This report updates the Committee on progress in delivering year 1 of ‘Reading, place of culture’ funded through the ‘Great Place Scheme’.

Further to Minute 13 of the previous meeting, the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report providing an updated on the progress in delivering year 1 of ‘Reading, place of culture’ funded through the ‘Great Place Scheme’. 

The report, in paragraph 4.1, provided an overview of the significant progress that had been made across all strands of the programme in the first year.  The progress had been overseen by a Steering Group of the three core delivery partners, leading on particular aspects of the programme.  The report also, in paragraph 4.2, set out the plans for year two of the programme that were already in-train and were seeking to build from the foundations of the first year whilst strengthening connections between the various components and further developing network and collaboration.  Across the programme the aim was to develop and deliver sustainable change and impact by the end of the three year period.

Liz Allen, Cultural Development Officer, and Rebecca Lyndsey, National Management Trainee, gave a presentation that provided further details on the delivery of the first full year of the programme and the proposals and plans for year two.

Resolved –

(1)      That the progress made in delivering ‘Reading, Place of Culture’ over the first full year of implementation as set out in paragraph 4.1 of the report, be noted;

(2)      That the proposals to further develop the programme of work in the second year of delivery as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report, be endorsed.