfolio Cabinet Member taking the position of Chair of the Cultural Compact

b. Gravesham Borough Council branding to continue to be used

c. The Arts & Culture team continuing to deliver as they currently do

2. Approve match funding of £67,500 over the 4 years of the project (£16,875 per annum) from existing budgets

The Director (Communities and Inclusive Growth) & Deputy Chief Executive presented Cabinet with a report that outlined the details of the Arts Council England’s Place Partnership funding opportunity and to seek the approval to submit a full application based on the proposals set out in the report.

The Director (Communities and Inclusive Growth) & Deputy Chief Executive advised the council had been invited by Arts Council England to submit a bid for a place partnership. This was a single pot of funding that would be allocated to a borough or a sensible geographical area - neighbouring areas, such as Medway have previously received the funding.

It was proposed that the bid be for a sum of £382,500, and whilst the bid did range up to £1m, further discussions with Arts Council England led to it feeling as though this figure was the right level for GBC. This would support a large programme of community events, such as The Fringe Festival and the Lights Festival. Currently, such events were funded by Arts Council England on an ad-hoc basis using a pot that all organisations were bidding for. This pot had diminished in recent years and the demand for the fund had increased, with the last two bids submitted by GBC having been unsuccessful.

The Place Partnership would allow the council to have a flexible pot over a three-year period that could support a range of uses and would allow the council to raise its profile as an arts and culture destination and to support the arts and culture strategy in its delivery of a vibrant and aspirational arts and cultural events programme. The council would be providing some match funding towards the programme which would come from the existing arts and culture budget already committed to such activities. As per the terms of the funding, the council would need to establish a consortium of partners that would lead the project in the form of an advisory group chaired by the portfolio holder – with all funding would be subject to GBC approval.                      

The portfolio holder for Community and Leisure noted that this funding would allow for additional events to be developed and will raise the council’s profile. The place partnership approach would directly support the objectives within the corporate plan.

This project would be led by the council – at this stage, it had not been agreed who the members of the advisory group would be. There were various models that could be considered, and they would be explored with the Head of Arts and Culture to understand who the appropriate bodies would be to sit on that group. This would be developed alongside the process of submitting the bid. The Director (Communities and Inclusive Growth) & Deputy Chief Executive was of the view that it should represent bodies funding or del9ivering activities across the borough.

Resolved that Cabinet:

1.   Give approval to submit a funding bid application for £382,500 to Arts Council England to develop a Place Partnership project as set out in this report and subject to:

a)    The portfolio cabinet member taking the position of Chair of the Cultural Compact

b)    Gravesham Borough Council branding to continue to be used

c)    The arts and cultural team continuing to deliver as they currently do

2.    Approved match funding of £67,500 over the 4 years of the project (£16,875 per annum) from existing budgets.