Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Finance) - To update Overview & Scrutiny members on the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the 2004 Regeneration and partnerships Scrutiny review of maximizing the regeneration benefits of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre

The Chief Executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre introduced the report and gave a short presentation on maximising the benefits of the Centre. The presentation covered regeneration benefits from the Centre, the arts and learning programmes and developing an audience. Builders have been hired and construction will commence in January 2006.

The Committee asked when the Centre would be up and running and it was commented that the planned date was September 2007, with the total budget for the Centre being £14m, £10.8m of which would be spent on construction. The Committee commented that many of the objectives were currently marked as ‘in progress’, and that it was perfectly understandable that this was the case at this stage of the project, but it requested that an update be given when progress could be judged. The Chief Executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre commented that September 2006 would be a good point to provide a further update as the first key people would be in post by May 2006 and construction work would give a greater idea of how the Centre will look, which would attract sponsors for the Centre. The issue of the governance structure was discussed and it was commented that work has been done on this by a consultant and an operating company will be established, which will work with the Bernie Grant Partnership. The issue of sustainability was raised, and it was commented that the Centre would have a mixed income, from a combination of ticket sales, Arts Council and Haringey Council funding and rental income from 20 on-site enterprise centres. The Chief Executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre commented that there would be an event in February 2006 which would enable interested parties to see the groundwork on the site and give an idea of how the scheme will look.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee noted the report and welcomed the new Chief Executive of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre to the post, and requested that an update on progress be presented to the Committee in September 2006.