Agenda item

(Prior to this item, the film “Taking our place on London’s cultural and creative map”, which the Council commissioned from students at Barking and Dagenham College, was shown.)

The Leader of the Council introduced a report on proposals to further support the Council’s vision for the Borough to be recognised as East London’s cultural hub through new partnership arrangements with Barking and Dagenham College in respect of The Broadway theatre, as well as outline plans relating to the creation of an Artists Enterprise Zone (AEZ) in the Borough.

The Leader explained that under the proposed arrangements with Barking and Dagenham College, the Barbican and London Guildhall School of Music and Drama were expected to become key partners in the delivery of exciting new arts initiatives at The Broadway.  The Leader also outlined the proposed leasing and funding arrangements going forward and suggested that the lease should be on a full repairing and insuring, commercial rent basis with three-yearly reviews.  Officers confirmed that all appropriate provisions to protect the Council’s interests would be included in the lease agreement and also undertook to provide Cabinet Members with details of the proposed commitment of up to £500,000 from the capital programme prior to any expenditure being incurred.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Chief Finance Officer, to grant a lease, on a commercial rent and full repairing and insuring basis with three-yearly reviews, from 1 April 2015 or sooner, for The Broadway theatre to Barking and Dagenham College to expire on 31 August 2023;

(ii)  Agree to provide a grant to the College equivalent to the rent that would be paid for the duration of the lease (subject to reviews) on the basis that the shared vision for the theatre is being successfully delivered;

(iii)  Agree to commit to make an additional annual revenue contribution of £50,000 to the Barking and Dagenham College for a guaranteed period of three years from April 2015, to support the ongoing provision of a professional performance programme at the venue and to enable access by local arts organisations and community groups;

(iv)  Agree to commit up to £500,000 capital programme investment to address essential works that have been identified in the recent condition survey of the building and other improvements that will support the new way of working that is envisaged for the venue;

(v)  Agree to compensate the Barking and Dagenham College for redundancy costs that may be incurred by them for any Council employees who are redeployed to the College under TUPE legislation within twelve months of transfer, with payments to be capped at the level the staff would have received if they had remained employees of the Council; and

(vi)  Agree, in principle, to Barking Town Centre becoming London’s first Artists Enterprise Zone and for officers to undertake further work with the Greater London Authority to define an AEZ programme, which will be the subject of a further report to Cabinet for approval prior to implementation.