Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies

Memorandum from the Theatres Trust (ARSS 130)

Summary:

· The Theatres Trust supports the abolition of regional spatial strategies (RSSs).

· We believe that local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) are necessary to deliver cultural infrastructure.

· We believe that the proposed local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) to be formed between local authorities and businesses would provide a planning function and are necessary as a vehicle to deliver cultural infrastructure.

· The Trust supports the concept of local financing and tax raising powers to be given to local government for use by the LEP.

· The development of LEPs should follow a clear pattern with stakeholders and consultation with statutory consultees such as The Theatres Trust.

· We are keen to promote the adequate provision of cultural facilities, in particular theatres within the UK.

· The Theatres Trust would ideally like to be partner authority in LSPs to be able to facilitate, continue and support our work in relation to the strategic planning of theatres throughout the UK.

Submission:

1) The Theatres Trust welcomes the opportunity to give evidence to The Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry into the abolition of regional spatial strategies.

2) We currently deliver our UK wide planning advice role through The Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995, Article 10, Para (v) which requires the Trust to be consulted on planning applications which include ‘development involving any land on which there is a theatre.’ This applies to all theatre buildings.

3) We encourage applicants and developers to contact us at the pre-application stage for our expert advice at the earliest possible stage to safeguard theatre use, or the potential for such use, but also on the integral design and strategic location of new theatres.

4) We note the terms of reference for the new inquiry will be mostly focusing on the implications for house building targets which are not part of The Theatres Trust’s remit.

5) As The National Advisory Public Body for Theatres, established to ‘promote the better protection of theatres’ we aim to secure sustainable cultural infrastructure in relation to theatres within the UK through the local development plans.

6) The Theatres Trust supports the abolition of regional spatial strategies (RSSs) because as far as we are concerned in terms of their guidance for strategic cultural provision they were ineffective and inadequate. The Theatres Trust has had far more success in advocating the protection and promotion of cultural facilities at a local level with individual local planning authorities in consultation with their local theatres and theatre groups.

7) We believe it is vital to have a level of strategic planning between local councils and national government to ensure proper coordination across council boundaries for the infrastructure of cultural facilities.

8) We believe that the proposed local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) to be formed between local authorities and businesses could provide a planning function and are necessary as a vehicle to deliver cultural infrastructure.

9) We understand that LEPs will not replicate Regional Development Agencies but will look to secure the future growth in private-sector jobs and helping business start-ups.

10) The Trust sees cultural provision as an essential component towards employment and enterprise and business start-ups. Cultural industries, in particular theatre, draw on the active support of their communities. They are places where people feel part of their local community, working together and being personally rewarded whilst giving something back to their communities. They often show the way and are an example to others looking to achieve the aspirations of the ‘Big Society’.

11) The vision for the coalition government’s ‘Big Society’ is one which empowers local people and communities, encouraging volunteering, community organising, and involvement in local fundraising activities. This already happens with local theatres as they strive to improve their building stock.

12) The Trust believes that there are real benefits to be gained from place-making and working in partnership. This is localism in action, with local councils and businesses preparing their own plans for improving planning and enterprise. Local enterprise partnerships will need to help generate more private sector jobs, as the public sector shrinks.

13) However, partnerships will have to have a realistic purpose and should take an active part in setting direction and achieving delivery of a business plan identifying key priorities for the LEP. Partnerships should be given powers to shape their local economy and the financial flexibilities that will allow this to happen in practice.

14) The Trust supports the concept of local financing and tax raising powers to be given to local government for use by the LEP. And that the LEP should have the ability to co-ordinate developer contributions which could be directed towards new or improved cultural facilities.

15) The Theatres Trust wishes to assist in the development of LEPs where cultural infrastructure is set as a long term economic strategy.

16) The development of LEPs should follow a clear pattern with stakeholders and consultation with statutory consultees such as The Theatres Trust.

17) As part of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health (LGPIH) Act 2007, the Government introduced a degree of coercion to the voluntary framework of local strategic partnerships (LSPs). The Act imposes new duties to consult and to cooperate. Partner authorities were expected to continue to be involved or even to lead in determining the implementation arrangements for the local area agreement (LAAs) and the monitoring of progress against targets.

18) Unfortunately, unlike other comparable stakeholders and statutory consultees such as Sport England (who we often benchmark with and share policy principles), we were not included as a partner authority. We therefore have found it difficult to participate in the strategic planning for new theatre buildings throughout the UK.

19) The Theatres Trust supports coercion provided by the voluntary framework through the ‘duty to cooperate’ and would be happy to take on the responsibility to participate in local partnership working and LSP aims and priorities when local planning authorities are drawing up their local plans.

20) The Theatres Trust would ideally like to be partner authority to be able to facilitate, continue and support our work in relation to the strategic planning of theatre buildings throughout the UK.

September 2010