Funding for the proposed Cultural Strategy

1240/5(2334)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HERISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st MARCH 2005

Question

With regard to the proposed Cultural Strategy, would the President -

1. identify the sourcesand sum of funding which will supporttheStrategy?and,
2. outline how the armslength' principle will bemaintainedunder the proposalsputforward in the Strategy? Answer

1. The proposalscontainedwithin the Cultural Strategyare,for the States, as a whole toembrace, and members will see that key partner organisations have been identified. Clearly there will becosts but manyof the costs have been identified elsewhere. The Cultural Strategy, for example,places great emphasis on the relationship between creativity and economic development. I note with pleasure therefore that provision is being considered within the economic growth strategy for thedevelopmentofsmall enterprises. I note also that consideration of support for Open University students,manyofwhom will wish tostudy in cultural areas' is also to beconsidered.Theon-going work undertakenbyDr.Michael Goldstein on the provision of higher education in the Island, will also address issues ofcost surrounding the developmentof higher education in the Island, some of which will be cultural in its nature'.You will note also that the strategy suggeststhe developmentof a percentageforartscheme for both the private and public sector. In this sense therefore the cultural strategy, like the States 2005 -2010 strategic document, relies onothermore detailed work for its delivery.
2. I am aware that concerns have been raised regarding possible interference by Government in the developmentof culture' within the Island. I have a personalconcern,not for the future butfor the current arrangements and those arrangements which have been in place over recent years. Neither I nor the Committee would wish to interfere in cultural developmentsave for a concern that cultural organisations, like any other organisation, operate within agreed resource limitations. When the Committee assumed responsibility for culture,there were nomechanismsin place to assure an arms length principle. Indeedon several occasionswe were expected to take decisionsoncultural matters withoutthebenefitofsound,broad advice.

T he Cultural Strategy makes provision for the creation of a council for culture which will have a

responsibility, among other things, to advise the Education, Sport and Culture Committee on cultural matters. The council will have broad representation of expertise and will be able to call upon further more specialist advice if required. On matters of cultural development therefore, the Committee will be better advised than at any time in the past.

N  o Committee would go to such lengths to create an advisory body if it were planning to ignore the advice it

receives from that body. It is the belief of the Committee therefore that the arms length principle is enhanced through the arrangements described in the Cultural Strategy.