Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Taylor declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4 (“Cultural Quarter” – Interim Report) as an employee of City Screen in York.

Councillor Crisp declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4 (“Cultural Quarter” – Interim Report) as a member of the Board of York Theatre Royal.

Councillor Hogg declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4 (“Cultural Quarter” – Interim Report)as an employee of the National Railway Museum, a member of the York Museum Trust and a member of the Visit York Board.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Monday 15 December 2008at 5.00pm. 

There were three registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

·        Ewan Allinson, representative of the Minster Quarter, gave details of the launch of the Minster Quarter and how stakeholders representing attractions in the area, businesses and the retail sector were working together.  This was linked to the City Centre Action Plan and was a new approach to urban governance.  There had been a fantastic response and this initiative could be extended to create other quarters within the city.  Yorkshire Forward were responsive to this approach and saw the potential for a number of quarters within the city working together to create urban  renaissance.

·        Christian Topman circulated information on the Arts Barge Project which was currently under development by a local community group. The intention was to provide a floating cultural centre on the River Ouse.  The barge would provide flexible performance areas for fringe arts, including acoustic music.  Work on the project had been ongoing for nine months and considerable consultation was taking place as well as ongoing discussions with architects.  Members welcomed the river being used in the development of arts provision.  (Further information available on www.myspace.com/theartsbargeproject). 

·        Simon Newton urged that York St John University be included within the Cultural Quarter.  He informed Members that 1800 students were involved in art and creative studies and that new courses were planned.  The university also attracted international students.  There had been considerable investment in the arts, and the new building provided a 21^st century gateway to the city.  The university had hosted arts events, including a UNESCO photographic exhibition, and had been heavily involved in York Festivals. York St John’s University had been pleased to be involved in the consultation regarding the Cultural Quarter and felt strongly that it should be included. The city combined an outstanding heritage with a modern outlook and the Cultural Quarter would be a major asset to the city.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 29 October 2008.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the “Cultural Quarter” Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee held on 29 October 2008 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

This ‘Cultural Quarter’ Interim Report asks the Committee to approve the revised timetable for the review, decide how they want to analyse the data from the public drop in session and whether they wish to invite a representative from Sheffield City Council to address them.

Members considered the “Cultural Quarter” – Interim Report and discussed issues arising from the report:

(i)                 City Centre Area Action Plan and the Boundary of the Cultural Quarter

Information was circulated updating Members on the Local Development Framework (LDF) – City Centre Area Action Plan (attached at Annex 1 to these minutes).  Copies of the “LDF City Centre Area Action Plan Issues and Options Report” dated July 2008 and “LDF City Centre Area Action Plan Sustainability Statement” dated July 2008 were also tabled. 

Officers gave details of how the proposed Cultural Quarter sat within the LDF City Centre Area Action Plan.  Extensive consultation had taken place regarding the Action Plan and 1700 comments had been received.  A full report would be presented to the Local Development Framework Working Group in January.  A summary of the comments relevant to the Cultural Quarter had been included in the information tabled. Officers went through the suggestions that had been put forward. Members noted that the comments largely mirrored those that had been received as part of their own consultation process.

Officers emphasised that for the Area Action Plan to include the Cultural Quarter as an Action Area, it would be necessary for a robust evidence base to be produced for the Cultural Quarter, setting out the proposed projects, delivery partners and funding sources.  For this to be incorporated into the next stage of the Plan and subject to public consultation, the evidence would need to be produced by Summer 2009.

Members agreed on the importance of the objectives for the Cultural Quarter being embedded in both the City Centre Area Action Plan and the York Northwest Area Action Plan.  This would ensure that the proposals were co-ordinated with the plans for the wider area. It was also noted that, although the boundary of the Cultural Quarter could cover an area of more than one Area Action Plan, the Government Office had advised that Action Plan boundaries could not themselves overlap.  Discussion took place regarding the need to define specific areas of the city for the purposes of economic development, whilst in terms of cultural provision, there was a need to be as inclusive as possible.

Consideration was given to a diagram, prepared by Sir Ron Cooke, which offered a model as to how both the cultural and the economic development elements could be encompassed (attached at Annex 2 to these minutes).

Members agreed on the importance of a model that was inclusive and non-competitive and one in which all organisations were encouraged to offer cultural contributions.  There must be benefits to citizens in all parts of the city as well as to visitors to the area.

Findings:That, whilst it was acknowledged that for the purposes of obtaining investment it was necessary for there to be a border designating the buildings and space within the Cultural Quarter, the Committee did not envisage the Cultural Quarter as being exclusive.  The institutions and organisations that were based outside of the border would be part of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.