The Cabinet Member Contracts and Assets reminded Cabinet that following the February Council decision; the previously withdrawn arts grant funding had now been reinstated for one year only.  He informed Cabinet it would only be open to those arts groups that fitted the Councils core priorities and would only be for one year. 

Members welcomed the change and felt it would be of great benefit to arts groups in order to help them become sustainable and aid them in accessing funding from other organisations.

RESOLVED

          THAT:

a)    the arts commissioning grant budget be allocated in a single bidding round open only to those organisations which received funding from Herefordshire Council in 2013/14; and

b)    tenders for the commissions are prioritised on the basis of the proportionate impact upon groups with protected characteristics, contribution to achievement of the Council’s priorities and degree to which the applicants can demonstrate how the funding will be used to support the organisation move to sustainability without future funding from Herefordshire Council.