Agenda item

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST MADE FOR THIS ITEM:

 

None

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Cabinet Member for Children and Schools:

 

1.Approved acceptance of £1,702,986 revenue grant funding from Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Education for delivery of the North London Music Hub during the 2026/27 financial year.

 

2. Approved Haringey Council continuing in its role as Hub Lead Organisation for the North London Music Hub.

 

3. Approved the onward distribution of grant funding to consortium partners in accordance with the Department for Education Music Hub funding methodology and agreed partnership arrangements.

 

4. Approved retention of a 3.75% management contribution to support the administration, governance, monitoring, reporting and strategic leadership responsibilities of the Hub Lead Organisation

 

5. Delegated authority to the Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Director of Legal and Governance, to enter into and administer all grant and partnership agreements necessary for implementation of the North London Music Hub

 

Reasons for decision

 

1. The grant funding will enable the North London Music Hub to continue delivering high-quality music education opportunities to children and young people across Haringey, Barnet, Camden, Enfield and Islington. The funding supports the delivery of the National Plan for Music Education and enables the Council to fulfil its responsibilities as the Hub Lead Organisation. Failure to accept the funding would significantly reduce music education opportunities available to schools, children and young people across the five boroughs and would jeopardise delivery of nationally funded Music Hub activity.

2. This links to aspirations with the culture strategy and London Borough of Culture 2027 project.

 

Top slicing:

 

Table 1 below shows the names of the Local Authority areas (consortium partners) that make up the North London Music Hub. Column two is the total value of each partners music hub grant, and column three is the contribution in pounds at 3.75% of the Music Hub grant. Including Haringey’s contribution as a consortium member this totals £1,702,986.00 for 2026 / 2027. Column four shows the amount that will be sent to consortium partners to undertake activity in their area.

 

 

1.The above top slice although relatively low in terms of contract management is a workable figure, considering the consortium nature of the North London Music Hub partnership.

 

2. The 3.75% management contribution has been agreed by consortium partners and has been reviewed for the 2026/27 academic year. The management contribution supports:

 

• Strategic leadership of the North London Music Hub.

 

• Financial administration and grant management. • Contract and performance monitoring.

 

• Arts Council England reporting requirements.

 

• Music Hub Board administration.

 

• Partnership coordination and communications.

 

• Audit, compliance and governance activities.

 

The contribution is considered proportionate to the responsibilities of the Hub Lead Organisation and represents value for money for consortium partners.

 

3. It remains extremely unlikely that Haringey Council as the Hub Lead Organisation would incur any additional expenditure, which is outside of the top slice contribution.

 

4. Amounts to fund consortium partners (column four), will be sent in five payments upon the Hub Lead Organisation receiving reporting documentation.

 

 5. Reporting documents required are published as part of the ACE relationship framework and additional conditions. Typically, this involves reporting on ACE three strategic aims and five strategic functions, along with management accounts and Hub board minutes and any other requirement from the additional terms and conditions.

 

6. Continuation of the Hub Lead Organisation role reflects Haringey's successful appointment through the national Music Hub competition process and supports the Council's strategic leadership role within music education across North London. Heads of Service and Service Managers from consortium partners continue to have a joined-up approach and positive working relationship, endeavouring in doing what’s best for young musicians and their families.

 

7. A separate Hub Board, independently chaired, continues to have a key role in monitoring and challenging the work of the Music Hub.

 

8. Haringey as the Hub Lead Organisation and consortium member will be responsible for:

 

9. An area-wide strategic vision, shared values, and budget, monitored by a representative Hub Board.

 

10. A strategic approach to supporting inclusion and progression so that young people can connect to local, regional, and national structures.

 

11. A shared understanding and approach to considering environmental responsibility.

 

12. A collective commitment to consulting regularly, researching, and analysing need, evaluating and monitoring the impact of programmes, keeping abreast of sector thinking and ideas and using this evidence to ensure that resources, investment, and support can be effectively targeted.

 

13. A strategic approach to identifying shared fundraising and income generation opportunities, with resources and capability directed at the use of government funding to leverage further investment.

 

14. The identification of opportunities to realise economies of scale and reduce duplication by centralising expertise, resources, and processes.

 

15. A diverse and more equitable range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment which is consistently available to more young people.

 

16. A better supported and more collaborative workforce that has access to training and networking, resources, and career progression opportunities.

 

17. A strategic approach to ensuring quality through performance management, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance processes and peer assessment.

 

18. More strategic and high-profile engagement by Music Hubs with significant place based infrastructure such as Combined Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships.

 

19. Stronger communications and marketing which means that children and young people, families, and schools know about local, regional, national opportunities, prices, and subsidies.

 

Alternative options considered

 

1. There is no other national music funding such as the Arts Council England Music Hubs grant, that ensures music education is accessible and impactful.