To provide an overview of the Herefordshire Cultural Strategy 2019-29, and to seek the views of the scrutiny committee on how priorities are being progressed.

The committee considered a report on the Cultural Strategy 2019-29. The principal points are noted below:

1. The Museum Lead noted that the cultural strategy was adopted by the council but not produced by the council. Instead, the cultural strategy is held by the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership.

2. It was added that at this stage, the council supports the cultural partnership which is an independent body of arts organisations and funders who work across the county. Although the partnership is unfunded, it has been supported by the council through grants from UKSPF funding in recent years.

3. The Chair of the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership noted that the genesis for the report written in 2024 was that that the partnership had reached a point with the strategy needing to be reviewed in light of changes since. The review therefore was to look at the state of culture and cultural activity and creative industries within the county. The consultants employed to carry out the report found that as part of its data, 4,000 new creatives were created in the county.

4. The Executive Director Meadow Arts added that traditional ONS data miss very small businesses which help form a significant part of the county’s creative industry.

5. In response to a question about whether the cultural strategy has ever been formally adopted by the council, the Museum Lead noted that he had been endorsed but not formally adopted.

6. The Chair of the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership added that the difference between endorsement and adoption is key because of the responsibility that exists with delivering the objectives of the strategy.

7. In response to a question about whether there is an implementation plan in place to deliver on the strategy, the Museum Lead added that the implementation is by the organisations on their own terms so where there is direction of travel in the strategy, each organisation will deliver that in their own way within the confines of the strategy. Therefore, there is no direct, single document that sets an implementation plan across the strategy.

8. The Executive Director Meadow Arts added that the first draft of the strategy had big ambitions but was not hard on a delivery plan. Part of the revamp now is for the partnership itself to scrutinise that aspect of delivery of the strategy. There is also an ongoing review of governance and setting up new terms of reference to establish who needs to be on the partnership without it becoming too large. 

9. In response to a question about whether the council has taken on enough of an active role in the cultural strategy, the Museum Lead noted that the council in recent years has made a huge effort in investment and culture. It was added that there has been a drive in direction based on the strategy that has not existed in the previous ten years.

10. The Executive Director Meadow Arts added that the Chair of the Herefordshire Cultural Partnership also sits on the council’s economy and growth board representing culture which reflects a positive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57