Agenda item

Councillor Holden submits a report seeking member consideration and approval for the development of a Cultural Quarter in St George’s south area of the City Centre. The views of the Cabinet on the report are requested.

Councillor Holden submitted a report seeking the Cabinet’s consideration and approval for the development of a Cultural Quarter in St George’s south area of the City Centre. He commented that this issue had been widely reported in the local media and that various funding agencies such as East Midlands Arts and East Midlands Development Agency had already pledged support for the Cultural Quarter.

Various Cabinet Members spoke of their support for the project, noting the positive benefits for the City such as forging new cultural identity, the development of a brownfield site, and as a catalyst for regeneration and job creation.

The Cabinet noted that a commitment to Phase 1 of the project would result in a financial commitment of £6.6 million being made from the Council’s capital resources over the period to 2005/06. 

The Cabinet Lead for Arts, Leisure and Environment circulated a number of recommendations.

RESOLVED:

(1)that the concept of a Cultural Quarter in the St George’s south area of  the City Centre, comprising a new centre for the performing arts (with music venue), film and media centre, contemporary visual arts gallery and creative production facilities, be endorsed;

(2)that the first phase of development consisting primarily of the Centre for the Performing Arts and the Creative Industries Production Facilities, at an estimated cost to the Council of £6.6 million, be approved, subject to compliance with the agreed Strategy for Management of risk, described in Appendix 2 of the supporting documentation to the report;

(3)that the Director of Arts and Leisure, in consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member for Arts, Leisure and Environment, be authorised to procure Project Direction and Management support;

(4)that the Council’s contribution to the 1^st phase of development be capped at £6.6 million and that project management be required to secure the delivery of the concept within that figure;

(5)that within the £6.6 million, not more than £250,000 be spent on feasibility studies for later phases and £300,000 on the Creative Industries team, with the balance to be spent on the development of new facilities;

(6)that the Director of Arts and Leisure be requested to negotiate a specification with the governing organisation to be created for the Centre for the Performing Arts, including certain conditions with regard to: -

-flexible pricing structure to facilitate greater access

-developing outreach work within educational and community settings to increase participation and attendance

-active recruitment of disabled people and training for local people to enable them to effectively compete for new jobs created.

(7)that a commitment to the development of affordable housing within the Cultural Quarter be approved and  the Director of Arts and Leisure negotiate with the Director of Housing and private developers how this would be determined;

(8)that it be noted that an increased contribution to revenue budget provision, estimated at £250,000 per annum from 2005/06 would be likely, to support the Performing Arts Centre (and the development of incubator units), acknowledging this is subject to a further more detailed business feasibility study and which could be offset to some extent through funds secured from Arts Council of England’s drama review programme;

(9)that agreement in principle be given to establishing a Cultural Quarter Development Partnership as an independently constituted body, to deliver the Cultural Quarter of Leicester and that a further, more detailed report covering its constitution, terms of reference, timescale and funding implications be submitted in future; and

(10)         that the timescales be noted and further reports be submitted on the later phases of the Cultural Quarter, being the Film and Media Centre, the Contemporary Visual Arts Gallery, the Music Venue and further infrastructure improvements with estimated costs and potential contributions towards, to be determined by the outcome of the feasibility studies indicated.