Hertfordshire County Council

Regional Commentaries Self Assessment

Introduction

Hertfordshire County Council [HCC] wishes to be recognised as an enabler and supporter of cultural developments and an excellent authority in our approach to culture. We work in partnership with Districts, communities, schools, businesses, the voluntary sector, regional Bodies and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to facilitate the delivery of the arts, museums, tourism, sport and all cultural activities. It is clearly recognised that the Districts, working with local community and voluntary groups are the delivery agents for the majority of the cultural activity across the county.

HCC directly delivers cultural activities through itslibrary, archives and local studiesservices. In 2006, HCC approved a strategy, called Libraries for the 21st Century (L421C), which provides a substantial programme of revenue and capital investment to open libraries for longer, more convenient opening hours in buildings that are fit for purpose. These improvements focus on community need and take account of partnership working opportunities. They will increase accessibility and usage of the library service and improve performance against Public Library Service Standards (PLSS).

In HCC’s Corporate Plan our main ambition is ‘to make Hertfordshire a better place to live and work and to provide the best possible services.’ This is supported by the key messages and priorities listed in Enjoy! a cultural strategy for Hertfordshire, which is endorsed by all Districts and the County Council.

We all want to put culture at the heart of the county’s life and help the cultural sector improve its performance. The value culture plays in our local economy is essential. Communities in Herts enjoy a rich cultural life, from which all can benefit. By working together with all providers, our aim is to make the county an even more prosperous and better place to live, work and visit.

Theme 1: Achieving objectives and improvement

Expectations / Probes and evidence
Works effectively with the regional agencies / HCC works in partnership with all the relevant regional agencies both cultural and economic including Go-East, Living East and EEDA. Herts Association of Cultural Officers (HACO) regularly invites regional colleagues to attend quarterly meetings. All Hertfordshire local authorities are represented on HACO. This joint approach provides a platform for a continuous debate on cultural issues. This is further reflected in joint county meetings for each of the specific cultural sectors. Regional Bodies clearly know who their first HCC point of contacts are:
Jill Barber, Heritage Services Manager
Stewart Bryant, Head of Hertfordshire Environmental Records
Julie Bunnage, Sports Development Manager
Catherine Davis, CountyArts Development Officer
John Harris, Director of Children, Schools and Families (Chief Officer lead for Culture)
Annie Hawkins, County Cultural and Tourism Officer
Julie Massey, County Museums Development Officer
Glenda Wood, Head of Libraries, Heritage and Arts
John Wood, Director of Environment ( Chief officer lead for London 2012 Olympics)
  • Is there is regular and effective dialogue between the LA and all the NDPB’s? [Non Departmental Public Bodies]
  • HCC regularly attends strategic regional forums to inform and influence NDPB’s work programmes.
  • HCC is regularly consulted with and responds to regional and national cultural consultations e.g. ‘A Better Life’, ‘ Inspiring Learning for All
  • HACO and HCC regularly involve the NDPB’s in early discussion on potential cultural projects e.g. ‘Diverse Herts’ as these often match and support regional planning.
  • NDPB’s are standing members of countywide consultative committees e.g. HACO, Herts Arts Partnership (HAP), Herts Museums Partnership (HMP) and Herts Sports Partnership (HSP)
  • Do the authorities consider that this dialogue is the basis of an effective working relationship with all the regional agencies?
The cultural infrastructure of HACO and the countywide consultative committees provide an excellent basis for effective dialogue. These relationships have considerably strengthened over the last 3 years although we recognise there is always room for further improvement. This has been achieved despite the considerable changes faced by some regional colleagues.
  • HCC and its district partners help deliver central government initiatives on behalf of, or in partnership with regional agencies.
  • HCC and district colleagues broker partnerships and deliver joint programmes e.g. Green Heart Partnership.
  • Are there formal funding agreements and joint projects taking place in the authority?
Yes there are several formal agreements between HCC and regional partners to deliver time limited initiatives and these include:
  • Green Heart Partnership
  • ‘TheatreIs’ has received core funding over three years to support the regional beacon company for children and young people’s theatre.
  • WatfordPalace and essexdance receive fundingfor delivery of theatre and dance for ChildrenSchools and Families via a tender process
  • Creativity for Life, a joint HCC/Arts Council England East project to roll out the benefits of Creative Partnerships in Hertfordshire
  • SLA agreement exists between HertsMuseums and MLA for delivery of Museum Development Programme under Renaissance initiative.
  • Herts Museum Partnership working in partnership with MLA East to deliver Strategic Commissioning programmebetween schools and museums in the region.
  • Herts Sports Partnership receives funding from Sport England to support the Partnership and to deliver the work programme
  • Digswell Arts Trust HLF funded archive project
  • Proposed Herts Hidden Histories project relating to Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade
  • Hidden Talent see:
  • Does the authority get involved in regional cultural activity? For example, regional economic, spatial and cultural strategies.
  • HCC is regularly consulted with and responds to regional and national cultural consultations e.g. Regional Economic Strategy, ‘A Better Life’ and the Regional Tourism Strategy
  • Do the LA and regional agencies plan and prioritise jointlytowards creating a common purpose?
The cultural structure in Hertfordshire allows effective communication and consultation to take place to inform HCC and regional agencies plans. Joint projects are dealt with on an individual basis e.g. Green Heart Partnership and the planned steering group for Creativity for Life. Both HCC and the regional agency sit as observers on the Theatre Is Board. We think it would be beneficial to meet formally with colleagues from the NDPB’s regularly to specifically discuss our joint long-term plans for Hertfordshire. We have strong informal contact with them currently, but our concern about this is that it is based on individual personal contact.
Reflected in the authorities strategies and plans /
  • Is the contribution of culture to community strategy themes has been considered and translated explicitly and consistently into strategy documents and plans of partner organisations?
In HCC’s Corporate Plan our main ambition is ‘to make Hertfordshire a better place to live and work and to provide the best possible services.’ Cultural activity clearly supports this. HCC colleagues attend community and local strategic partnership meetings in the districts to help ensure that culture is being included in their community strategies.
HCC and partners recognise that the cultural sector is a critical economic driver. Culture can make a big difference in support of education and learning, public health, community safety and sustainable regeneration. HCC uses culture to support:
  • The Council’s Challenges
  • Departmental and local aims
  • Local Area Agreement
  • Regeneration initiatives
  • Every Child Matters
HCC Culture and Libraries panel have agreed the following strategic priorities for culture:
  • To raise the profile of culture by the development of an embedded cultural infrastructure within HCC
  • Position HCC to be both influential and supportive in creating and developing cultural hubs or cultural areas in communities
  • To forward plan to maximise the benefits of the 2012 Olympics to Hertfordshire
  • The establishment of a Hertfordshire Initiative fund
Examples of current good practice
  • Green Heart Partnership, is a good example of a project that will support sustainable communities
  • Hertfordshire has a well established Herts 2012 – ready for winners group to explore the potential benefits of London 2012 to the county. Various working groups are established including the culture and tourism subgroup, which will be led by the County Cultural Officer.
  • Libraries support all five strands of Every Child Matters
  • Being healthy – quality of bookstock (public libraries and schools Library Service)
  • Staying safe – providing community space
  • Enjoying and achieving – Summer Reading Challenge, Bookstart, Storytimes
  • Making a positive contribution – consultation on service delivery (stock and facilities), Teenage reading groups
  • Experiencing economic well-being – Homework Clubs

Contribution that culture can make to the LAA / Culture is represented in two blocks of the LAA, Safer and Stronger Communities and Children and Young People. It is intended to include additional cultural activities at the first opportunity to refresh the LAA. Appendix C
Achievement / Prior to 2002, there was no cultural plan for Hertfordshire. The joint development of Enjoy! with the Hertfordshire Districts and voluntary groups has helped encourage and support the growth of the current cultural infrastructure of the county. HCC now has an established Culture and Libraries Panel, an Executive Member and a Chief Officer lead for culture. This has particularly helped raise profile of culture internally within HCC. Enjoy! is currently due to be reviewed as the current plan runs out in 2007.
  • The Library Service exceeded the Summer Reading Challenge target for 2006 (target 7250 completers, achieved 7898)
  • Herts Sports Partnership has just undertaken TAES and has achieved the highest rating in the region of ‘Good’. It was also the first county sports partnership in the regionto be signed off as fit for purpose by Sport England East. HCC play an active role on the Partnership Executive Group

Service improvement /
  • Are the services improving against PI’s in CPA and CPA score?
  • 2006 CPA Culture Block is likely to maintain 3 star rating. Libraries for the 21st Century investment will improve Public Library Service Standards & CPA performance over the next few years.
  • No PIs currently for Arts and PIs for Museums not applicable to HCC.
  • Hertfordshire is on target to exceed the percentage targets for Young People accessing 2 hours per week quality physical activity. This is being led by Herts Sports Partnership.
  • Are the services improving against local PI’s and targets?
The evidence would suggest yes. All countywide cultural projects and work programmes have PIs and targets integral to their delivery which are continuously assessed by key stakeholders. Examples of these include:
  • Herts Sports Partnership work programme
  • Green Heart Partnership and the projects it delivers
  • PIs set under SLA agreement between MLA and Museum Partnership. (These PIs are standard for all similar services across the region).
  • Herts Museums Partnership Forward Plan
  • Enjoy!
  • Library Heritage and Arts Plan 2006
  • Herts Tourism and Leisure Partnership work programme
  • Have services been accredited?
  • Where there is no appropriate accreditation scheme do services achieve high standards in terms of service and work quality?
  • Herts Sports Partnership have achieved TAES
  • Herts Sports Partnership are actively encouraging sports clubs to achieve Club Mark
  • Museums in Herts are currently going through MLA Accreditation standard supported directly by the County Museum Development Officer
  • High level of Arts Marks awarded to Herts schools
  • Herts Tourism and Leisure Partnership only market quality inspected accommodation.
  • CountyTourism Officer actively encourages attractions to achieve VAQAS
  • HCC Library Service won the BBC East of England RaW Centre Award 2006

Theme 2: Political and Managerial Leadership

Expectations / Probes and evidence
Effective political and managerial leadership /
  • Do key individuals inspire, persuade and motivate others to recognise and position culture in cross cutting agendas?
All colleagues working in the cultural arena for HCC act as advocates and champions for culture. This is implicit to their roles. We actively encourage and support other colleagues, members and partners to also champion culture at every opportunity.
The profile of culture in HCC and the county has been raised by the Chief Officer lead being at Director level with a cabinet lead for culture as well.
  • Do elected members, council officers, partners and stakeholders share a common purpose, have clearly defined responsibilities and accountabilities, and provide coherent service management?
Enjoy! has raised the profile of culture across Hertfordshire not least in showcasing what culture is and what it has to offer. There is still someway to go in communicating the full breadth of the cultural offer and the value it can bring to communities. The challenge is to encourage key stakeholders and other colleagues to think creatively as to how culture can help them deliver statutory aims and objectives.
  • Do the cabinet and scrutiny regularly consider issues relating to cultural services?
  • There are monthly cultural briefings with executive cabinet members and ad hoc one-to-one meetings with members as required.
  • Member representation on Herts Museum Partnership and Herts Arts Partnership
  • Culture and Tourism have both been through Scrutiny.
  • Culture and Libraries Panel now established to consider strategic issues on culture.
  • It is the role of Herts Museum Partnership to scrutinise the Museums Development work programme with elected members from HCC and 9 of 10 Districts.
  • The impact of the Libraries for the 21st century initiative will be scrutinised in autumn 2007.

Actively engage with key partners /
  • Do partners and cultural services work together proactively as appropriate and necessary across both organisational and geographical boundaries to address issues of community ambition and concern?
As HCC’s role is to enable and support culture it is essential that we work in partnership across the county and region to ensure the needs of Herts communities are met.
Examples of good practice:
  • East Orchestral Board countywide music project in partnership with the Districts, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Hertfordshire Music Service
  • Artscool – inclusive summer school developed with University of Hertfordshire now in its 4th year. This is led and delivered by the University.
  • Diverse Herts Project – inclusive project in partnership with community organisations and museums.
  • Connecting Culture to Classrooms – ‘cultural offer’ to the University of Herts Initial Teacher Training Programme supported through MLA East of England.
  • Library participation in the development ofChildren’s Centres and extended schools
  • Herts Youth Games – all local authorities in Herts fund this annual event. HCC sponsored this years Games through the Herts Initiative Fund.
  • Hidden Histories – joint projects addressing the bicentennial of the abolition of the Trans Atlantic slave trade in partnership with CSF, TheatreIs, Herts Tourism and Leisure Partnership and minority ethnic community organisations.
  • Open Studios – joint marketing of open studios with Herts Visual Arts Forum.
  • Market Town Tourism Initiative – HCC, Herts Tourism and Leisure Partnership, Dacorum CVS and Tring Town Council producing cultural tourism materials.
All the above are good examples of joint funding initiatives as are others previously mentioned.
Monitor and challenge /
  • Do the cabinet and scrutiny committees regularly monitor the performance of the service?
  • See above
  • Are there examples of positive responses to external challenge such as inspection or peer review?
  • Libraries for the 21st century programme stems from results of 2002 CPA inspections and findings of Libraries Best value Review 2003
  • Partnership representatives attended Cultural Scrutiny Panels to support HCC’s contribution to the countywide cultural arena.
  • Herts Museum Partnership work programme assessed on a quarterly basis by MLA East of England
  • Are there examples of voluntary external challenge by Regional agencies or other organisations?
  • County Museum Development Officer Regional Network Group has voluntary agreed PIs to compare services across the region.

Theme 3: Community Engagement

Expectations / Probes and evidence
Informing the community and its partners & marketing /
  • Does the service have a successful record of effective consultation with the community about their needs?
HCC believes it does have a successful record of effective consultation with the community through websites, questionnaires, focus groups, MORI surveys, network forums, road shows, direct mail and user groups. Several of the above methods were used to inform the compilation of Enjoy!and the development of library services.
Examples of good practice:
  • Enjoy!
  • Establishment of Library User Consultation Register
  • Green Heart Partnership
  • Expanding Our Audiences Inclusion project
  • The development of Herts Sports Partnership
  • Facilities for people with disabilities e.g. adaptive technology
  • HCC officers support and attend District consultation events e.g. Community Planning Development, Cultural Strategies
  • Annual Public Library User Survey
  • Specific consultation on service initiatives e.g. Libraries For the 21st century building refurbishment
  • Book, Audio-visual and service needs, such as community language IT software, for targeted groups e.g. BME, children
  • Is the service marketed and promoted effectively?
HCC is partner to numerous websites marketing cultural services. These are:









Wherever possible we promote cultural activity through:
  • Local, regional and national media
  • Enjoy! Hertfordshire magazine
  • Enjoy! themed leaflets
  • Herts Holiday Times
  • CSF Newsletter
  • Herts Direct broadsheet
  • District newsletters
  • General marketing via leaflets, bookmarks, badges, stickers etc.
  • Sponsorship i.e. Herts Initiative Fund
  • Cultural tourism advertising campaigns / competitions
  • Activities identified in the Libraries Marketing Strategy e.g. re-branding external signage of libraries, promotion of new magazine lending scheme, introduction of ‘loyalty’ cards
  • Does Culture regularly feature in the authorities corporate communications?
Officers work closely with Corporate Communications colleagues to ensure that the cultural profile and our services are featured. Recent press releases and articles include; Rhythms of the World, Green Heart Partnership, Open Studios, Herts Sports Partnership, Phillimore Prize.