Croydon's Cultural Partnership
Central Government has made it a duty for local authorities to consider the economic, environmental and social well being of their areas. To achieve this, local authorities are required to develop a Community Strategy. We have adopted six key priorities to shape the Community Strategy; clean and green, crime, health, education, regeneration and better and fair access. They will develop it together with stakeholders in Local Strategic Partnerships.
Our Cultural Partnership has been developed as a theme partnership of Croydon's Strategic Partnership. It is a high profile Partnership with a membership with real decision making ability, which will influence and shape cultural development in the borough.
The objectives of the Cultural Partnership are:
- Delivering the Croydon's Cultural Strategy 2005-2008
- 'Championing' the delivery of cultural opportunities in Croydon
- To be the voice for culture in the borough
- To bring together relevant local plans, partnerships and initiatives to provide a forum through which participants can work effectively together to deliver the cultural agenda.
The Cultural Partnership has developed a terms of reference and agreed a Vision and priorities where it can add value, by delivering actions that can only be achieved by working in partnership as opposed to those that would have been achieved anyway (by the Council). Since May 2003, it has continued to develop and formalise its structure and membership to ensure that it develops into a Partnership that is effective.
A Cultural Partnership Board was created in September 2003, consisting of up to 15 Partnership members. These were nominated using a person specification and skills/ sector matrix. The Board meets quarterly and will undertake work for the Partnership in between meetings to ensure that the Partnership drives forward delivery. It will also identify areas for future development and improvement for the Cultural Partnership in a strategic way and monitor the achievements of the Partnership and the Cultural Strategy.
The Partnership decided to set up Task Groups to ensure the following priorities were progressed:
- Developing Croydon's Cultural Quarter
- Marketing and Tourism
- Art in public places
- Improving Croydon's green/ open spaces and natural environment
Task Group meetings have now started taking place focusing on developing work programmes containing actions and targets to deliver. The work programmes have informed the revision of the Community Strategy and will develop over the next few meetings whilst Task Groups find their feet. It is anticipated that the groups will evolve over time, with flexibility needed to allow time for the membership to be right and the groups role to be cemented.
The Cultural Partnership Forum which consists of up to 50 members from cultural organisations in Croydon continues to meet regularly. For more information on meetings please contact us at the details below.
Contact Details
- Contact name
- Policy Unit
- Telephone
- 020 8726 6000 ext. 62183
- ecspolicy@croydon.gov.uk
- Address
- Policy Unit
Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon
CR9 3BT
