Cabinet received a presentation from Section Head – Culture and Events and Ms Quintero from Dallas–Pierce–Quintero on the Cultural Strategy.

The Section Head – Culture and Events explained that the aim was to integrate the Cultural Strategy into other council policies and plans e.g., The Destination Management Plan, Town Centre vision and redevelopments in the town etc.  Through the Cultural Plan the council hoped to attract new creative enterprise and provide the foundation and opportunity for emerging talent to flourish.

Ms Quintero thanked the Managing Director and Section Head – Culture and Events for facilitating meetings to capture feedback into the Cultural Strategy.  Ms Quintero outlined the priority areas for the Cultural Strategy and the short, medium and long term plans for each area.  Also the creation of a Cultural Delivery Group led by the Elected Mayor to deliver the first priority areas identified, for example ‘way finding’, Watford Film Festival and putting culture at the heart of the Destination Management Plan.

Councillor Collett commented that there was much to celebrate in Watford and many talented young people.  This was demonstrated through the recent Watford Film Festival which received a large number of entries.  Councillor Collett thought that the council was a strong leader in this area but also needed to get stakeholders to support to the same extent.

Cabinet discussed how the Cultural Strategy had been warmly received at the Cultural Leaders Group and asked questions regarding financial commitment and the availability of government or Arts Council funding.

In response the Section Head – Culture and Events explained that individual projects from the Cultural Strategy would be developed into proposals for the council’s annual budget setting cycle.  External funding opportunities would be explored and officers were already speaking to the Arts Council.  Support from partners would be needed and would also strengthen any proposals to go to the Arts Council.  There were capital projects such as the developments at Watford Museum where officers would be submitting a lottery application.

The Managing Director commented that it was important that members of the Cultural Leaders Group also played a part in delivery funding.  He envisaged the Cultural Delivery Group making contributions over a three year term.  Some of the proposed initiatives were around the place shaping agenda, for example, public art, ‘way finding’, spaces to dwell and performance spaces.  These were also legitimate considerations for using developer contributions under section 106.   There were other demands on Section 106 funds and the council would have to consider how to balance needs.

In response to a question from the Mayor about criticism from residents on a town centre focussed approach, Ms Quintero responded that there would be a neighbourhood project as part of the Cultural Strategy and they were also considering North and West Watford.  This would be developed in the next section of work.

Following questions from Councillor Bell the Managing Director explained that the Cultural Leaders group was an informal group which was not part of the constitution but was made up from a number of stakeholders including: Watford Colosseum, BBC Orchestra, Watford Museum, Warner Brothers Leavesden, West Herts College, Watford Palace Theatre and the Pump House.  The diversity of Watford was represented through the activities of the groups in their content and audience engagement.  Part of the Cultural Strategy was to reach out further and engage with residents across the town.

The Mayor thanked the Section Head – Culture and Events and Ms Quintero.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agrees:

1.         To endorse the Cultural Strategy 2018-2025 which provides the strategic direction to enhance and improve Watford’s cultural offer.

2.         To proceed to implementation and develop a more detailed programme of actions and associated costs and, where appropriate, these to be taken through the council’s annual budget setting and approval process.

3.         To establish a delivery group, led by the Elected Mayor of Watford, supported by the Managing Director, to oversee progress against the Cultural Strategy and Action Plan.  Regular reports will be provided to the delivery group, Portfolio Holder and Head of Service.