DD2253 Royal Docks Activation & Events Programme - Capital to Revenue

Mayoral Decision 2049 approved expenditure of £3.5m between financial years 2017-19 to fund the establishment of the new Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Delivery Team, to enable the preparation of the EZ Detailed Delivery Plan and implement an early programme of regeneration and promotional activity to drive forward the potential of the EZ and, critically, to achieve an early business rate income.

The next two years are critical in the 25-year lifetime of the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone (EZ), and it is important that there is a visible change to developers, investors, businesses and visitors to the area. The key development partners in the Royal Docks have identified the activation of their sites and the surrounding area as one of the highest priority short term actions required to catalyse investment and occupation.

Due to the extended timeframe between MD2049 being approved and the recruitment of the EZ Delivery Team, a further DD (DD2203) was prepared and approved (January 2018) detailing specific projects and allocation of budget within the activation and events programme.

The EZ Delivery Team over the last six months have been working to create an early and inclusive cultural offer and have developed an activation programme that will promote the cultural and economic significance of the docks on a local, regional and international level. They will:

• Position the Royal Docks on the world stage as a distinct location for unique events;
• Develop visitor and local footfall through consistent and varied programming;
• Maximise cultural programme opportunities and impact through partnerships;
• Attract cultural organisations to establish a thriving creative district/ community;
• Enrich and enliven the public realm through place marking, giving a sense of arrival and place;
• Engage local communities in their changing place via the cultural programme.

The approved budget set for activation and events in MD2049 was £500,000 revenue and £300,000 capital. This DD requests the £300,000 allocated to Capital spend be changed to Revenue spend. Although the type of spend will change, this DD is not requesting any increase in the budget approved in MD2049. The expenditure will still be incurred in the 2017-19 financial years.

Required changes to outlined Cultural Events and Projects

Following the approval of DD2203 in January 2018 further programme scoping was undertaken. It identified that indicative budgets for Urban Beach and Place Marking required revision, with an increased budget requirement for Urban Beach and a lesser requirement for Place Marking. In addition, a unique opportunity was identified to support a bespoke Royal Docks programme via grant funding as part of Greenwich & Docklands International Festival in June 2018. These changes within the programme including an additional project require adjustments to existing budget allocations and the type of spend (from Capital to Revenue).

Place Making

Following further development, the Place Marking project has changed. Originally this project was identified as Capital spend as it was expected to produce several high quality permanent artworks i.e. several capital assets. The programme has since developed in response to stakeholder engagement and strategic planning as part of the Royal Docks Delivery Plan. The Place Marking project is now a community engaged art programme producing temporary art across a number of sites. The project focus is now on delivering an engaged community art programme and presenting temporary works in the public realm. As such the spend is now Revenue spend, as it is related to delivery of a community arts programme rather than production of permanent capital assets.

The Royal Docks Delivery Plan includes a long-term vision for commissioning art across the public realm, to be delivered in a number of phases. This Place Marking project is an initial pilot phase, with learning to be integrated into future plans. As such the budget requirement for this stage has reduced, and can be reallocated to other projects with more urgent delivery requirements, within DD2203. The budget requirement has now decreased from the original allocation of £300,000 capital to £138,000 revenue. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2018-19 financial year.

Urban Beach Festival

Following an exercise via the GLA Event Framework to procure an event production company in February 2018, companies reported that the £300,000 budget allocated in the tender specification was insufficient and as a result no tenders were submitted.

Following further project scoping and development the event specification has been revised and the required budget allocation is now £437,000. This required increase of £137,000 is due to a fuller understanding of the event site and its requirements, as well as increasing the duration of the event from four weeks to seven weeks. This budget increase can be met from the planned underspend in Place Marking, however it requires a change of spend from Capital to Revenue. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2018-19 financial year.

Grant funding – Greenwich & Docklands Festival

A unique opportunity has been identified to support a new, bespoke Royal Docks programme within Greenwich & Docklands International Festival in June 2018. The proposed activity meets the approved Activation objectives (see item 1.4 above) of increasing footfall and positioning the Royal Docks on the world stage as a distinct location for unique events. The funding required for the project is £25,000 and can be met from the underspend identified within Place Marking. This expenditure will be incurred in the 2018-19 financial year.

To improve movement and connectivity within the Royal Docks by making public spaces more accessible and desirable

To change perceptions of this part of London by offering a programme of world class activations.

Improve accessibility and permeability within the Royal Docks

To promote health and wellbeing and increasing sustainable public realm spaces

To promote activities and new opportunities to visitors, creating a Royal Docks destination.

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; and
• Advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The activation programme is planned to be inclusive and aimed at all Londoners, culturally and socially. Within the programme different events will engage with a number of different communities and stakeholder groups. Through the Royal Docks Cultural Partnerships forum local stakeholders will have the opportunity to input into the development of the programme.

Equalities considerations will be taken into account by the GLA in connection with all of the work procured. Equality Impact Assessments will be undertaken to ensure the relevant characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 are considered by the GLA. Impact assessments will determine whether any persons with those characteristics will be unduly impacted by the activities described in this DD, and the course of action in order to mitigate any impacts.

The overall objective of this approval is to develop and deliver activation projects in order to accelerate and maximise the regeneration of the EZ and wider Royal Docks Opportunity Area. The projects will improve connectivity and permeability to and through the Royal Docks, increase footfall and support the development of the Royal Docks as a cultural destination.

Delays in the programme may occur. To mitigate these risks, a detailed project plan outlining timescales has been created. Contingency time will be incorporated into the project plan to manage over-runs.

Overspend may occur. To mitigate these risks, a detailed project plan with budgets will be created. A 10% contingency fund will be allocated at the outset of the project.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities include:

• Developing world-class events in line with the Mayor’s Cultural Strategy – to assist in the development of a ‘stimulating, creative and cultural London’.
• Developing ‘a programme of activities/events to engage with London’s diverse communities to help deliver the Mayor’s priorities, strategies and policies, as well as celebrate London’s rich diversity’.
• Promoting sustained economic growth and competitiveness of London as a World City through tourism, economic development and positive media coverage.
• The Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula are destinations in the making. The vision draws on a rich history central to the making of London. The Aerial Art Park will help reveal the area’s history while consolidating a new unifying identity. (Aerial Art Park Vision, 2017)
• London is open to business, to talent and to creativity. The Thames Estuary has historically been our gateway to the world and the heart of London’s manufacturing industry. Our vision for the world’s largest creative production corridor is bold. It will position London and the South East as a world leader for the creative industries on a scale never seen before, creating a landmark corridor along the estuary, powering skills opportunities and new jobs. (Thames Estuary Production Corridor Vision, 2017)

This decision requests approval to transfer £300,000 approved capital expenditure to revenue expenditure which will be allocated as follows:

• • £138,000 revenue expenditure on place marking (increase from £0 revenue expenditure)
  • £137,000 on Urban Beach (increase from £300,000 to £437,000)
  • £25,000 to the support and delivery of additional activation programme as summarised in the table below.

The expenditure is to be funded from the Royal Docks EZ Projects Delivery Budget (MD2049) forecast to be spent in 2018-2019 financial year. DD2203 authorised and detailed the original spend of £700,000 over the different categories.

This report requests approval for the transfer and reallocation of expenditure already authorised via DD2203. 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 statutory powers of the GLA to do such things as may be considered to be facilitative of or conducive or incidental to the discharge of the GLA’s principle purposes; and
• In formulation the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

(a) pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
(b) 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; and
(c) consult with appropriate bodies.

In taking the decisions requested, the Executive Director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion) or share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Executive Director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

Section 9 of the GLA Contracts and Funding Code requires the GLA to seek a call-off from a suitable framework where possible or, if not, to undertake a formal tender process to procure such services in relation to all contracts for goods or services with a value above £10,000 before the commencement of the required supplies/services.