Issue - meetings

Final report of the 'Cultural Quarter' Ad hoc Scrutiny Committee

Meeting: 14/04/2009 - Executive - for meetings from 03/06/00 to 26/04/11 (Item 220)

220 Final report of the 'Cultural Quarter' Ad hoc Scrutiny Committee PDF 45 KB

This report presents the findings of the ‘Cultural Quarter’ Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee following their review of a proposed ‘Cultural Quarter’ for York.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the following comments and proposals be agreed in response to the recommendations set out in the Scrutiny Committee’s final report:

Scrutiny Recommendation	Comment	Executive Proposal
1 That City of York Council takes the lead in the comprehensive business plan and design masterplan for this area, especially in terms of implementing any changes to the public realm works, pedestrian links etc between the various investment areas.	The City Centre Area Action Plan is still work in progress and so the Scrutiny Report should feed into that Plan in order that there is a comprehensive city centre plan. The executive recognises the need to set out clear medium term and long-term goals for the development of the part of the city defined as the Cultural Quarter. The report correctly identifies the area between the NRM, York Railway Station and the Minster to York as being of vital significance not only to cultural provision in the city but also as the gateway to the York Central site which is so important to the future development of the city. The Executive acknowledges the work that has been done by York@Large, as representative of the cultural sector across the city.	That the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee report is input to the Local Development Framework Team for inclusion with the final submission document which is scheduled for public examination in 2010.
2 That, with the backing of partner organisations, the Chief Executive of City of York Council opens negotiations with Yorkshire Forward and other appropriate public bodies with regard to funding the proposed cultural master plan for the city and seeking major investment for realising the opportunities available for improvements to the public realm and civic spaces. Yorkshire Museums Trust, Rushbond PLC, York Theatre Royal, York Minster, National Railway Museum, Kings Manor (University of York), Visit York, York @ Large and appropriate departments within the local authority.	The funding for the City of York Council area from Yorkshire Forward is being developed through the “Geographic Programme” (to cover the period 2009/14) for which Yorkshire Forward are in the process of putting more detail into how the programme will bedelivered, and the exact amount of funding that will be allocated.	That the Chief Executive and Leader include reference to the ‘Cultural Quarter’ in discussions with Yorkshire Forward and the Development of the Geographic Programme for York, and that there is a clear reference document on plans for a Cultural Quarter.
3. In view of the fact that development of the York North West site will create more traffic both vehicular and pedestrian: i. The Committee recommends that substantial improvements be made to the area known as ‘Marble Arch’ (both road and pedestrian tunnels). ii. The Committee recommends that City of York Council should seek to agree a new pedestrian/cycle river crossing (linking the National Railway Museum and Museum Gardens) as part of the York North West development plans.	The York Central area is owned by Network Rail who have engaged upon a procurement strategy ... view the full decision text for item 220

Minutes:

Members considered a report which presented the findings of the ‘Cultural Quarter’ Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee following their review of a proposed ‘Cultural Quarter’ for York. Cllr Taylor, who chaired the Scrutiny Committee, and Cllr Hogg, who proposed the original scrutiny topic, were in attendance to present the Committee’s report and answer any questions.

Members were invited to note and comment on the findings of the Committee’s report and to consider the eight recommendations contained within it. The report and recommendations had been endorsed by Scrutiny Management Committee at their meeting on 24 March 2009.

Members thanked the Committee and supporting Officers for their hard work in producing the report and welcomed its emphasis on the Council’s leadership role, working with partners to draw in external funding to help realise a joint vision for the City. They noted that the Council was already supporting a number of cultural developments within the City, including the Minster developments and the Yorkshire Museum refurbishment.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: That the following comments and proposals be agreed in response to the recommendations set out in the Scrutiny Committee’s final report: ¹

Scrutiny Recommendation	Comment	Executive Proposal
1 That City of York Council takes the lead in the comprehensive business plan and design masterplan for this area, especially in terms of implementing any changes to the public realm works, pedestrian links etc between the various investment areas.	The City Centre Area Action Plan is still work in progress and so the Scrutiny Report should feed into that Plan in order that there is a comprehensive city centre plan. The Executive recognises the need to set out clear medium term and long-term goals for the development of the part of the city defined as the Cultural Quarter. The report correctly identifies the area between the NRM, York Railway Station and the Minster to York as being of vital significance not only to cultural provision in the city but also as the gateway to the York Central site which is so important to the future development of the city. The Executive acknowledges the work that has been done by York@Large, as representative of the cultural sector across the city.	That the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee report is input to the Local Development Framework Team for inclusion with the final submission document which is scheduled for public examination in 2010.
2 That, with the backing of partner organisations, the Chief Executive of City of York Council opens negotiations with Yorkshire Forward and other appropriate public bodies with regard to funding the proposed cultural master plan for the city and seeking major investment for realising the opportunities available for improvements to the public realm and civic spaces. Yorkshire Museums Trust, Rushbond PLC, York Theatre Royal, York Minster, National Railway Museum, Kings Manor (University of York), Visit York, York @ Large and appropriate departments within the local authority.	The funding for the City of York Council area from Yorkshire Forward ... view the full minutes text for item 220

Scrutiny Recommendation

Comment

Executive Proposal

1 That City of York Council takes the lead in the comprehensive business plan and design masterplan for this area, especially in terms of implementing any changes to the public realm works, pedestrian links etc between the various investment areas.

The City Centre Area Action Plan is still work in progress and so the Scrutiny Report should feed into that Plan in order that there is a comprehensive city centre plan. The Executive recognises the need to set out clear medium term and long-term goals for the development of the part of the city defined as the Cultural Quarter. The report correctly identifies the area between the NRM, York Railway Station and the Minster to York as being of vital significance not only to cultural provision in the city but also as the gateway to the York Central site which is so important to the future development of the city.

The Executive acknowledges the work that has been done by York@Large, as representative of the cultural sector across the city.

That the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee report is input to the Local Development Framework Team for inclusion with the final submission document which is scheduled for public examination in 2010.

2 That, with the backing of partner organisations*, the Chief Executive of City of York Council opens negotiations with Yorkshire Forward and other appropriate public bodies with regard to funding the proposed cultural master plan for the city and seeking major investment for realising the opportunities available for improvements to the public realm and civic spaces.

*Yorkshire Museums Trust, Rushbond PLC, York Theatre Royal, York Minster, National Railway Museum, Kings Manor (University of York), Visit York, York @ Large and appropriate departments within the local authority.

The funding for the City of York Council area from Yorkshire Forward ... view the full minutes text for item 220