Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 11

17 July 2003

Partnership Funding for the MOMC Trust

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Michael Fuller Ext: 6016

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That revenue partnership funding of £15,000 be made to the MOMC Trust from the Recreation and Heritage budget for 2003/04.

2. Reason

2.1 To support the revenue needs of the MOMC Project Office and Craft Development Agency in Basingstoke for a three year period.

3. Other options considered and rejected - Making no allocation will mean the project will not achieve enough resources to make it sustainable and it will reduce the confidence of other funders.

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date: (date of decision)

Councillor J. Waddington

................................. ..............................

(signature)

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 11

17 July 2003

Partnership Funding for the MOMC Trust

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Michael Fuller Ext: 6016

1. Introduction

1.1 The MOMC Project has been developed by the Arts Office on behalf of Hampshire County Council over a period of years with the active support of Arts Council, South East. Originally the Museum of Modern Crafts, all efforts are now being employed to move away from the original museum concept and to realise an international vision for the crafts on different sites in the county.

2. The MOMC Project

2.1 In December 1998 a report was completed by David Powell Associates (DPA) which defined an exciting vision for a purpose built facility dedicated to promoting the contemporary crafts. The key areas of this vision are the contemporary crafts, education, new audiences, IT, the makers, retailing and wide-ranging exhibitions.

2.2 In 1999 detailed studies to establish the market potential were undertaken by AEA Consulting. At the same time Hampshire County Council sought to establish a working partnership with a district council to realise the Project. All councils in Hampshire were invited to propose potential sites and financial support for the MOMC Project. Of those districts who expressed interest, Havant and Basingstoke and Deane emerged as front runners. Havant Borough Council is particularly interested in the project to assist with the Borough's urban regeneration programme. This is now the proposed Leigh Park Crafts Initiative (LPCI), the subject of the Executive Member report `Capital Support for the Leigh Park Crafts Initiative'. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is supporting the creation of a large exhibition and education space in their town centre.

2.3 A project team including officers from Hampshire, Havant and Basingstoke worked towards the submission of a funding application to Arts Council England. Further research work was carried out by two consultants to restate the vision and plans outlined in the DPA and AEA reports. This formed a report to Arts Council England; the `Coherent Proposal'. The report identified the vision in terms of a `hub and spokes' model with the world class exhibition and education facility in Basingstoke and the LPCI as the first `spoke'.

3. The MOMC Trust

3.1 The MOMC Trust has been established in Basingstoke to develop the concept of the hub which focuses on three main aims; to work up the feasibility of a major commercial outlet for makers involved in the MOMC network, to establish a crafts exhibition and education facility as a venue for major exhibitions of crafts and establish a Crafts Development Agency (CDA) for the region. The board of the MOMC Trust will be responsible for managing the MOMC Project Office which will work towards the creation of the facility and the CDA which will be the mechanism for crafts outreach work in Basingstoke and the larger Hampshire area.

3.2 The MOMC Trust have recently appointed a Project Director to manage and oversee the development of the capital project and are looking to appoint a Manager for the Crafts Development Agency. The Office is currently located in the offices of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and will be in place for three years by which time the feasibility and plans for the large capital scheme should have been established. At the end of this period either enough funds will have been secured to initiate the building programme or the activities will cease. The MOMC Trust will then manage the Crafts Development Agency as a service for the region. It is planned that this Trust will be funded in partnership with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Arts Council England.

4. Financial Implications

4.1 The MOMC Trust has been established in partnership with Arts Council England and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council over a three year period. The total anticipated contributions from each of the partners over the three year period are as follows:

Partner	£
Arts Council England	100,000
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council	45,000
Hampshire County Council	45,000
Total	190,000

4.2 It is recommended that the identified funding in the Policy Fund be allocated to the MOMC Trust over a three year period to support the needs of the project and secure the partnership funding of 145,000. It is also recommended that the first contribution of £15,000 be made to the MOMC trust as matching funding for 2003/04, budget provision has been made for this within the Arts Partnership Fund allocation.

5. Legal Implications

5.1 The County Council is able to utilise broad powers under the Local Government Act 1972 to provide financial support for the arts. In particular, Section 145 of the Act enables the Council to contribute towards the expenses of doing anything necessary or expedient for any of a number of purposes, including the provision of entertainment of any nature, or the provision of a theatre, concert hall, dance hall or other premises suitable for entertainment. The powers include the ability to contribute towards the expenses of maintaining a band or orchestra and towards the development and improvement of the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts.

Recommendation

That a contribution of £15,000 partnership funding be made to the MOMC Trust.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE LOCATION

Arts Council England Application Arts Office file

Coherent Proposal Arts Office file