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Monmouthshire County Council responds to the Draft Drama strategy for Wales |
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The policy review and Finance Committee of Monmouthshire County Council considered the draft strategy at their meeting on 22nd February 1999. The comments below represent the view of the County Council on the Drama proposals General Comments The paper exhibits a confusing lack of clarity between Theatre for Young People (TYP) and Theatre in Education (TIE). The lack of any clear definition makes it difficult to judge exactly what is being proposed in certain key areas. The lack of convincing references to participative strategies is also a cause for concern. Participation is identified as a general objective in the recently published Arts Council Strategy for the arts and young people but the paper fails to provide the necessary detail and seems to concentrate more on young people as audience rather than participants Specific Comments Comments relate to paragraphs as numbered in the consultation paper 5.2 It is recognised that support for companies based on the pre 1996 eight county structure no longer has validity and there is a need to deliver services in a different way. It is also accepted that many local authorities have ceased or reduced funding to the eight existing companies. Similarly, schools with delegated budgets are now free to make their own decisions as to which services they need It is however questionable whether the Irish Republic is the best model for comparison given the size and nature of its population 5.5 The figures quoted in section 5.5 of the paper are puzzling. Support for the eight companies with an average grant of £111,057 would produce a total expenditure of £888,000. The proposed level of funding for the new franchises only comes to £720,000, leaving a difference of £168,000. Given that no explanation is offered for this deficit it could be seen as a cut to Arts Council support for TIE A further concern is the level of funding proposed for the four franchises. It may be that the increase for the surviving companies will not be sufficient to cover the inevitable increased cost of marketing and travel resulting from servicing a wider area 5.6 The statements made in section 5.6 are frankly confusing. Potential partners and consumers will want information on style, scale and nature of delivery before parting with any money. The extent of regional coverage will surely need to be more tightly defined than the paper seems to suggest if wasteful competition is not to occur. The "national" role also needs to be explained more fully The references to "areas where support from local authorities is still strong" also needs to be explained. Does it mean that ACW will adopt a more sympathetic approach in these areas? Will the franchisees be committed to deliver to the same standard locally as the existing system achieves, and is this feasible It is agreed that the negotiation between ACW and existing local authority partners should take place at the earliest opportunity and that ACW should use this negotiation to discover the likely results of the proposals on local funding 5.8 In the light of the reservations expressed above it is difficult to share the rather half-heated optimism of section 5.8 Issues for Monmouthshire The present system of support for Gwent Theatre in Education (GTIE) by the Arts Council, Monmouthshire County Council and Blaenau Gwent Borough Council results in a high quality product, locally based , touring extensively and working in the community with clear organisations. It must be questioned whether a more remote body - should GTIE not succeed in winning one of the franchises - could deliver services to the same standard and frequency. Should it be successful it is still doubtful whether an organisation needing to promote itself to a wider region could maintain the same level of local involvement. In these circumstances there must be a potential threat that even those local authorities continuing to support theatre in education will not be willing and able to do so in the future Any threat to GTIE will also impact upon Gwent Young People's Theatre. At present this organisation operates under the wing of GTIE, an arrangement which provides economies of scale and simplifies administration. The company provides opportunities for young people, some of whom already travel distances to do so, to participate in drama at a high level. There are also excellent inks with the County Youth Service. Members are concerned over the realistic chances of this provision continuing under the proposed new arrangements. Should it cease to be viable a valuable part of the Council's arts provision would be lost. Finally, Members felt that the short timescale in which the proposed changes would be carried out takes little account of local authority budgetary processes Kevin Smith Head of Libraries and Culture Monmouthshire County Council |
| Monmouthshire County Council web site: www. |
| Kevin Smith, Head of Libraries and Culture e-mail: |
Monday, March 15, 1999 |
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