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Implementation of the National Cultural Strategy: Draft Guidance for Scottish Local Authorities
Part 1. Scope and purpose of guidance
1.1 This guidance has been prepared and published by the Scottish Executive, following a commitment in the National Cultural Strategy, "Creating Our Future . . . Minding Our Past", in August 2000.
1.2 The guidance is intended to assist local authorities to fulfil the important role identified for them in the National Cultural Strategy:
taking action to implement the Strategy
developing their own cultural policies and priorities
widening access, promoting diversity and addressing 'equality' issues.
1.3 At
national level, the Cultural Strategy provides an over-arching framework, but there are other national policy priorities in which cultural provision can play a part, including the pursuit of social justice, life-long learning and social/economic regeneration. In addition, there are national policies which are more wide-ranging still - for example, the modernisation of public services in context of "21
st Century Government".
1.4 At
local level, many local authorities already have their own plans and strategies. These may embrace the entire field of cultural provision - or, more usually, certain aspects of it, such as the arts, sport or heritage. In addition, many authorities have community plans which have been agreed jointly with external partner organisations, and many such plans identify the contribution which cultural provision makes.
1.5 Also at national level but outwith government, other bodies have developed policy objectives which authorities should take into account - for example
sportscotland's
Sport21 strategy, and Scottish Enterprise's digital media 'clusters strategy'.
1.6 In addition to policy statements, there is also guidance to authorities (and other bodies) from central government. Relevant Scottish Executive (and former Scottish Office) guidance is listed in the "References" section at the end of this document. Similarly, other national bodies have developed guidance - for example, the Scottish Arts Council, which has prepared guidance on a wide range of issues. Details of these documents are also set out in the "References" section.
1.7 In general terms, this guidance discusses the significance of all of these developments (and many more) for authorities' cultural roles. It does so in a systematic way, as follows:
Part 2 discusses the fundamental question of why cultural provision is important, the background and aims of the National Cultural Strategy, and the roles of the different agencies which contribute to Scotland's cultural policy and practice
Part 3 focuses on Scotland's 32 local authorities. It does so by describing their roles and activities in supporting Scottish cultural provision. It discusses the relevance of a range of directly provided and externally commissioned services -
see Table A. In this part of the guidance, there is also a discussion of the different roles played by councillors and officers in policy development and practice relating to cultural provision. It discuses the significance of the wide variety of structural arrangements across Scottish local authorities for political decision-making and management.
Part 4 considers the value of partnership working and the partnership arrangements -e.g. community planning - which authorities already have, or may develop, for cultural provision.
Part 5 considers Best Value, including issues of co-ordination and management. In this part of the guidance there is a discussion of issues relating to consultation, planning, budget-setting and performance management.
Part 6 considers issues relating to each of the 9 cultural areas (e.g. arts, learning, sport, etc) in which authorities are active, and those which in part have a cultural focus (e.g. social care), or which affect how cultural provision is planned and delivered (e.g. economic activity). This part of the guidance discusses key issues within and across each activity, and considers how authorities can enhance their impact in each.
1.8 The guidance contains other features intended to add to its instrumental value for authorities, including:
brief illustrative 'case study' examples which show how authorities are developing their practices
a substantial listing of references to documents which local authorities may wish to access to follow up particular points in more detail.
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