Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek Executive Member approval for Hampshire County Council's Music Service's Local Authority Music Plan (LAMP - see appendix C).

2009 has been a year of change within Hampshire Music Service (HMS). It is also a period of transformation nationally, including the appointment by the Department for Children Schools and Families of a National Music Participation Director, and the launch in September 2009 of the National Year of Music, known as Tune In.

There is now a requirement for all music services to formulate a Local Authority Music Plan to 2011, which are reviewed by independent Music Service Evaluation Partners (MSEPs). Part of the evidence base included is the music service self-evaluation form (SEF) and observation of practical musicmaking in a number of settings, including schools.

1.2 The headline statement from the HMS MSEP report in June 2009 reads "Hampshire Music Service is an outstanding service." Specific strengths identified included rigorous safeguarding procedures, robust data collection, excellent consistency in judgements on teaching and learning, the integration of all strands of musical opportunity, the responsiveness and flexibility of staff and the shared vision they demonstrated.

Consultation on the draft LAMP took place in February 2009 with Ann Begley and John Clarke. It was agreed that the HMS LAMP should remain in draft format during the MSEP visit to Hampshire in the summer term 2009, thus enabling the incorporation of any revisions arising from the MSEP review. The LAMP was presented to and supported by Children's Service Departmental Management Team on 9 September 2009.

2. Contextual information

2.1 Each music service in the UK is required by the National Music Participation Director to develop a strategic plan known as the Local Authority Music Plan (LAMP). This forms the route map for music service work up to 2011. HMS has linked all its work to Hampshire County Council's Corporate Priorities and those of the Local Area Agreement, Children and Young People's Plan, Children's Services Department and the Music Manifesto.

The Hampshire LAMP is based around eight service priorities, representing the work of HMS. It includes a comprehensive range of ambitious targets and associated management accountabilities.

3. Finance

3.1 All contained within the HMS business plan.

3. Performance

Musical highlights of HMS work in 2009 include:

4.1 Hugely positive feedback by pupils and schools concerning whole class instrumental and vocal teaching (Listen2Me), such that 15,616 pupils, (488 classes in 265 schools), are learning to play and to sing in whole class settings this term. This doubles the number of HMS pupils, to a new total of over 30,000.

4.2 Receipt of the third of four £250,000 DCSF grants for the purchase of instruments, enabling the Service to increase its stock to 12,000, loaned to pupils via their school.

4.3 Achieving the objective of delivering more than 3000 hours per week of instrumental/vocal teaching (now 3115 hours per week). This has required the appointment of 20 new staff from September 2009.

4.4 Many well-received ensemble events during 2009, including a partnership performance with the Band of the Adjutant General in February, a sell-out String Bonanza in the Anvil in April, visits by American and German youth ensembles in June, eight HMS ensembles invited to perform at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham in July, and successful tours to Prague (February), Croatia and Canada (July) and Belgium (October).

4.5 Exciting plans for the development of pilot projects for Children in the Care of the Local Authority in Havant and Rushmoor to enable all these young people to access an instrument, teaching, and a regular extra-curricular activity.

4.6 A massed choir performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 11 November 2009, the last night of the Schools Prom. 797 Hampshire pupils performed the world premiere of Hampshire's newly commissioned work, "The Darwin Dilemma", by composer Stephen McNeff.

5. Recommendation

5.1 That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services approves the Local Authority Music Plan on behalf of Hampshire County Council.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

Race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

4 Impact on Crime and Disorder:

n/a

5 Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

n/a

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

n/a