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 at the meeting of the City Council on 3^rd September 2019, that sought acceptance of a £8.51m grant allocation to support the UK City of Culture 2021 and approval for the City Council to become the Accountable Body for this funding.

On 7th December 2017, Coventry was awarded the title of UK City of Culture 2021. The City Readiness programme was formed to maximise the benefits of being awarded the title, addressing the benefits of aligned investment in areas such as city infrastructure; destination promotion and marketing; cultural capital; skills and sector development. 

At the meeting of the City Council on the 4th September 2018 (their minute 45/18 referred) approval was given for the City Readiness Programme. The approval gave delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to identify and bid for grant assistance, where available, that supported the aims of the City of Culture, and included 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 was below the existing Council threshold of £2.5m. 

To facilitate the funding received the Cultural Capital Investment Fund had been created to combine all capital funding both internal and external to support and improve the cultural infrastructure. Investment in the city’s infrastructure created a legacy and ensured the benefits of UK City of Culture 2021 were felt by future generations.

As a result of actions undertaken, an allocation of £8.51m was announced in the UK Government’s Autumn Budget 2018 to support capital funded works to support the UK City of Culture 2021. It was confirmed that the funding would be distributed by Arts Council England to Coventry City Council, subject to their grant management processes and conditions.

This was an opportunity, through culture, to raise the profile of the city to attract new investors and enable significant regeneration.  Coventry had the benefit of the title for seven years from announcement, through delivery year to three years legacy and had already realised over £28.5m of media coverage so far.

Coventry had developed a partnership Cultural Strategy 2017-2027 for which City of Culture could be an accelerant, for achieving wellbeing and economic outcomes. The Council already had a £722m capital programme in place from 2019 to 2024 with, clear economic and regenerative goals.

The funding would support capital projects that would create production space and expand and improve event/performance spaces. It would also help restore key historic buildings in the City Centre and ensure that they played an important part in 2021 and, most importantly, continued as a legacy for the City into the future.

The Council had also been successful in securing £2.4m Growth Deal Funding from the August open call led by the CWLEP to support the City’s cultural capital infrastructure.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet recommends that Council:

1)  Authorises that the Council accepts the £8.51m grant allocation acting as Accountable Body on behalf Arts Council England to support Capital funding works in 2019/20 and 2020/21 in preparation for Coventry hosting the UK City of Culture 2021.

2)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to accept the terms and conditions of the grant, to enter into the necessary legal agreements to secure the grant and add to the Capital Programme as necessary.

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

4)  Authorises the £2.4m Growth Deal to be added to the Capital Programme as necessary.