Report attached.

Report: Cabinet approval of the A Good Life – Draft Culture Strategy report

Presented by: Councillor Gillian Ford, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care Services

Cabinet:

1. Approved the draft Culture Strategy for 2025-2028, ‘A Good Life’ as attached at appendix A of the report.

2. Delegated to the Head of Leisure and Culture, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing the ability to amend and update the Culture Strategy from time to time, provided that such changes do not contravene the principles detailed in this report.

3. Delegated to the Head of Leisure and Culture, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing the ability to take all steps necessary to deliver the Culture Strategy including (but not limited to) applications for, acceptance of and spending of external funding.

Report: Cabinet approval of the A Good Life – Draft Culture Strategy report

Presented by: Councillor Gillian Ford, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care Services

Summary

1. On 13 March 2024, Cabinet agreed to the incorporation of a company limited by guarantee wholly owned by the Council for the purpose of delivering the London Borough of Culture (LBOC) year (if awarded) and/or realising and delivering other cultural and place making opportunities. The application to be LBOC was unsuccessful.

2. During the application process for the LBOC, there were positive conversations with external funders who have expressed a desire to reverse the Borough’s lower investment through external funding per head compared to other London Boroughs. These conversations have continued since the outcome for the LBOC.

3. A draft cultural strategy, A Good Life was appended to the report (Appendix A), has been written based on the LBOC application. Projects from the LBOC application have formed the focus of the strategy. This was following consultation with over a thousand people and over fifty groups and organisations.

4.    The strategy has been developed by the public, private and voluntary sector in Havering, and represents the planned strategic work of a broad range of organisations and groups. It is a consortium strategy designed to act as a three -year catalyst for nurturing and growing the cultural life of a rapidly changing place. It is designed to be used by anyone developing, making and building cultural activity in Havering. It supports a shared vision across a networked borough.

5.    A Good Life has the following vision:

A Good Life is a transformational approach to the long-term wellbeing of Havering’s residents within a radically changing place. Empowering communities, nurturing social connectivity, addressing inequality, building a

sustainable creative ecology, and promoting good physical and mental health are foundations of the strategy.

6.    A Good Life has five principles:

Developing a creative health borough;

Intricately weaving the concept of long-term wellbeing through cultural activity.

Transforming the cultural ecology;

Capacity building to benefit from growth and seeking a levelling up in investment.

Redefining heritage for the 21^st Century;

Rebalancing the widest definition of heritage, to better include the borough’s new population.

Every child and young person engaging in culture;

Uniting education and arts partners to empower young people and make them feel proud.

Addressing social and environmental justice;

Helping lead the way in dismantling inequalities and addressing the climate emergency.

7. The principles are followed by a number of objectives:

·       A bold new identity for Havering that celebrates all our people, places, and heritage.

·       Harness culture to embrace and champion the fast changing nature of Havering's communities ensuring representation for all.

·       Transform our cultural ecology, addressing structural inequalities, building new artistic legacies for Havering.

·       Engage all people in culture, enabling access physically and digitally across every part of the borough.

·       Empower talent and provide new opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities, prioritising social justice and equity.

·       Address health inequalities and the physical and mental wellbeing of all our residents.

8. It is recommended that progress with drafting a cultural strategy involving extensive consultation is noted and that the Council ‘signs up’ to endorsing the draft strategy.

9. There have been positive conversations with a number of strategic funding partners following the outcome of the LBOC application. One such conversation with Arts Council England (ACE) has resulted in an expression of interest being submitted. Subject to a successful outcome of the expression of interest, a full funding application will be submitted to ACE to part fund the delivery of A Good Life.

10.   Arts Council England expect other funding to be secured as match funding for their contribution if successful. As such, other funding applications to a range of funders are also being prepared to raise sufficient funding to deliver all of the projects within A Good Life. It is expected funding applications will be submitted to Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England, National Lottery Communities Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, City Bridge Trust amongst others.

11.   By delivering these projects subject to successful funding applications, the Council will be adhering to the Vision: The Havering You Want to be Part Of, and the principle, Place – a great place to live, work and enjoy. Outcome – Improve Havering’s art, history, leisure and culture offer.

12.   This decision is required as external funding applications and the acceptance of the terms and conditions of any grants if successful require the sign off from the S151 Officer.

Cabinet:

1. Approved the draft Culture Strategy for 2025-2028, ‘A Good Life’ as attached at appendix A of the report.

2. Delegated to the Head of Leisure and Culture, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing the ability to amend and update the Culture Strategy from time to time, provided that such changes do not contravene the principles detailed in this report.

3. Delegated to the Head of Leisure and Culture, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing the ability to take all steps necessary to deliver the Culture Strategy including (but not limited to) applications for, acceptance of and spending of external funding.