Fears Over Bid To Cut Arts Centre Funding
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 12th January 2006.
Fears have been raised about the future funding of Haverhill Arts Centre, just a year after it was taken over by the town council.
Management of the Arts Centre was handed to the council by St Edmundsbury Borough Council and it receives a grant to help cover its running costs.
At a meeting of the borough's cabinet on Wednesday a report from the grant panel was agreed, recommending that £286,278 be offered to the town council to operate the centre and provide an arts and entertainment progranmme in 2006/2007.
But, it also suggested that borough officers agree with the council and the Town Hall Arts Centre Charity a five-year funding package which would "seek to utilise alternative funding sources and deliver a year-on-year reduction in the level of support required from St Edmundsbury".
Another item of the cabinet agenda referred to the lowest quote being received for refurbishment of the Athenaeum at Bury St Edmunds at £585,982, which means additional funding of £107,000 will need to be allocated from the capital programme.
Councillor Gerry Kiernan said he was concerned about the plan to cut the grant to the Arts Centre as a three-year business plan had already been agreed.
"People are now coming to the centre as it now has a good programme. There is an acceptance that the new venue at the Cattlemarket development in Bury St Edmunds will be heavily subsidised and I don't think there is any argument that the Arts Centre should not be subsidised in the same way.
"The Arts Centre is offering in Havehrill what the museums, the art gallery, the Athenaeun and the Theatre Royal provide at considerably less cost than those four venues. They are getting a very good deal for their money."
Management of the Arts Centre was handed to the council by St Edmundsbury Borough Council and it receives a grant to help cover its running costs.
At a meeting of the borough's cabinet on Wednesday a report from the grant panel was agreed, recommending that £286,278 be offered to the town council to operate the centre and provide an arts and entertainment progranmme in 2006/2007.
But, it also suggested that borough officers agree with the council and the Town Hall Arts Centre Charity a five-year funding package which would "seek to utilise alternative funding sources and deliver a year-on-year reduction in the level of support required from St Edmundsbury".
Another item of the cabinet agenda referred to the lowest quote being received for refurbishment of the Athenaeum at Bury St Edmunds at £585,982, which means additional funding of £107,000 will need to be allocated from the capital programme.
Councillor Gerry Kiernan said he was concerned about the plan to cut the grant to the Arts Centre as a three-year business plan had already been agreed.
"People are now coming to the centre as it now has a good programme. There is an acceptance that the new venue at the Cattlemarket development in Bury St Edmunds will be heavily subsidised and I don't think there is any argument that the Arts Centre should not be subsidised in the same way.
"The Arts Centre is offering in Havehrill what the museums, the art gallery, the Athenaeun and the Theatre Royal provide at considerably less cost than those four venues. They are getting a very good deal for their money."
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