Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Sands)

Report of the Head of Community Engagement

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Sands)

Mr John Angus, Director of the Storey Gallery, who had registered to speak on this item in accordance with the City Council’s agreed procedure and Cabinet Procedure Rule 2.7, spoke on behalf of the Storey Gallery and responded to questions from Cabinet Members.

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Community Engagement to seek members’ views as to future arrangements regarding the Council’s Service Level Agreement with the Storey Gallery.

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

The options were to:

1          No longer have an SLA with the Storey Gallery.

2          Reinstate the SLA in full or in part. It was likely that the findings of the consultant would lead to a complete redrafting of the existing agreement if either of these options were selected.

In the light of the findings of the consultants report the officer recommendation was Option 1.   The City Council has had in place a long standing SLA with the Storey Gallery company. The current financial and operational difficulty the company was facing had led to the closure of the gallery space and a review of its current operational and financial arrangements.

Councillor Sands proposed, seconded by Councillor Bryning:-

“(1)      That Cabinet recognises that the grant to the Storey Gallery company is in two parts. A £27,100 ring fenced grant for the purpose of rent and £10,700 for artistic activities.

(2)        That the ring fenced grant of £27,100 be no longer allocated to the Storey Gallery company but used to support the future management and operation of the Storey Gallery space as it is essential for the management of this space.

(3)        That the £10,700 grant be held back until detailed proposals regarding any specific project are brought forward by the company for consideration by Cabinet.

(4)        That any proposals brought forward should indicate the likely financial support of the Arts Council, Lancashire County Council and/or other funding bodies as appropriate.”

 Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That Cabinet recognises that the grant to the Storey Gallery company is in two parts. A £27,100 ring fenced grant for the purpose of rent and £10,700 for artistic activities.

(2)        That the ring fenced grant of £27,100 be no longer allocated to the Storey Gallery company but used to support the future management and operation of the Storey Gallery space as it is essential for the management of this space.

(3)        That the £10,700 grant be held back until detailed proposals regarding any specific project are brought forward by the company for consideration by Cabinet.

(4)        That any proposals brought forward should indicate the likely financial support of the Arts Council, Lancashire County Council and/or other funding bodies as appropriate.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Community Engagement

Head of Resources

Reasons for making the decision:

The decision fits with the Corporate Plan Economic Growth priority:  Support arts in the district working with the Arts Partnership.