Local authorities

Funding has been set aside by Stockport Council to cover repairs at the Forum Theatre in Romiley, Stockport, which has been closed since September due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The Manchester Evening News reports that the Liberal Democrat-led council will provide £300,000 for the works so the theatre can reopen.

Frankie Singleton, Stockport Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said that a long-term arrangement with central government to deal with such issues is required. 

“The government have to work with local councils to find a sustainable solution to fund repairs, and any costs incurred whilst repairs continue, similar to the approach that has been taken with schools and colleges,” she said.

“We believe that this issue has become urgent in local communities across the country. Therefore, we urge the government to provide funding for repairs in local cultural venues in line with the approach taken for other buildings.”

Council spending on cultural services fell by 43% between 2010-11 and 2022-23 in real terms, according to analysis by The Guardian.

During that period, the figures show a decline in local authority investment in all areas except social care, with cuts of 40% for roads and transport, 35% for housing and 33% for planning and development.

The analysis follows an announcement from the government of a £600m support package for councils, which will see an additional £500m added to the Social Care Grant to help fund children's and adult social care.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer told Arts Professional that protecting these services will "reduce pressure on council’s budgets, and allow local authorities to continue to support the cherished arts venues, libraries, youth services and leisure centres at the heart of our communities". 

Speaking to The Guardian, Shadow Communities Secretary Angela Rayner said libraries, sports centres and youth provision were “not a garnish” and rejected calls from some Conservatives to reduce the types of services that councils had to offer.

“What’s very clear to me is that we are going to inherit a very difficult situation because the Tories have brought [councils] to the brink, offering them a very small amount of money now which cynically to me is about them trying to just get them over the line for a general election,” she said.

“But it’s not going to do anything about the long-term problems that we would inherit and we’re under no illusions about the scale of those problems.”

Around 26 English councils have declared or are on the verge of bankruptcy, with dozens more dealing with high debt levels. Recently, several local authorities, including Bournemouth, Somerset, Hampshire, Suffolk, Coventry, Bristol, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Leeds, have proposed cuts to their cultural services as they look to prioritise funds for social care.

Valence House Museum and Gardens in Dagenham will undergo £800k improvement works after securing external investment.

The restoration is backed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Arts Council England’s Museum Estates Development Fund, with match funding from Barking and Dagenham Council.

The project includes conservation works in the medieval moated enclosure to restore natural habitats and biodiversity, roof repair and conservation investigations into the medieval fabric of the Grade II* listed building. 

Councillor Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement said: “Barking and Dagenham is a growing destination with a diverse arts and culture offer, and we recognise the huge contribution the sector makes to our entire community.

“Our borough’s heritage gems... are much loved by the community, and despite the financial pressures we, like councils up and down the country, are facing, we’re committed to ensuring our heritage sites remain available for local people to enjoy.

“It’s really important we continue to secure external funding to invest in these important sites and ensure a wide range of arts and culture activity to meet the needs of not just the few, but the many.”

Chatteris Museum in Cambridgeshire is reopening in a former Barclays bank branch two years after moving out of its old premises, having outgrown it.

The former museum building, shared with the town council offices, closed in 2021. The BBC reports that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority purchased its new home for £770,000.

An official opening has been planned for May, but it is open three days a week until then on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Collections Manager Andrew Spooner said: "We are really excited to have this fabulous space. It is a classic early Victorian, Georgian architectural delight built in 1840, and a Barclays bank since 1921. The bank shut in 2019, but people still refer to the building as 'Barclays'.

"We have 24 very keen volunteers, and thanks to various grants, including £97,000 from the National Lottery, we hope to keep the legacy and history of this wonderful town alive for future generations."