Agenda item

To consider the report of the Deputy Town Clerk.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Town Clerk updating Members on the development of the Cultural Strategy including the founding commitments and priorities that have emerged from the extensive stakeholder consultation undertaken. Members noted that the proposal for the next phase of development is to further share these priorities in engagement sessions with corporates, SMEs and other relevant stakeholders, particularly the cultural institutions and the BIDs, in the Square Mile to further test the commitments and priorities in order to support their planning and implement their delivery.

Referencing section 19 of the report in particular, a Member asked for a timeframe of the next steps especially around stakeholder engagement and the sharing of the draft cultural strategy. The meeting noted that a detailed action and implementation plan is to be included within the strategy that is expected to be drafted by February 2026, and that the CoLC is expecting to further explore corporate involvement in the strategy with the support of the Committee’s Chair and Deputy Chair, and that context and narrative is expected to flesh out the strategy’s foundations with a full draft strategy available by April 2026.

Members commended the focus on a forward-looking vision and scope, noting the potential for over-consultation to dilute the ambition and optimism of an effective strategy.

Members noted that no further work will be undertaken with Things Made Public.  

RESOLVED, That Members

1.     Approve the foundational commitments and priorities one to eleven;

2.     Approve the hierarchy of priorities as: foundational commitments and priorities, opportunities, and additional considerations; and

3.     Approve the next stage of development of the Cultural Strategy: the implementation plan based on the foundational commitments and priorities.