Agenda and minutes

1.1 The Chair updated those in attendance on the meeting etiquette and that the meeting was being recorded and livestreamed.

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Wrout, Pallis and Young.

1.3 Councillors Joseph and Rathbone were in virtual attendance.

2.1 There were no urgent items, and the order of business was as set out in the agenda.

3.1 The Chair declared that her daughter regularly attended Hackney Shed.

3.2 The Cultural Development Manager declared that her son had formerly attended Hackney Shed.

3.4 There were no further declarations of interest.

4.1 The Chair opened the discussion by explaining that the item had been requested as the Commission was keen to hear about the barriers faced by under-represented groups in accessing arts and culture opportunities in Hackney, and the work of the Council and its partners to improve access and increase participation.

4.2 Inequality of access to arts and cultural services appeared consistently as a challenge for the sector, and the Commission saw the discussion as timely given the inequalities and barriers that had been brought into the spotlight as a result of the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

4.3 Representing London Borough of Hackney

·  Councillor Chris Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture

·  Polly Cziok, Strategic Director of Engagement, Culture and Organisational Development

·  Lucy McMenemy, Cultural Development Manager

4.4 Representing Hackney Empire

·  YaminChoudury

4.5 Representing Jun Mo Generation

·  Sindy Man

·  Khanh Luong

4.6 Representing Play Space

·  Katherine Mengardon

4.7 Representing Hackney Shed

·  Vicky Hambley

4.8 The Chair invited the Cultural Development Manager to give a short verbal presentation to supplement the written evidence included within the agenda papers. The main points are highlighted below.

4.9 The Cultural Development Team was tasked with delivering the Council’s Arts and Cultural Strategy, which was due a rewrite for 2022-26. This comprised five key themes including community cohesion, employment, health and wellbeing, education and the economy.

4.6 Hackney was a particularly diverse borough. 40% of the borough was from Black and minority ethnic groups, 6% of residents were born in Turkey and Hackney was home to the largest group of Charedi Jewish people in Europe.

4.7 The average age of Hackney’s residents was considerably younger than in England and Wales overall, with nearly 50% of the population aged from 22 to 45.

4.8 In 2019, the Council commissioned a report into the social and economic impact of Hackney Carnival. Hackney Carnival is regarded as the borough’s biggest and most inclusive cultural event and the majority of the Culture team’s annual budget is invested in the event.

4.9 The report suggested that while Hackney Carnival attracts people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, sexualities and backgrounds, there were lower participation rates among certain communities such as Charedi Jewish, Muslim, Turkish, Kurdish and Asian communities and disabled residents.

4.10 The ‘PANIC! Social class, taste and inequalities in the creative industries’ report showed that the cultural and creative sector workforce was marked by significant exclusions of those from working class origins. It also concluded that women and those from global majority communities faced barriers in addition to those associated with social class origin.

4.11 Entrance fees to events and activities create a barrier to participation for those on lower incomes. This was in addition to the barriers to those organisations that are hosting events and activities in finding ongoing revenues and project costs at affordable prices.

4.12 There were a wide range of physical barriers experienced by disabled people and those with limited mobility, such as older people. Digitally  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1 The draft minutes of the previous meeting held on 23rd January 2023 were presented.

5.2 A Commission Member asked for clarifying amendments to be made to paragraphs 4.85, 4.118 and 4.123 in the minutes document.

5.3 Members then agreed the draft minutes, subject to the changes amendments suggested, as an accurate record.

6.1 The Chair referred to the Commission’s work programme and highlighted the discussion items planned for the remainder of the municipal year.

6.2 Members noted the inclusion of a Cabinet Question Time session on the meeting scheduled for 22nd March 2023, which would look at the accountability of the private rented sector and housing associations.

6.3 A Commission Member asked whether there was scope to look at how the Council handles its void properties at the Commission’s next meeting. The Chair agreed to progress the request outside of the meeting, either as a written update or informal meeting with the relevant officers.

6.4 Members were reminded of the joint meeting with the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission on 28th March 2023 to review progress against the outcomes of the Child Q Safeguarding Practice Review.

7.1 None.