Agenda and minutes

It was proposed by Councillor Hoy, seconded by Councillor Count and resolved that Councillor Elisabeth Sennitt Clough be elected as the Chairman of the Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee for the Municipal Year 2023/24

It was proposed by Councillor Sennitt Clough, seconded by Councillor Tierney and resolved that Councillor Hoy be elected as Vice Chairman of the Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

Councillor Hicks declared in the interest of transparency he has direct and indirect links with 2020 products and marketplace.

Councillor Sennitt Clough presented information regarding the Fenland Poet Laureate Competition.

Members made comments, asked questions, and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated the key discussions are around the timing of the competition, historically entry opens in July to allow adults and young people to write their poems which closes in September and the award ceremony is held in November but what has been proposed is opening the competition entries in December with the closing date in February and the award ceremony to be held in April. Councillor Tierney commented the last award ceremony was a pleasure to attend and agreed this competition needs to go ahead under the proposed times. Councillor Hoy asked as Pride in Fenland is normally held in February will this clash with the proposed dates? Carol Pilson responded the dates will be checked by the Communication Team to make sure the dates do not clash with other corporate award ceremonies across the year. Councillor Sennitt Clough recognised this and agreed the new times.

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated moving onto the funding cost, there are plans in place to secure the March Town Hall for the competition at nil cost, the main bulk of the cost will be coming from the trophies, anthologies and award programmes. She advised that last year the trophies cost £300 for six trophies and she would advise this is carried on, alongside the trophy there will be a presentation of an anthology with the winners work in print alongside other winners and short-listed poetry and the other costs will be a photographer and advertising. Councillor Tierney asked if there was a budget that can be used? Carol Pilson answered the committee does not have a budget, however, the money can be found with the support of the Cabinet members within this committee as the funding could be lobbied for. Councillor Hoy asked how does the committee go about asking for the funding? Councillor Sennitt Clough added the trophies and anthologies cost £300 each is there anything within Fenland District Council that can be provided in-house? Carol Pilson responded that Fenland District Council does have an in-house Design Team who could design the anthologies, and this could be added into their work programme if members were in agreeance and the Design Team could liaise with Councillor Sennitt Clough around the design of the anthology. Carol Pilson advised in terms of photography Fenland District Council has its own camera but there is no professional photographer, but a member of staff could come along and take some pictures of the event if the members are in agreeance and the Council does have an events team which could be used if the committee is in agreeance. Councillor Count stated would it be possible to assign a support officer to ring around local business to raise sponsorship? Councillor Hoy replied this has been tried in the past without much success but added she was happy for the Communications Team to take the photographs. Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAH4/23

Members considered feedback from the Fenland Culture Strategy Forum presented by Jamie-Lea Taylor.

Members made comments, asked questions, and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated she was concerned that no member of the committee is present at the Fenland Culture Strategy Forum and feels this would be worth addressing. Jamie-Lea Taylor agreed this would be a good idea as the Council now has this new committee.

·         Councillor Hoy stated that the feedback from the past has been that Council members should not be involved with arts and culture but now there is this newly formed committee she feels it is time to change the views of the past and use the committee to highlight the Heritage, Arts and Culture within the Fenland area.

·         Councillor Tierney agreed with Councillor Hoy and stated as a committee it is members responsibility to represent public opinion within the creativity of the arts and ensure the money is being spent to improve the heritage, arts and culture with the Fenland area having much to offer.

·         Councillor Hoy stated that with this new committee it will give members a chance to work alongside other committees to ensure the changes that are proposed work within other areas of the Council.

·         Councillor Count stated as a committee he feels everyone around the table can bring something to heritage, arts and culture within the Fenland area and stated he feels the committee has an important role to play in this area to represent the voice of the Fenland people.

·         Jamie-Lea Taylor thanked the panel for all the support for the new committee and she is looking forward to seeing what can be produced.

·         Phil Hughes stated before the committee was formed this came under the Steering Board which became very Council led rather than the sector leading, he stated things feel different with this committee and suggested a member of the committee sits on the Steering Board to have continued input and be able to communicate any findings between the two committees.

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated that Councillor Seaton originally held a seat on the Steering board, and she would ask him if this is something he would like to take up again. Jamie-Lea Taylor was asked to talk to the board to ensure this was acceptable. Councillor Tierney suggested that the Chairman and Vice Chairman would be ideal candidates to represent the new committee. Carol Pilson stated it would be a good idea if the Chairman, Councillor Sennitt Clough, was to sit in on the Steering Board and represent the Culture, Arts, and Heritage Executive Advisory Committee.

·         Jamie-Lea Taylor stated Councillor Seaton as Portfolio Holder was invited to attend the last Fenland Cultural Strategy Board (FCSB) meeting (1 December 2023) and he did attend. Councillor Sennitt Clough as Chair of Culture, Arts and Heritage was invited to attend the last FCSB meeting but she was unable to attend and sent apologies.

·         Phil Hughes stated the board will look at the funding as the District Council will  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAH5/23

Jamie-Lea Taylor stated a written presentation from Ally Oberottmen of The Norfolk and Norwich Festival Connect and Create Group will be shared with the minutes as she could not be present today.

Jamie-Lea Taylor presented an update regarding the Arts Council Proposed Funding Bid.

Members made comments, asked questions, and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Hoy asked if this was a bid for one million pounds and how does the Council feed into this? Jamie-Lea Taylor responded the funding project is looking at around seven hundred thousand pounds to cover the whole of the Fenland area, but these are early days. Phil Hughes confirmed this is Fenland District Council’s bid and will be submitted to Cabinet for approval with the committee and portfolio holder being kept informed.

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated there is a good opportunity to capitalise on this and she will continue conversations after this meeting.