Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the achievements of the current Cultural Strategy 2019 – 2026.

2.    Note that the Cultural Partnership Board will develop a new Cultural Strategy for 2027 – 2034.

3.    Note the proposal to undertake consultation in support of the creation of a new strategy.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the progress made by the Local Cultural Partnership Board in delivering against the Cultural Strategy since 2018. It also set out the proposed process for the renewal of the Strategy, including related consultation.

At the time of writing the Strategy, Rotherham was approximately 10% behind the national average for participation in physical activity, the arts, museums and libraries. Consequently, the Strategy set out an overarching goal to ‘get more people active, creative and outdoors, more often’, in order to address lower participation numbers in cultural activities and because of the benefits of participation to improving social, health and economic outcomes. Physical activity levels amongst adults were now 8.6% under the national average and 7.3% behind the Yorkshire and Humber average, demonstrating modest improvement over time. Six years later, the data sample size had been reduced on the current Active Lives Survey and some organisations questioned its validity. Furthermore, data was no longer collated in the same way for Arts engagement, so it was not possible to compare like-for like.

As part of the renewal process, the Cultural Partnership Board would explore

the feasibility of recreating the Active Lives survey as was conducted in 2019 to provide a comparable set of figures. If this was not possible, then

there was a significant range of alternative metrics now in use, within the

control of local partners, which enabled the Council to explore trends and evidence progress.

The Strategy was categorised into 7 “Game Changers” in order to simplify its target work areas and provide structure for its achievements.

These were:

1.    A Vibrant Heart

2.    Amazing Events

3.    Adventures In Rother Valley

4.    A Great Place for Wentworth and the Dearne Valley

5.    Vital Neighbourhoods

6.    Turning Passion into Profession

7.    Children’s Capital of Culture

Paragraphs 2.2 to 2.8 of the report provided details on the successes against each of the Strategy targets.

The Strategy noted that the Cultural Partnership Board would need to make the best use of resources, reacting positively and swiftly to changing needs and demands, securing new investment from funders who shared the Borough’s vision. To date, external investment secured included:

·       Increased Arts Council England investment from £136,470 in 2017/18 to £2.8m in 2024/25.

·       £2m in ACE Creative People & Places investment.

·       £19.2m LUF for leisure economy development.

·       £3.3m from Sport England.

·       £2,549,454 contributing to total project costs of £3,586,330 (126 different projects) from The Football Foundation.

·       Increased average annual investment from Historic England from

·       £19,688 prior to 2019, to £448,251 from 2019 to 2024 – securing a total of £2,689,503 in that period.

In addition, organisations within the Cultural Partnership such as Wentworth

Woodhouse, Gullivers and Grimm and Co had brought in significant inward

investment, contributing to jobs and growth and driving up opportunities to

participate.

Renewal of the Strategy would need to begin before the end of 2025 in order to provide sufficient lead in to create a new strategy before the end of 2026. In light of the progress made in delivering the Strategy to date, the Cultural Partnership Board members were of the view that the renewal process for the new Strategy would be straightforward due to the achievements set out under each of the ‘Gamechangers’ in sections 2.2 to 2.8, and the metrics established for the current Strategy, particularly in areas of joint working such as Children’s Capital of Culture. This suggested that the Cultural Partnership Board and its related networks had the knowledge and expertise to produce a credible update. This would avoid the need for significant additional resource to pay for consultants. The proposed timetable for the renewal of the Strategy was set out in Section 5 of the report. Details of the proposed consultation process were set out in paragraph 2.13. It was confirmed that the finalised Strategy would be provided back to Cabinet in September 2026 for endorsement.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the achievements of the current Cultural Strategy 2019 – 2026.

2.    Note that the Cultural Partnership Board will develop a new Cultural Strategy for 2027 – 2034.

3.    Note the proposal to undertake consultation in support of the creation of a new strategy.