Culture Matters - Thanet District Council’s Cultural Strategy

Action Plan

The delivery of this action plan will help to improve cultural provision in Thanet over the next four years and will help move us closer to our overall vision.

Some of the projects set out in this action plan will require external sources of funding, which the Council is working to secure. This action plan has not been divided into high, medium and low priorities. Instead, all the actions set out in this plan are regarded by the Council as high priorities, which we will be working to achieve between now and 2011.

a.  Developing a vibrant arts and events scene

Objective:       

Create a full annual events programme targeted at local residents and visitors to help support the Thanet economy by increasing visitor numbers and spend within the area.

Actions:

• Review the Council’s support and evaluation of events to deliver a new annual Thanet festival programme by 2009 
• Support at least 20 public events every year between now and 2011
• Support the transition of budding young cultural practitioners from education to work through a website allowing them to advertise their skills, network with other professionals, seek affordable studio space and seek the advice and support of Business Link

Objective:

Support Thanet’s unique arts venues to develop programmes that will increase satisfaction levels with the area’s theatres, concert halls, museums and galleries.

Actions:

• Support Kent County Council to prepare for opening of Turner Contemporary, including the securing of planning permission in 2008
• Support the Theatre Royal Trust to secure additional capital funding by 2011
• Help the Theatre Royal Trust to develop a successful community programme between by 2009
• Develop an asset management strategy by December 2007 and review the future management and ownership of the area’s cultural assets, including museums, concert venues and theatres to ensure that best use is being made of all the area’s existing assets by December 2008

Objective:

Enable local groups to continue their involvement in cultural activities to provide a broader base of cultural facilities. 

Action:

• Review the grants funding programme to ensure it delivers maximum benefit and the process is transparent by November 2008
• Establish a Cultural Forum with partners, to meet on a quarterly basis by March 2008 to ensure that groups in the creative sector are kept up to date with the Council’s and other agencies plans
• Continue to promote cultural events put on by volunteer groups through publications such as “Thanet Matters” and the “Isle Magazine”
• Establish service standards for Cultural Services by September 2008, so that local groups and individuals understand the level of service they can expect from the Council.
• Establish an East Kent Cultural Partnership by July 2008
• Consult with older people on priorities for improvements in services for them and to ensure that facilities are available for them by March 2009
• Establish an “IsleArts” website to act as a “shop window” for those involved in the creative industries by May 2008
• Create an arts action plan by September 2008

b.   Enabling cultural economic regeneration

Objective:

Maximise opportunities from 2012 Olympic and Para Olympic Games to ensure that Thanet benefits from the economic effects of the event.

Action:

• Develop a four year action plan by July 2008 with Kent County Council and the Kent Tourism Alliance

Objective:

Work with partners to develop the existing built environment to create welcoming and attractive places that help to regenerate the area’s town centres.

Actions:

• Secure planning permission for the former Marks & Spencer building by July 2008
• Develop a scheme to rejuvenate the existing facilities at Margate harbour to include restaurant and crafts shops by March 2008
• Develop draft policy for café culture for consultation by February 2008

Objective:

Support tourism businesses and market Thanet at a regional and national level to increase the number of day trip and staying visitors to the area.

Actions:

• Introduce system to allow events and tourist attractions to be bookable online at Thanet Council’s tourism website by December 2008
• Evolve the Visitor Information services operation to develop a new format and focus for delivery, including possible commercial partners, by May 2008
• Produce a tourism development framework action plan and develop methods for measuring the benefits of tourism to the local economy by March 2008
• Establish a Coastal Kent partnership to market the area by March 2008
• Develop a tourism-signing plan leading to the erection and rationalisation of signs across Thanet

c.   Making most of the coastal and natural environment

Objective:

Ensure that beaches and coastline remain among the best in the country to allow residents to make the most of the area’s local amenities and to encourage more visitors to come to the area on day and staying trips.

Actions:

• Work to retain seven Blue Flags for the area’s beaches between 2007 and 2011
• Assess potential for concessions and improve facilities at main beaches by March 2008
• Develop range of facilities for beach sports and organise a variety of regular sports events by April 2008

Objective:

Protect and promote our internationally renowned coastline for the enjoyment of our residents and to encourage additional visitors.

Actions:

• Develop a business work plan for Thanet Coast Project by June 2008

Objectives:

Provide facilities to allow everyone to enjoy the natural environment to help improve satisfaction levels with the area’s parks and open spaces and increase use of public transport locally.

Actions:

• Complete improvement works to Dane Park, funded by the Safer Stronger Communities Fund, by March 2008
• Secure two Green Flags for Thanet’s parks and opens spaces by 2011
• Extend and improve existing walking and cycling routes including the Dickens to Turner Trail around Thanet by 2009
• Provide a tree policy for the Council’s parks and open spaces by March 2008
• Use Kent Highways funding, working in association with KCC and South Eastern Railways, to improve the poorly positioned secure cycle parking at Margate Station, and seek additional funding to improve the overall quality of these facilities at all Thanet Stations
• Implement new multi-modal interchange facilities (including cycle storage) at Minster station by March 2010
• Complete funding bids for the provision of fish landing facilities at Ramsgate Marina by April 2008

d.  Building on the Past

Objective:

Deliver improvements in the appearance of the historic areas of our key towns to help residents appreciate their heritage and enjoy the landscape.

Actions:

• Improve 250 listed buildings in the Ramsgate Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme by 2011
• Produce two Conservation Area Appraisals each year until 2010
• Install new lighting, orientation signage and CCTV in Margate Old Town by March 2008

Objective:

Work with private sector partners to ensure high quality development of key sites across Thanet to maximise use of space and enable economic development.

Actions:

• Agree planning guidance for the Dreamland and Arlington Square site by early 2008
• Work with the owners of the Dreamland and Arlington Square to agree plans to regenerate the site by 2009
• Work with Kent County Council and the preferred developer on proposals for a mixed use development on the Rendezvous Site by 2010

Objective:

Provide and promote accessible and quality museum facilities for everyone to increase visitor levels to the area’s museums

Actions:

• Develop a plan of action to improve the management and performance of Council funded museums and art collections by September 2008, including opportunities (through facilities such as the Quex Museum) to display key archaeological finds appropriately

e.  Encouraging participation in sports, leisure and active lifestyles

Objective:

Ensure the quality of the facilities provided by Thanet District Council and its partners meet the needs of residents to help improve increasing involvement in active lifestyles and satisfaction levels amongst local residents with leisure facilities.

Actions:

• Complete a three year rolling programme of improvements to the facilities at allotment sites across Thanet by March 2010
• Review leisure provider contracts to ensure value for money for customers by March 2008
• Explore opportunities for joint working between Leisure Trusts in East Kent by 2009
• Support development of community space in Broadstairs and Ramsgate by 2011
• Work with Kent County Council as part of the Kent Agreement 2 priorities to increase the access and strategic location of leisure facilities in fully serviced schools (Building Schools for the Future programme) by 2009

Objective:

Enable access to sport for all parts of the community to help increase adult and child participation rates in sport.

Actions:

• Prepare and submit bids to secure funding for Sport 4 NRG by January 2008
•   Open the new Ramsgate Swimming Pool by 2011
• Develop a Sports Facilities Development Plan, in partnership with Sport England and Kent County Council by October 2008
• Continue to support and develop Thanet Sports Network with other key partners in the industry to deliver its annual objectives

Objective:

Provide activities and facilities that enable children and young people to maximise their leisure time, so that residents feel the Council is addressing one of their key concerns, identified in the MORI survey.

Actions:

• Develop and agree a Youth Strategy by March 2008
• Develop a Thanet Coast Play programme by April 2008, which will look at the opportunities for increasing exercise and play by developing and improving play areas in Margate and Ramsgate
• Deliver a feasibility study to look at the development of a motorbike scrambling centre by March 2008, ensuring community consultation to address local concerns
• Fund provision of out of school activities for young people in the summer and Easter holidays every year until 2011.

Next: Underlying principles

Back: Vision and Overarching Themes

• What is culture?
• Why is culture important?
• Why produce a cultural strategy?
• Main consultation findings

Context

• Local context
• Cultural context

Vision

• Vision and Overarching Themes
• Underlying Principles
• Action Plan
• Evaluating delivery of the Cultural Strategy
• Cultural aspirations

• Appendix 1: Developing the strategy
• Appendix 2: Key Stakeholders - consultees