Contact: Stuart Dorward ext: 6110 e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Hampshire's existing Cultural Strategy is four years old. This report proposes that work should start on the preparation of a new Cultural Strategy and that this process should include extensive consultation within and beyond the County Council with a view to presenting a new draft strategy to Members in January 2008. To mark the start of this process it is suggested that the County Council publishes a consultation document to stimulate discussion. A first draft of this is attached.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That approval is given for the preparation of a new Cultural Strategy for Hampshire for consideration by the Culture and Communities Select Committee and the Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage in January 2008 following a consultation exercise.

3. Background

3.1 Enjoying Hampshire (Hampshire's Cultural Strategy)¹ was adopted by the County Council as a core strategic document in 2003. Since then it has underpinned the development of the Council's cultural, sporting and recreational services and guided its approach to its growing cultural partnerships with other local authorities, government agencies and cultural institutions.

3.2 The strategy defined a set of unifying principles for the development of the Council's cultural services:

· Stewardship - conserving and caring for the cultural heritage

· Equality of access to cultural services

· Increasing and broadening participation in cultural activities

· Promoting inclusiveness in service provision

· Supporting learning at all levels

· Securing economic benefits from cultural activity

· Valuing local distinctiveness and sense of place.

3.3 The strategy went on to create a vision for Hampshire in which the County Council and its partners would:

· Support the preservation, conservation, development and promotion of Hampshire's cultural heritage

· Enable forward looking, innovative and creative cultures to flourish in the county

· Encourage affordable easy access to high quality cultural activities and facilities for all

· Facilitate the recognition and understanding of the history of Hampshire and its people, in the context of United Kingdom, European and world history

· Ensure that learning opportunities offered by cultural facilities and activities of Hampshire are fully utilised

· Promote and encourage the sharing of the cultures of minority groups within the county, and

· Ensure that cultural activity plays an increasing role in the economy of the county in a sustainable way.

3.4 No specific timetable was set for the review of the effectiveness and continuing relevance of the strategy, but during 2006 a limited series of consultations took place with a view to updating and revising the strategy. However, significant developments during the year at both the national and local level required further analysis and assimilation.

3.5 During 2006 the County Council undertook a review and revision of its corporate strategy. Clear priorities and specific targets have been set for the remaining life of the current Council and a corporate business plan has been developed to support delivery of these objectives.

3.6 In the autumn of 2006 the government published Strong and Prosperous Communities, its White Paper on the future of local government. This set out far reaching and ambitious proposals for the reform of the relationship between central and local government. More details have been added as the enabling legislation passes through its Parliamentary stages. The central concept is the revitalising of Local Strategic Partnerships, led by local authorities, with responsibilities for producing new Sustainable Community Strategies delivered through Local Area Agreements negotiated with government. Existing performance management regimes (Comprehensive Performance Assessment etc.) would be replaced by a scaled down regulatory regime that would concentrate on the capacity of Local Strategic Partnerships to deliver against the agreed priorities.

3.7 At the same time, the County Council has been examining with other local authorities in the county how the existing two tier system of local administration (three tier in parished areas) could be improved. These discussions have been given added impetus with the publication of the Local Government White Paper. The "constitutional conversation" has explored the possibility of instituting a Hampshire Senate supported by a number of formally constituted county wide strategic partnerships on key themes, including culture.

4. Proposals

4.1 The revision of the Cultural Strategy for Hampshire was originally seen as a largely technical and internal exercise. With these significant new developments, a more fundamental reassessment is now thought to be necessary in consultation with the County Council's cultural partners.

4.2 As a first contribution to the discussion about the future of the cultural life of the county it is suggested that the County Council should publish a consultation document with the intention of stimulating debate on key principles and developing a complete understanding of the context for and influences on a new Cultural Strategy relevant to current needs. A first draft of this document is attached to this report.

4.3 The draft consultation document is laid out in two main parts. The first of these is concerned with the understanding of key concepts. It proceeds from a consideration of various definitions of culture, through a survey of new concepts of cultural value to a suggestion that there may be a place in a new strategy to explore the notion of "cultural entitlement". The second part relates to the specific factors affecting the future cultural life of Hampshire. A brief sketch of the special quality of Hampshire's cultural geography is followed by an exposition of a range of demographic, social and economic factors that will affect the cultural life of the county over the coming years.

4.4 Following consultation, a new Cultural Strategy would be prepared for consideration by the Culture and Communities Select Committee and The Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage in January 2008. The outline timetable for this process is as follows:

5. Impact Assessment

5.1 As part of the preparation of the new Cultural Strategy a full impact assessment will be undertaken.

6. Financial Implications

6.1 There are no significant direct costs associated with the development of a new Cultural Strategy, but it can be expected to influence resource allocation decisions in the future.

7. Legal Implications

7.1 The new Cultural Strategy will have regard to the legal powers and duties of the County Council and its partners.

LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

Yes No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all _

Maximising well-being _

Enhancing our quality of place _

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

Enjoying Hampshire (Hampshire's Cultural Strategy) Mottisfont Court