Issue - decisions

'Reading, Place of Culture' (Great Place Scheme)

11/04/2019 - 'Reading, Place of Culture' (Great Place Scheme)

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report updating the Committee on the progress in delivering year 1 activities as part of ‘Reading, place of culture’ funded through the ‘Great Place Scheme’.  The Council learned in April 2017 that the bid had been successful (one of only 16 grants awarded across England and the only urban area to receive a grant in the South-east region).  The amount of grant awarded had been £558,400 to deliver a range of programmes over three years linked to the objectives of the Great Place Scheme and complementing cultural activities and initiatives already underway in the Borough.  The Council received formal ‘permission to start’ from the funders on the 12 December 2017 and the report summarised progress in delivering the programme against the ‘approved purposes’ agreed by the funders, these were:

  • Strategic partnership building;

·         Research and evaluation;

·         Cultural outreach and creating a platform for cultural commissioning;

·         Reading-on-Thames Festival;

·         Economic Development and business engagement.

These strands of the programme were intertwined with many connections between different elements but the above provided a useful framework for tracking and evidencing activities and impacts.  A narrative of the successful Great Place Bid was attached to the report at Appendix A and a summary presentation given to funders at a progress meeting in October 2018, which summarised significant progress made in year 1 of the programme, was attached to the report at Appendix B. 

The report, in paragraph 4.1, provided an overview against key strands of the programme and highlighted, in particular, how the programme was beginning to address the needs of Reading’s more vulnerable communities.  The report also, in paragraph 4.2, set out the proposals to further develop the programme of work.  The work over the next two years would be increasingly informed by evaluation feedback, strengthened partnership working and a better understanding of local needs and community aspirations.

Resolved –     That the progress made to date on delivering ‘Reading, Place of Culture’ as set out in paragraph 4.1 of the report be noted and the proposals to further develop the programme of work as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report be endorsed.