DD2560 Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation Programme 2021-2022 transfer of funds between projects

1.1.    DD2450 approved up to £1,436,000 of revenue expenditure from the Culture and Activation budget of £14.7m to deliver the Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme for 2020-21, delivering on the Activation strategic objectives set out in the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Plan. These projects supported the local community and the area’s transformation, helping to establish the Royal Docks as a new cultural destination and creative industries cluster.
1.2.    Due to the impact of Covid-19, parts of the community arts projects that were planned to take place in 2020 around the Formula E World Championship at ExCel London, and the UEFA Euros, were postponed to 2021 and reduced in scale. These projects were delivered in Covid-safe methods with reduced expenditure. This decision is now seeking approval to reallocate £54,800 of underspend from DD2450 to spend towards activities in 2021-22. We propose to repurpose the remaining funds to deliver community arts activities with the same outcomes, within the Royal Docks Originals and Dock Local strands of the programme. Two of these projects will respond to Bangladesh’s 50th anniversary of independence, which is celebrated in 2021: Dawaat, by local South Asian theatre company Tara Arts; and Bangladesh Tales, by social practice artist Mohammed Ali (who has previously worked with Newham residents on a similar community celebration). Both projects involve local community participation. The remaining funds will be used for the early development of new Dock Local and Royal Docks Originals projects planned for 2022, enabling us to meet these close deadlines for project development.

Income, Procurement and Delivery
1.3.    Following this approval, the Royal Docks team will commence procurement, provision of grant funding and full due diligence for the proposed projects, to ensure that: services are properly procured; and funding is distributed fairly and transparently in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy and subsidy control rules, and in a manner that ensures value for money in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. This will be done in conjunction with TfL Procurement and TfL Legal.
1.4.    The detailed budget breakdown for projects is detailed below:

1.5.    For the events delivered by the Royal Docks team, sponsorship, funding and other income and concessions (if relevant and appropriate, e.g. food and drink stalls/marquee space at events) will be sought. All external income sought will be in accordance with Financial Regulations and the GLA Sponsorship Policy.
1.6.    In addition to cash income, the Royal Docks team will also seek benefits in kind, such as contributions to event programming or other content, to assist in the enhancement and promotion of events.
 

2.1    The three projects will deliver against the following strategic objectives in the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Plan, and by creating the following expected outputs:

The Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme has been refined to ensure that it is making a robust and holistic contribution to the Mayor of Newham and the Mayor of London’s Covid-19 recovery strategies. In particular it will focus on:
•    young people – providing opportunities for career training, work experience, involvement in decision making, and participation in the creation and production of professional arts and culture 
•    strong communities – delivering creative and social opportunities, involvement in decisions about the cultural programme, creative participation, and project that support community cohesion and civic pride
•    Local independent venues – supporting the development of programmes including music, participation and cultural programmes local venues
•    freelance creatives and local business – creating employment opportunities for local artists and creative, production and event workers and local suppliers; ensuring that we pay and actively support the London Living Wage.
•    physical and mental wellbeing – providing simulating and relevant things to do and see, social opportunities, and events that promote physical health and wellbeing.
•    the green economy – supporting internal Royal Docks teams and incoming projects with a strong green economy focus, and through our adoption of environmental policies across all our work
•    a local world-class cultural centre – ensuring that the Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme provides a local offer that is enriching and enjoyable for local people, enhancing their lives and offering opportunities.
2.3    Key quantitative outputs and relationship to Covid-19 recovery of the projects supported 
through reallocation of funds are demonstrated in the table below:

Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to: 
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation
•    advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.
3.2    The implications of this proposal have been assessed against the Public Sector Equality Duty. It is considered that it will have a positive impact through the provision of cultural activities and participation that are co-designed with Newham communities, and aim to provide health and wellbeing outcomes; provide jobs; and support economic regeneration. Newham is among the 10 per cent most deprived boroughs in the UK, and one of the most culturally diverse. Poverty is at high levels with 22 per cent of children living in low-income families, and 5.6 per cent experiencing bad or very bad health. The pandemic has had significant impact in the borough, and the proposed programme aims to support recovery with a focus on young people, communities, local business and freelance creative practitioners. No adverse implications for any group sharing a protected characteristic have been identified during this process.
3.3    The Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Plan projects will deliver against a range of Mayor of London policies (see 4.2) and is aligned with the Mayor’s Equalities Framework to consider the requirements of relevant equalities groups. Impact assessments will determine whether any persons with those characteristics will be unduly impacted by the activities described in this paper, and the course of action in order to mitigate any impacts.
3.4    The programme will be inclusive, with the majority of the programme free to attend/participate. Inclusivity will be achieved through co-design, programme content, and a broad and targeted approach to marketing channels and access facilities. All of the projects will work to bring different communities together, sharing cultures and supporting social integration.
3.5    The programme outlined above will enable the Royal Docks team to deliver to the diversity commitments set out in Mayoral Strategies (see 4.2).
 

The Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme will contribute to the following priorities from the Mayor of London’s Culture Strategy:
•    Love London – more people experiencing and creating culture on their doorstep
•    Culture and Good Growth – supporting, saving and sustaining cultural places and spaces 
•    Creative Londoners – investing in a diverse creative workforce for the future
•    World City – a global creative powerhouse today and in the future.
4.2    In addition, the Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme will help deliver the following Mayoral policies and strategies:
•    the Mayor’s Cultural Infrastructure Plan
•    the Mayor’s Vision for London as a 24-hour city, from good night to great night
•    the Mayor’s Response to the London Night Time Commission report
•    the Thames Estuary Production Corridor, the case for investment report
•    the case for a River Thames Cultural Vision 
•    the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Strategy 
•    the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Inclusive London 
•    the Mayor’s London Health Inequalities Strategy
•    the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy for London
•    the London Plan
•    the Mayor’s London Environment Strategy
•    the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.
4.3    There are no conflicts of interest to declare from anyone involved in the drafting or clearance of this Decision form. 
4.4        Key risks and issues

4.5    A summary of the most significant project level risks is reported to the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Programme Board on a quarterly basis. A risk register is maintained to continuously review programme delivery.

This decision requests approval for reallocation of up to £54,800 of revenue expenditure previously approved under DD2450 to deliver two projects and development of key projects for 2022 within the approved Two-year 2021-2023 Royal Docks Cultural Placemaking and Activation programme. Detailed programmes and forecast spend are listed in section 1.4 of this decision.
5.2    This expenditure will be funded from within the £212.5 million approved delivery plan budget confirmed in MD2338 and the costs will be incurred in 2021/2022. 
 

The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Executive Director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or that are facilitative of, conductive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development or the promotion of the improvement of the environment, in Greater London.
6.2    In implementing the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers should comply with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.    
6.3    In taking the decisions requested, the Executive Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, gender, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) and to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. To this end, the Executive Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.4    Section 1 of this report indicates that part of the sought budget will amount to the provision of grant funding and not payment for services. Officers must ensure that the funding is distributed fairly; transparently; in accordance with the GLA’s equality policy and subsidy control rules; and in a manner that affords value for money, in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that an appropriate funding agreement is put in place and executed by the GLA and the recipient before any commitment to funding is made.
6.5    Section 1 of this report indicates that the GLA intends to procure services. Section 9 of the GLA Contracts & Funding Code requires the GLA to engage with TfL Procurement and seek a call-off from a suitable framework where possible before the commencement of the services. 
6.6    Section 1 of this report indicates that the GLA intends to seek sponsorship. Section 13 of the GLA Contracts and Funding Code requires the GLA to abide by the GLA Sponsorship Policy before seeking sponsorship for an activity or event.