Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX 43

Memorandum submitted by East Midlands Arts

ARTS REDEVELOPMENT—THE REFORM OF THE ARTS COUNCIL

  The Board of East Midlands Arts was deeply concerned about how the announcement was made by the Arts Council of England on 15 March 2001. It felt that the speed and manner of the announcement did not help to create a positive and constructive environment for such a critical and crucial debate.

  The Board did, however, support the aims and objectives as outlined in the initial Prospectus but wanted more detail before it could be confident that the proposals would deliver a better service for the arts in the East Midlands. The Board has, therefore, engaged fully in the debate with an open mind to ensure that EMA has had a positive influence in the shaping of a new and better arts funding system in England.

  The Board made public statements at each key stage of the discussions and consultations. They are attached as appendices 1, 2 and 3. Throughout the process the Board has felt that ACE has listened to their views and concerns and has acted on most of the key issues it raised. The final Transfer Document which the Board considered at its meeting on 24 January 2002, did tackle, to the Board's satisfaction, the 10 critical areas it had identified. The Board, did, therefore agree the following resolution:

  That East Midlands Arts, on the basis of the Transfer Proposal dated 15 January 2002 agrees in principle to transfer its staff, assets and liabilities and to this end will:

    —  inform its staff of its intention, as required by TUPE;

    —  prepare a full schedule of its staff, assets and liabilities;

    —  consult its staff and their representatives as it believes appropriate, recognising that there are no measures by East Midlands Arts requiring TUPE consultation.

  in the full expectation of meeting in March to confirm its agreement to transfer to be effected by 31 March 2002.

  Below I have summarised the Board's views on each of the issues that the Culture, Media and Sport Committee highlighted:

SAVINGS

  EMA has always held the view that the reorganisation should be about developing a better and more coherent service, not about making savings. It believes EMA to be a lean—indeed historically under-funded—organisation, and cannot imagine that the restructuring and increased delegation will result in less work for the organisation. The Board has always been very clear that staff are not an administrative cost but an essential part of the delivery of a vibrant and vital regional cultural scene.

FREEING OF TIME FROM ADMINISTRATION

  The Board welcomes any reduction in administrative processes. It does believe that there could be some rationalisation of services and processes which could make systems more coherent and simpler. This could be more easily achieved in a single organisation.

SIMPLIFICATION OF FUNDING SCHEMES

  EMA already operates a simplified system with a small number of grant schemes which are clearly defined. It welcomes the opportunity for this to be replicated across the system and believes that a single organisation should be able to tackle this issue more effectively.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

  The current system has financial accountability at its heart, so it is hard to see how this can be strengthened. Boards are subject to public scrutiny through their annual reports, AGMs and by the Arts Council. A single organisation could bring greater clarity around financial planning and decision making.

GREATER FUNDING AND DECISION MAKING RESPONSIBILITIES AT A REGIONAL LEVEL AND GREATER REGIONAL INPUT AT A NATIONAL LEVEL

  This has been the key, most critical issue that the Board of EMA has focussed on. In its response to previous documents the Board had expressed its concerns that the plans did not demonstrate how this would be achieved. In the Transfer Proposal, however, a much clearer articulation of this issue has been provided. The power of the Regional Councils are to be enshrined in an amended Charter and there is a clear statement that: most of our services will be delivered regionally. The Regional Executive Directors will all sit on the national Executive Team and the Regional Chairs will all have a place on the national Council. This will ensure that the voice of the regions is taken into the heart of the new organisation.

GREATER INVOLVEMENT OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

  Local authorities and government already play a key role in the work of EMA. The Board does hope that this will be further strengthened in a new organisation.

30 January 2002


 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2002
Prepared 26 March 2002