Agenda item

Cultural Venues Fees and Charges 2018/19

Decision:

* RESOLVED –

1. That the proposed theatre hire charges for the Pomegranate Theatre, as detailed at Appendix A of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

2. That the proposed room hire charges for The Winding Wheel, as detailed at Appendix B of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

3. That the proposed equipment hire charges at The Winding Wheel, as detailed at Appendix B of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

4. That the proposed theatre hire charges for The Winding Wheel, as detailed at Appendix C of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

5. That the proposed room hire charges at the Assembly Rooms in the Market Hall, as detailed at Appendix D of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

6. That the proposed room hire charges at Hasland Village Hall, as detailed at Appendix E of the officer’s report, be approved and implemented from 1 April 2018.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

To make further progress towards a sustainable financial position for the venues.

Minutes:

The Arts and Venues Manager submitted a report recommending for approval proposed fees and charges for venue and equipment hire at the Pomegranate Theatre, the Winding Wheel, the Assembly Rooms in the Market Hall and Hasland Village Hall for 2018/19.

Following a review in 2011, the Council had implemented an improvement programme for the venues with the key aims of integrating the operation of the venues, improving the arts and cultural offer and reducing the overall subsidy to the council tax payer. It was noted that the annual fees and charges review had contributed in part to the reductions in subsidy required by the venues, with net controllable costs reduced by a total of £342,084 since 2011/12.

The Arts and Venues Manager advised the Cabinet that despite these savings, the venues had operated at a deficit through 2016/17. In light of the ongoing resource pressures faced by the Council, the venues had been tasked with reducing their net controllable costs to nil by the end of 2020/21.