Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services to report.

Decision

Link to Executive Decision - Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services

Reasons for the decision

1.     At its Annual Meeting, Council decided to continue to meet virtually for all non-executive committees. The Leader of the Council also decided that Cabinet should continue to meet virtually until social distancing requirements had been removed. Therefore, the Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services has made this decision taking into account the views expressed by the wider cabinet membership.

2.      A cultural strategy helps to increase the opportunities of securing new investment into Dorset and maximise the leverage value of the council’s own investment in arts, heritage and culture. This cultural strategy will be the foundation on which Dorset Council will set its own funding criteria, ensuring that all grant recipients are contributing to the priorities and ambitions of the plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services presented a recommendation from People and Health Overview Committee of 4 May 2021, to adopt the Dorset Cultural Strategy.  She advised members that the strategy was the start of the work to develop cultural activity in the Dorset Council area. 

The Chairman invited non-executive members to ask questions of the Portfolio Holder: -

In response to a request to add specific events, sites and festivals, the Portfolio Holder advised that this was a high-level strategy to set the strategic direction for the council.  However, she would discuss the request further with officers.

The Portfolio Holder confirmed that her Executive Decision was to adopt the Cultural Strategy as set out in the recommendation.

Cabinet welcomed the report and supported the decision.

Decision of the Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services

(a)       That the Dorset’s Cultural Strategy 2021-2026 be adopted.

(b)       Approve that officer’s work with Arts Council England, the Arts Development Company, and key stakeholders to develop a Cultural Compact type framework that will enable the work of the strategy to be fulfilled and effectively managed.

Reasons for the decision

1.      At its Annual Meeting, Council decided to continue to meet virtually for all non-executive committees. The Leader of the Council also decided that Cabinet should continue to meet virtually until social distancing requirements had been removed. Therefore, the Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services has made this decision taking into account the views expressed by the wider cabinet membership.

2.      A cultural strategy helps to increase the opportunities of securing new investment into Dorset and maximise the leverage value of the council’s own investment in arts, heritage and culture. This cultural strategy will be the foundation on which Dorset Council will set its own funding criteria, ensuring that all grant recipients are contributing to the priorities and ambitions of the plan.

Executive Decision - Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services