Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement introduced the proposed Borough Culture Strategy, Culture Everywhere, which set out the Council’s ambitions for culture for the next five years. 

The Cabinet Member explained that the Strategy was developed in direct response to the independent Growth Commission report which recognised the need to empower people in the Borough to play a greater role in its future through civic activity.  A key emphasis off the Strategy was, therefore, the Council’s future role as a facilitator rather than directly delivering services. 

The Cabinet Member referred to the 10 core commitments within the Strategy and highlighted some of the main projects to be progressed over the next year or two, which included an application to be the London Borough of Culture in 2019 or 2020 and the creation of a legacy from the Creative Barking and Dagenham programme.  In respect of the latter, Members spoke on some of the initiatives that had taken place and the importance of promoting Barking and Dagenham as an excellent investment opportunity for a wide range of cultural activities in addition to its huge regeneration potential.

The Cabinet resolved to adopt “Culture Everywhere”, the Borough Culture Strategy for 2017 - 2022, at Appendix 1 to the report.