WMCA updates & comms
Adam provided an update from WMCA, the key points included:
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Director of Strategy at WMCA Julia Goldsworthy is
leaving the WMCA. The organisation is currently going through a Business Transformation process and succession arrangements will be considered as part of this. In the meanwhile, Adam will be reporting directly to Interim CEO Laura Shoaf.
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Currently developing Corporate Strategy for the next three years. Adam to share slides on this and welcomes any comments/feedback from the Board.
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No formal announcement yet for the process or timeline for the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). WMCA in discussions with individual departments on key asks and priorities. Likely to have limited new funds.
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Levelling-Up White Paper likely to be published in October. Currently being structured under four categories including: Growth & Enterprise, Human Capital, Pride in Place and Devolution. Main focus is on regional differences in productivity and growth, with the cultural sector included within this.
- We have had some conversations with Government departments and there may be a need to develop something quickly for submissions mid-September. CLB may therefore be contacted for ideas and contributions and this is likely to be a tight turnaround. Focus areas could be e.g. financial innovation, capital developments, place-based approaches like Cultural Action Zones.
Salla provided an update on the research project:
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West Midlands Cultural Sector Research Project was launched on 21 July 2021.
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Ongoing comms and social media going out for the research.
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The website page has had over 900 visits in just a few weeks with lots of positive interest
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First sector sharing session happened at the end of July and there are plans for future sessions in September or October.
- We will continue to develop the map with new datasets going forward.
Feedback from the group included:
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It was noted that some Local Authorities are already looking at levelling up opportunities that would include cultural projects
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Questions were asked if the cultural infrastructure map could be open source. Salla noted that based on the learning from Greater London Authority, this would still require some monitoring. However, people can currently contact the WMCA to ask them to be added to the map or to amend the data so the process is quite easy and we have not received high numbers of requests.
Action:
- Adam to share slides to CLB.