Storey Creative Industries Centre Draft Business Plan
(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hanson)
Report of the Head of Resources
Additional documents:
Minutes:
(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hanson)
Cabinet received a report from the Head of Resources to consider the draft emerging options for The Storey’s business plan which sought Cabinet’s direction on the way forward. Whilst the report attached to the agenda was exempt from publication by virtue of paragraph 3, of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, a public version of the report had been made available on the City Council’s website.
Detailed option analysis, including risk assessment were set out in the exempt report although the options and officer preferred option, were set out in the public report as follows:
The report sought Cabinet’s direction on various Officer proposals, in particular:
(a) key business planning principles
(b) business space letting and development
(c) catering provision
(d) overall management capacity; and
(e) consideration of a community interest group
In view of the many proposals, there were various permutations of options but the following broad summary and analysis of options was provided.
|
|
Option 1:The Council continues with a private operator for the café / bar, but provides specific management capacity and presence, and events programming/support. |
Option 2:As Option 1 but with overall co-ordination provided by officer group with specific focus on events/programming support, rather than dedicated management. |
Option 3:City Council takes on full management and operation of The Storey in-house, including operation of the Bar & Catering concession. |
In considering progress to date and the financial projections, Cabinet could determine that none of the options represented an acceptable way forward, and it could instruct Officers to consider more radical alternatives for the operation or the building itself. This might require referral back to Council, depending on what was put forward.
In summary terms Option 1 was the officer preferred way forward. More specifically and where appropriate, the detailed Officer preferences underpinning Option 1 were set out in the various sections listed above and it was on these detailed aspects that Officers sought specific decisions.
Consideration of this report should help test out the primary role of the Storey. Members had previously resolved to retain its role as a Creative Industries Centre, which implied that its main focus should be an economic development one. However, it also provided an important cultural and community role, some of which also had economic benefits. Furthermore, the direction given by Cabinet would ultimately determine where responsibility for the Storey best fit within the Council’s management and democratic structures.
The report provided a base on which Cabinet could give direction regarding The Storey’s future, in advance of producing a more detailed and fully costed business plan.
The press and public were excluded from the meeting at this point when it became necessary to refer to information in the exempt report.
It was moved by Councillor Hanson and seconded by Councillor Leytham and resolved unanimously:-
Resolved unanimously:
(1) That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items ... view the full minutes text for item 9