Agenda item

To note the Culture, Creativity and the Arts Evidence Base.

The Planning Policy Officer introduced the item and said it provided a report and baseline database of venues and organisations within the district and formed part of the evidence for the Local Plan.

Giles Tofield from Cultural Engine presented the report.  He said it showed the cultural and social infrastructure needs of the district and had wider implications for business development. 

He said the database provided an insight into the main issues, opportunities and challenges relevant to the culture and arts.

Councillor Light said that on page 31, 1.2 the majority of cultural spaces were run on a voluntary basis, or were community led.  She said that there needed to be a cohesive approach to the arts and more input from UDC with funding and support made available. 

Councillor Caton said there were gaps in the provision of art and culture which were not highlighted.  He said there was a need to look proactively at where the deficits were and how to rectify them.

Giles Tofield said that the cultural strategy would look in more detail at what residents wanted and the needs within each area.

Councillor Lodge said that the report noted at 10.2 and 17.7 that UDC gave almost no funding to the arts apart from to the Museum in Saffron Walden.  He said that the Local Plan needed to drive forward investment. 

He said that Fairycroft House run by a CIC and Essex County Council was a modern building and a large space which was not currently fully utilised. 

Councillor Merifield said that any process of organisation of the arts should be looked at across the whole district and needed to be fair to all areas.   

In response to a question from Councillor Merifield about historical societies, Giles Tofield said that he had engaged with the Recorders of Uttlesford History (RUH) and that they had an extensive network across the district that was often overlooked as an asset.

The Planning Policy Officer said that there was a potential role for the Council and investment opportunity to boost the rural economy in terms of arts and culture.

Councillor Reeve said that a new website had been launched called ‘Discover Uttlesford’ which aimed to link retail, hospitality and tourism sectors across the district.  He asked if the report could be updated to include this and correct the change of the website name. 

In response to a question from Councillor Reeve about the cultural strategy, the Local Plan and New Communities Manager said that not all recommendations in the report would be included in the Local Plan.  He said the cultural strategy was a separate document that the Council, through the Economic Development and Communities team, would progress. 

Giles Tofield said that he would make the changes relating to ‘Discover Uttlesford’, and he said that the baseline database had already been incorporated into the Local Plan. 

Councillor Tayler said that the tourist information in the district was currently weak, and that it needed to be more co-ordinated, tourist friendly and welcoming.