Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that would also be considered by Council at their meeting on 4^th September 2018, which sought approval for Coventry City Council to invest in a city readiness programme aligned to Coventry City of Culture 2021. 

On 5^thDecember 2017 (minute 74/17 referred), Coventry City Council committed £4.75m of Corporate Reserves for the UK City of Culture 2021 build-up programme, title year and legacy programme, to be drawn-down if the city was awarded the title. On 7^th December 2017, Coventry was awarded the title of UK City of Culture 2021 and on 10 July 2018 (minute 23/18 referred) the Council approved £3.25m of reserve contributions as part of £5.05m of reserves to be set aside to meet the Council’s commitments to UK City of Culture and cultural events cost. 

Alongside the Council’s contribution to UK City of Culture build-up, title year and legacy programmes, the city had been reviewing the potential for a city readiness programme, aligned to Coventry 2021. Ahead of City of Culture 2017, Hull developed such a readiness and legacy programme structured across themes of Place, Product, Positioning and People. Designed to maximise the benefits of being awarded the title, a city readiness and legacy programme addresses the benefits of aligned investment in areas such as city infrastructure; destination promotion and marketing; cultural capital; skills and sector development. Hull City Council successfully used UK City of Culture as a catalyst to accelerate development and regeneration. Investment from its City Plan and first-in capital commitments to the Hull New Theatre and Feren’s Art Gallery allowed the city to lever significant national funding from Government via the Northern Powerhouse and from Heritage Lottery Fund for its museums. Its investment in tourism also enabled the city to secure regional packages of funding from the Explore England Fund. It was proposed that Coventry City Council invest in such a city readiness programme for Coventry. 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves:

1)That governance arrangements for the City of Culture readiness programme are delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) following consultation with the Leader of the Council.

2)That delegated authority be given to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director Customer Service and Transformation, to investigate an express route for the employment of the posts necessary to ensure City Readiness for both the City of Culture and the European City of Sport.

3)That a report is commissioned and brought back to Cabinet which identifies and captures the benefits of the City of Culture in terms of improved opportunities and outcomes for our communities and any resultant investment.

4) Requests that Council:

i)Approves the addition of £5m to the capital programme for 2018/19 onwards for the development of a cultural capital investment programme in order to lever in external cultural and heritage monies in support of the Five Goals and Seven Big Ideas for Cultural Growth, as outlined in the Coventry Cultural Strategy 2017-2027.

ii)  Authorises that the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services be given the delegated authority to approve all elements of capital expenditure associated with Recommendation 1 above.

iii)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance, to identify and bid for grant assistance, where available, that supports the aims of the City of Culture and the European City of Sport. The delegated authority given under this recommendation shall include the power to accept the terms and conditions of grant funding and the entering into all necessary legal agreements to secure the grant funding where the level is below the existing Council threshold of £2.5m.

iv)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services, following consultation with the Cabinet Members for Policing and Equalities and Planning and Housing and the Chairs of Licensing and Regulatory Committee and Planning Committee, to explore opportunities to provide a one-stop shop for Planning, Building Control and Licensing services and simplify and streamline the decision making process to eliminate/reduce delays for development and events.