Agenda item

This report considers the importance of tourism to the economy of the District and what role the Council can play to help the sector to thrive in a post-pandemic environment. 

The Service Lead Growth, Development & Prosperity and Service Lead Countryside & Leisure presented a roadmap for the future development and enhancement of the Council’s ambitions for cultural development as articulated in the Statement of Intent. The proposals sought to build on the existing work of the Council focussed mainly around the THG, as a cultural hub and the Arts & Culture Forum through a more cohesive and strategic approach to arts and culture. Adding capacity and resource into meeting these ambitions were also being sought.

It was recognised how an enhanced cultural programme could help to support and link into the District’s distinctive cultural tourism offer through better promotion, marketing and scaling up of the Council’s work in this area. These were linked directly to the social and economic recovery of the district, connecting to Team Devon’s Build Devon Back Better through cultural tourism, green initiatives, educational opportunities and ‘Made in Devon’ retail.

Discussions included the following:

·        Culture and the Arts had fantastic potential for growth and boosting the local economy as well as their positive contribution to improving mental health; especially as we come out of the pandemic

·        It was good to have a strategy as this was the hardest hit sector during the pandemic

·        Cultural activities were important for improving income and well-being

RESOLVED that Cabinet;

1.     Noted the significance of the tourism sector and culture to the District and the importance of supporting recovery form the impact of the pandemic.

2.     agreed to progressing a new Tourism Strategy and a revised Cultural Strategy to reflect the new ambitions and opportunities to expand the arts and cultural offer of East Devon with a view to recommending to Council that it supersedes the Culture Strategy 2017-21,

3.     receives further reports on the Tourism Strategy and replacement Cultural Strategy as work progresses,

4.     endorsed the repurposed role of the THG in leading the development of the Council’s arts and cultural development ambitions and acting as the cultural hub supporting cross service cultural activities, and

5.     endorsed repurposing the Arts & Culture Forum into Arts Culture East Devon (ACED) which will be supported by the work of the THG as the network for the district’s creative arts and culture sector to engage in and also support the bid to Arts Council England to provide funding to manage and fundraise for the network. 

RECOMMENDED to Council;

6.     That a budget of £50k is made available, to be funded from the Business Rates Retention 100% Pilot Reserve, to develop both a Tourism Strategy and a revised Cultural Strategy.

REASON:

To be able to deliver the corporate ambitions identified within the Council’s Statement of Intent to develop and enhance the arts and cultural offer as an essential part of the recovery planning work post COVID-19, that would help both a social and economic “bounce back”. The ability of the East Devon’s arts and cultural sector to help support the Council’s ambitions for a scaling up of its cultural tourism offer, meeting its climate change emergency response targets and providing a district-wide cultural network (ACED) to engage with the district’s creative arts sector.

To ensure that the Council’s role in supporting the tourism sector, including in relation to recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, was clearly set out.