Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement presented a report on the Pen to Print project, a literature development project which was run by the Council’s Library Service.

The Council had been successful with an application to the Arts Council for a £720,000 grant over four years to support the expansion of the project in the Borough.  The project was first established in the Borough in 2014 and had been very well received, attracting 5,362 people at 141 events to date.  As well as encouraging creative writing, with several local authors having had books published as a direct result of the project, a key aim was to improve reading and writing skills at all levels and throughout the local community. 

The Cabinet Member explained that Barking and Dagenham was the only Library Service in London, and one of only seven nationally, to secure the four-year grant from the Arts Council.  The funding commitment would enable a full programme of classes, events and workshops to be delivered in partnership with local organisations such as the Adult College and Creative Barking and Dagenham.

The Cabinet resolved to approve the business plan for the Pen to Print project as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.