Agenda item

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which sought approval to the introduction of a city-wide Blue Plaque Scheme.

The report outlined a proposal to introduce a heritage plaque nomination scheme (commonly known as a Blue Plaque Scheme), to be hosted via the Coventry City Council website, inclusive of associated administration and element of financial support for successful nominations.

In the past, commemoration plaques had been erected in the city on an individual basis, and/or alongside the support of local historical societies, as well as the City Council, and add greatly to the cultural and heritage offer of the city.

Although the City Council has not had a formal scheme in place for many years, such proposals were often brought to the Council’s heritage team as enquiries regarding the due process of nomination and installation.

In this context, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities asked officers to draw up a best-practice scheme and liaise with stakeholders regarding the Council the re-introduction of a Council-led Blue Plaque scheme. The aim being to complement the existing, valued efforts of organisations, and to provide a route to plaque installation that varied from the pre-existing processes.

Following this process, officers drafted a route to nomination of commemorative plaques via the Local Authorities website, in order to establish this as the formal path for such proposals whilst introducing an assessment and recommendation process, supported by the Local Authorities heritage specialists. Final details were proposed to be delegated to the Head of Planning Policy and Environment, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, but would adhere to Historic England best practice whilst promoting and celebrating the diversity of heritage within the city.

However, it should be noted that a key component would be an element of public voting on Plaques to take forward, allowing a wide range of voices to be heard, reflecting the diversity of heritage within the city, and ensuring that was reflected in the Blue Plaques being installed.

Alongside the introduction of a nomination platform for commemorative plaque proposals, the council’s heritage team would concurrently be engaging in an audit of existing plaques in the city, in order to inform future recommendations in regard to levels of existing representation.

Furthermore, it was proposed that the development of an appropriate scheme for the promotion and management of two annual Coventry City Council supported heritage plaques, thereby ensuring that the financial cost of production and installation would not be a barrier to any specific person or even being commemorated with a Blue Plaque.

It should be noted that the establishment of the scheme would not preclude the erection of commemorative plaques outside of the Council’s nomination process, and the Council would continue to work positively with organisations seeking to install Plaques where appropriate.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member, having considered the report:

1.  Approves the introduction of a city-wide Blue Plaque Scheme.

2.  Delegates to the Head of Planning Policy and Environment, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and

  Communities, to finalise the details of the process.