Plans to enhance cultural offerings in Suffolk approved
They'll find new uses for underutilised heritage buildings
Plans for supporting and enhancing the cultural offerings across Suffolk have been approved.
Cultural strategies for Mid Suffolk, Babergh and East Suffolk gained unanimous votes by each council’s cabinet this week.
Mid Suffolk and Babergh have a joint strategy, which brands the combined areas as the ‘heart of Suffolk’ and will run from 2023 to 2028.
Cllr Harry Richardson, Mid Suffolk’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “I think this strategy goes some way to helping define identity as a district: rural, steeped in history and with strong communities with a proud sense of place.
“There is a wealth of cultural and historical offerings within our district. I hope proposing this strategy will provide us with an opportunity to shine a light on those offerings, help develop them further and champion them locally, regionally and nationally.”
Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s strategy will be supported by a detailed delivery plan before the end of June.
Its objectives include finding new uses for empty or underutilised heritage buildings, an intention shared by East Suffolk’s strategy.
The joint strategy also intends to support venues and organisations to improve accessibility and develop an approach to sustainable tourism that is inspired by the local food production heritage.
Babergh leader and cabinet member for economic development Cllr John Ward commented: “This is our first dedicated strategy to provide a long-term vision to support the important cultural, heritage and visitor sectors of our economy – which are worth over £250 million per year to our two districts.
“I think we can all agree that development of this strategy and the long-term vision are important so we can support businesses in these sectors and the growth of the local economy.”
Aims of the plan
The three overarching aims of the joint strategy are: to support residents to live full cultural lives; to create a sustainable culture sector that champions the region’s distinctive qualities; and to ensure the culture sector works with neighbouring organisations, districts and counties to trial new approaches.
East Suffolk’s strategy also has three main aims: for its cultural and creative economy to thrive and benefit other sectors; to ensure young people can cultivate creative careers and lives in the area; and to ensure communities have access to cultural participation opportunities inspired by the landscape.
Deputy leader and cabinet member for economic responsibility at East Suffolk, Cllr Craig Rivett, said: “Our city of culture status application enabled this cultural strategy.
“Once we were unsuccessful in that application, we committed to carry on the great work on culture in our district.
“This is the next bit – a strategy for all of East Suffolk.”
Like its neighbours in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, East Suffolk’s strategy is expected to run until 2028.
The first year will be dedicated to building on existing activity and the second will focus on implementing plans.
As well as finding new uses for underutilised heritage buildings, the objectives of East Suffolk’s strategy include developing a work experience and apprenticeship model that enables heritage organisations to run placements and establishing ‘cultural forums’ in areas with plenty of culture organisations – which will be open to other sectors like education.
East Suffolk Council’s cabinet also approved the appointment of a cultural lead to coordinate the delivery of the strategy.
In Babergh and Mid Suffolk, the director for economic growth and climate change will have authority to update the strategy and develop a delivery plan.
Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils’ cabinet meetings were held on Monday, and East Suffolk’s cabinet met on Tuesday afternoon.