Issue - meetings

(a)       That having considered the implementation of the Theatr Clwyd Business Plan, the Committee is assured by the progress made; and

(b)       That the Committee is assured that the operational changes and modernisation currently taking place provides a sustainable model for Theatr Clwyd in the foreseeable future.

The Chief Executive introduced a progress report on the implementation of the business plan for Theatr Clwyd.  He spoke about the importance of the theatre which was held in high regard and described the Council’s support as a unique arrangement in Wales, reminding Members that this was a non-statutory service.  Whilst including some risks and challenges, the business plan provided greater independence to the theatre with less reliance on financial support from the County Council and Arts Council of Wales.  The Chief Executive took the opportunity to pay tribute to the level of financial and personal support for the theatre from the Arts Council and also thanked the Board Members and Chief Officers.

The Chief Officer, Organisational Change explained that the key components in achieving the sustainable business model were the creation of the robust business plan, the appointment of Tamara Harvey as Artistic Director, the recruitment of an Executive Director to manage the business side of the theatre, the staffing restructure, the building refurbishment using capital funding and future governance arrangements.  He said that the theatre was in a position to sustain itself with reduced financial support for the current year, and would require flexibility to manage future pressures.

The Artistic Director provided an overview of progress on performance where a more diverse range of work was now available to appeal to wider audiences.  She spoke about the generation of income from touring productions and developing a culture of new writing through different plays.  A measured approach would be taken to the development of an Annual Report to provide guidance on business and artistic elements.  A 3% cut in funding from the Arts Council had been better than predicted and was possibly in recognition of the theatre’s place in arts across Wales.  More creative solutions were being explored to deliver services due to a reduction in the production budget and information was shared on initiatives on working with young people, developing community partnerships and increasing the commerciality of the theatre.  Confirmation on eligibility to claim Theatre Tax Relief was particularly welcomed and had been achieved through close working with Council officers.  The new staff structure met management ambitions whilst resolving a mix of practicalities, financial and artistic concerns, and a draft Housing Agreement was currently under consideration.  The valuable contributions of Trade Union and Council colleagues were noted on this work.  A newly appointed Director of Marketing was due to start imminently and two other key posts would be recruited: a Director of Operations to build the commercial side of the theatre and a Director of Development to explore new revenue streams.  The re-designation of a post had created an Associate role to focus on capital development projects, such as the £60,000 funding from Welsh Government to be used on short-term building refurbishments.  The Artistic Director concluded by referring to her comments included in the theatre’s latest brochure on the unique status of the theatre in Wales and her pride in its offer to communities which she felt was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60