Issue - meetings

That (A) the use of New Homes Bonus reserve funding to provide seed funding of up to £20k to the Arts Hub to enable more detailed scope and design work to be undertaken, be approved; and

(B)     the use of New Homes Bonus reserve funding to provide a contribution of up to £100k towards the cost of building works to expand Courtyard Arts as per the planning permission already granted, be approved, subject to the rest of the project funding being raised to allow the full project, as outlined, to go ahead.

The Leader of the Council left the chamber for this item and the Deputy Leader assumed the chair.

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report detailing various schemes that were being considered by both the Council and other partners relating to the cultural offer within Hertford.  These fell into three main projects, which if considered individually might not stack up on purely financial terms.  However, by wrapping the projects together they could deliver much greater benefits for Hertford and the wider area overall.  Given the proximity of the projects to each other there was a potential of establishing a “Cultural Quarter”, an area within the town that could have a positive benefit on each other and beyond. 

The Executive Member proposed that the opportunity to invest in two of those projects through the use of New Homes Bonus reserve, be utilised.  He detailed the schemes relating to the Arts Hub and Courtyard Arts.

In response to various comments, the Executive noted the development of an over-arching Cultural Strategy for the District.

The Executive approved the proposals now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the use of New Homes Bonus reserve funding to provide seed funding of up to £20k to the Arts Hub to enable more detailed scope and design work to be undertaken, be approved; and

(B)   the use of New Homes Bonus reserve funding to provide a contribution of up to £100k towards the cost of building works to expand Courtyard Arts as per the planning permission already granted, be approved, subject to the rest of the project funding being raised to allow the full project, as outlined, to go ahead.

At the conclusion of the Executive’s consideration of this matter, the Leader returned to the chamber and assumed the chair.