The North Yorkshire Council

 

Corporate Director (Resources) in consultation with Executive Members

 

11th March 2024

 

Cultural Development Fund – Expression of Interest

 

Report of the Corporate Director of Community Development

 

1.0         PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1         To request approval from the Corporate Director - Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, and Executive Members for Culture, Arts & Housing, and Open for Business, to authorise submission of an EOI to the Cultural Development Fund for £4.7m for the Artery project.

 

 

2.0         SUMMARY

 

2.1         The Selby area has been identified as both a ‘Priority Place’ by Arts Council England (ACE) and a ‘Levelling Up for Culture’ place’ by the Government’s Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

 

2.2         The Cultural Development Fund is a DCMS grant programme, administered by Arts Council. Round 4 is currently open with £15m total grant pot.

Available funds (per project):

£2m - £5m (of which up to £700k for revenue activity)

For capital investment in physical space (construction projects) for culture and creative industries purposes. And/or capital investment in other assets for culture and creative industries purposes.

 

Aims:

·         Unlock local growth and productivity;

·         Increase access to excellent creativity and culture;

·         Regenerate communities.

 

2.3         The CDF ‘Artery’ project outlined in the report links into the existing Selby Station Plaza flagship regeneration programme that will enable Selby to capitalise on its cultural heritage, making the town more appealing, and increasing footfall. Cross-sector and cross-directorate working will champion new inclusive ways of working.

 

2.4         The project’s aim will be to link creative spaces within the Abbey quarter of Selby; both indoor and outdoor areas that lend themselves to hosting arts/culture programmes, comprising:

·       The Plaza

·       Selby Park – new build hub

·       Selby Park outdoor performance space (to replace bandstand and storage shed)

·       Selby Park infrastructure improvements

·       Linkages to Selby Abbey

·       Development and testing of The Platform concept (new build creative co-working hub)

 

 

2.5         The benefits of The Artery are that it:

·         Complements Priority Place (and the existing Place Partnership fund revenue project in Culture)

·         Has ease of delivery

·         Enhances existing assets

·         Reduces maintenance costs

·         Has widespread benefit

·         Contains partnership opportunities, which will contribute to stronger legacy

 

2.6         If the Expression of Interest is successful, the spending profile for the programme will be defined before submission of the full application. At that stage ACE require a detailed financial plan and cashflow forecast to be included in the bid. This will be developed with the support and collaboration of the Finance Team.

 

 

3.0         BACKGROUND

 

3.1         ACE recognises that its level of investment in some areas of England has historically been too low. In 2021, ACE identified 54 Priority Places for 2021-2024 where it intends to work to enhance levels of investment, capacity and engagement. The methodology involved calculating scores for all areas of England based on their need (existing engagement and investment levels) and their opportunity (capacity and ambition to increase engagement). ACE determined Selby to be a Priority Place. It is one of five Priority Places in Yorkshire & Humberside and the only Priority Place in North Yorkshire.

 

3.2         DCMS has identified 109 Local Authority Areas (outside of London) to become designated ‘Levelling Up for Culture’ places for 2022-2026. ACE has committed to supporting Levelling Up for Culture places wherever possible through £43.5 million of additional investment from government, subject to the receipt of strong funding applications. Each ACE Priority Place is also a Levelling Up for Culture place, meaning Selby also enjoys ‘Levelling Up for Culture’ status.

 

 

4.0         IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS

 

4.1         As outlined, the Artery project is complementary to the Selby Station Plaza (as part of the Selby Station Gateway Transforming Cities Project) development and Place Partnership project ‘Now Then!’.

 

4.2         Delivery of the programme will need support from colleagues in Finance, Legal and Procurement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.0         FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

5.1         Provided that approval is granted to submit the EOI and the full bid, and if the application is successful, the total combined budget for the CDF programme will be £8.514m, of which £3.814m of council funding is already committed to the Selby Station Plaza (as part of the Selby Station Gateway Transforming Cities Project) and would be earmarked as match funding for the purposes of this funding bid. A further £4.7m of spend would be financed from the Cultural Development Fund: £4.0m capital expenditure; and £0.7m revenue expenditure for fees, staff resources and other revenue activities.

 

5.2         Whilst no additional funding will be required of NYC to support delivery of the project any future revenue or capital maintenance costs for the developed areas will be assessed as part of the detailed programme.  Release of the final 10% funding will be dependent on providing evidence that this is in place.

 

5.3         The spending profile for the programme will be defined before submission of the full application.  ACE require a detailed financial plan and cashflow forecast to be included in the bid.  This will be developed with the support and collaboration of the finance team.

 

 

6.0         LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

6.1         The grant terms with ACE will be reviewed if NYC are admitted to application stage for the project if any of the grant terms and conditions represent an unacceptable risk for the Council then the grant offer would be declined.

 

7

RECOMMENDATION

 

7.1

For the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with, the Executive Members for Finance, and Executive Member for Culture, Arts & Housing, and Open for Business, to authorise submission of an EOI to the Cultural Development Fund for £4.7m for the Artery project.

 

 

 

Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)

 

 

Date

 

 

 

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

 

§  Arts Council England information on Priority Places and Levelling up for Culture Places Priority Places and Levelling Up for Culture Places | Arts Council England

 

§  Arts Council information on Cultural Development Fund round 4

 

§  Arts Council England – Investment Principles (Investment Principles | Arts Council England)

 

§  Arts Council England standard grant terms & conditions (Standard conditions for grants | Arts Council England)

 

 

Nic Harne

Corporate Director – Community Development

County Hall

Northallerton

 

Report Author – Danielle Daglan, Head of Culture & Archives

 

Presenter of Report – approval requested by email.

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.