Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children and Education Services

Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children’s and Education Services which indicated that in June 2022 the Departments for Education and for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport published a refreshed National Plan for Music Education: the power of music to change lives, setting out government’s priorities until 2030 for music education. Subsequently the Music Hubs programme was announced as changing from 119 Hubs to 43 larger more strategic Hubs to be in place for September 2024.

Since 2012 Coventry City Council has been the lead organisation for the single Local Authority Music Hub, with independent local governance and a collection of delivery and strategic partners. The grant of approximately £530K per annum, based on a national funding formula, has been used to support both the Music Service and partners during this period.

In 2024 following consultation with partners, Coventry City Council submitted a bid to be the Hub Lead Organisation in a consortium for the region of Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. Coventry City Council subsequently became the lead organisation for ‘Heart of England Music’ the Music Hub for Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire, managing the revenue and capital grants on behalf of the 3 Local Authorities.

During the 2024/25 academic year the 3 Local Authority Music Services work within the remits of an agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the Arts Council England (ACE) grant conditions to deliver the Hubs programme. The MOU will be updated for 2025/26 academic year to mirror the changes to the funding formula, any Music Hub Partners commissioned delivery, and any changes required due to updated grant terms and conditions for 2025/26.

The regional funding amount will be £1,708,871 for the 2025/26 academic year with £549,373 specifically allocated for Coventry. Coventry City Council will retain a £25k management fee from the overall grant allocation for management and reporting responsibilities. This is an increase from £8K in 2024/25 following a review of expectations during the first year of the new Hub programme. The ACE grant for Music Hubs is confirmed until August 2026. The national grant is allocated via a formula based on 90% per child in LA areas and 10% based on a free school meals calculation.

Music Hubs, as part of the grant conditions, must demonstrate an ability to generate additional match funding exceeding the grant amount. This can include income from partners of the Music Hub, which is recorded by ACE but does not go through the Music Hub’s accounts. This condition is met as the total Music Hub traded income already exceeds the grant allocation. Options to develop the partnership model will continue to be explored to grow the service’s income, expand the reach for Children and Young People, and explore efficiencies where appropriate.

To fulfil the conditions of the grant a board of stakeholders and partners has been established to provide external governance, including, but not limited to, Early Years settings, schools (including specialist), Further Education, Higher Education establishments and industry partners. The Board oversees the setting of SMART objectives for the regional music hub, monitors performance against educational targets, as well as overseeing fundraising, income and the financial management of partners.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-:

(1)  Approves acceptance of the revenue grant for academic year 2025/26 from ACE to the sum of £1,708,871 and by way of such, acceptance that Coventry City Council will continue as the Music Hub Lead for the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire region.

(2)  Approves the allocation of the necessary grant funds, derived from (1) above, to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (£355,704) and Warwickshire County Council (£803,795), subject to the funding of other Hub member organisations as determined by the Music Hub Independent Board.

(3)  Approves entering into the necessary grant arrangements and other required legal documentation with ACE and Coventry City Council's delivery partners to deliver upon the requirements of (1) and (2) above.

(4)  Delegates authority to the Director of Children’s and Education Services, following consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, to enter into such contractual arrangements to give effect to the above recommendations.