Decision details

Storey G2 Arts Proposal

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Hanson and Sands)

 

Mr John Angus, who had registered to speak on this item in accordance with the City Council’s agreed procedure and Cabinet Procedure Rule 2.7, spoke in support of an arts project based in Freeman’s Wood in the Castle Ward of Lancaster.

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) to seek Members views on providing funding to Storey Gallery arts organisation, now named Storey G2.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1:The Council provides match funding to Storey G2 so that they can deliver this project

Option 2: The Council does not provide match funding to Storey G2.

Advantages

The project will engage with the local community from the Castle ward  area

 

Attract £47,750 of external investment into the arts

 

It would allow Storey G2 to continue to operate at least for a further year

 

 

Provides the opportunity to use the Council’s funding for something else that supports Corporate Priorities or to be taken as a saving. 

 

 

Disadvantages

Unclear how this project will support the Council’s current Corporate Priorities

 

Economic impact is unclear

 

Does not sustain Storey G2 in the long term as this is project funded for 1 year only

 

Need for this project has not been established

 

 

It is unlikely that Arts Council and County Council funding will be agreed without City Council funding being in place

 

 

Possible local community benefits may be lost 

 

 

Risks

Any risk associated with the use of the land, which is separately owned, are not clear.

 

Supporting a project that does not clearly link to the Council’s Corporate Priorities could be confusing and make thing less clear in the future in terms of determining what the Council supports and doesn’t and why. 

Without City Council support the project in unlikely to proceed and the future of Storey G2 would be unclear

 

Communications are required with the other Arts funders to ensure their investment in Arts in the district is maintained and the Council’s overall contribution and objectives are clear.

 

 

 

 

 

Option 2 is the officer preferred option.  Monies provided to support the arts need to demonstrate that they make a positive impact to the local economy.  The evidence supporting this project does not point to any demonstrable benefits to the local economy which would arise from the local taxpayers contributions. 

 

Councillor Sands proposed, seconded by Councillor Hanson:-

 

“That £8K be awarded from the Council’s Revenue Budget for 2013/14 to the arts project on the understanding that the applications for funding to the Arts Council and Lancashire County Council are successful.”

 

It was proposed by Councillor Barry, seconded by Councillor Blamire and accepted as a friendly amendment by the proposer and seconder of the original proposition:-

 

“That the artwork is disseminated at a local venue as part of the project.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved:

 

(7 Members (Councillors Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Hamilton-Cox, Hanson, Leytham and Sands) voted in favour, 1 Member (Councillor David Smith) voted against).

 

(1)        That £8K be awarded from the Council’s Revenue Budget for 2013/14 to the arts project on the understanding that the applications for funding to the Arts Council and Lancashire County Council are successful and that the artwork is disseminated at a local venue as part of the project.

 

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning)

Chief Officer (Resources)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The project will engage with the local community from the Castle ward area and attract external investment into the arts, allowing Storey G2 to continue to operate at least for a further year.

 

Report author: Andrew Dobson

Publication date: 14/02/2014

Date of decision: 11/02/2014

Decided at meeting: 11/02/2014 - Cabinet

Effective from: 22/02/2014

Accompanying Documents: