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Implementation of the National Cultural Strategy:
Draft Guidance for Scottish Local Authorities

Part 6. Local authorities' 9 major cultural activities

6.1 The arts

6.1.1 As Table A confirms, the arts activities of local authorities are provision or funding of: arts venues (e.g. theatres, galleries, arts centres, workshops); events, projects and festivals; support for artforms and crafts (includes capacity-building in voluntary organisations); moving image/film; support for external bodies (includes national and local companies/providers, voluntary arts bodies); development work (includes promoting the arts, audience development); support for individual artists and support of recognised talent (includes financial assistance; audience development).

6.1.2 That list shows the very considerable diversity of arts activities in which local authorities are involved. It also suggests the considerable financial significance for local authorities of these services.

Audience development and access

6.1.3 Audience development is an important issue for local authorities. As discussed, it has at least two distinct meanings - helping to shape the tastes of audiences for the arts, and encouraging those who are excluded or exclude themselves to consider participation. In addition, there are two types of participation - as a spectator/consumer and as a participant.

Issues arising

6.1.4 There are several issues which are important in relation to arts provision:

• the need for appropriate structures (for example, working in partnerships with community bodies; participating in the Scottish Arts Council's regional 'clusters' model' - see para 4.1.8 above)

• the need for resources to be in place (e.g. staff in place - with consideration given to reorienting their tasks away from the organisation of events and activities and towards developing partnerships with community bodies)

• the benefits of benchmarking, showing what other local authorities have achieved by supporting the arts (includes getting other local authorities to make presentations; identifying 'pathfinders');

• the need to create and facilitate access (see above).

Planning services

6.1.5 The main source of advice is the joint CoSLA/SAC guidance (see "References"). However, this must be updated by latest thinking on key subsequent major policy developments including:

• Best Value

• community planning.

In addition, as advised elsewhere in this guidance, planning should always take place on a 'whole-local authority' basis.

6.2 Community recreation

6.2.1 Table A lists the relevant service provision. 'Community recreation' refers to non-competitive involvement in sport but it includes other cultural activities which people engage in on an informal basis. It refers to occasional participation (and excludes sustained and/or regular involvement). It includes local community events such as galas and festivals, participation in activities organised in public halls and other community facilities, use of parks and access to the countryside. NB: The guidance here should be read along with guidance on sport (section 6.9), heritage (section 6.5) and arts (e.g. hall hire) (section 6.1).

6.2.2 Because community recreation is not the responsibility of any single national agency, local authorities have the primary role in ensuring that the recreational needs of local communities are adequately provided for. It is good practice to do this by:

• auditing existing provision and planning for the future

• providing facilities for use by community groups

• awarding grants to support groups delivering community recreation activities

• organising recreation activities for communities

• supporting local events with professional advice, financial assistance, equipment loan and making facilities available at rates which local groups can afford.

• Building the capacity of voluntary organisations - this is a key feature of community learning strategies and plans so approaches should dovetail with the work of the local community learning partnership.

Access to facilities

6.2.3 In smaller communities particularly, in rural areas, regular access to larger purpose built cultural facilities may be difficult for many people. Often the local hall or school is the focal point for community life. Local authorities should ensure these facilities meet the needs of local communities for recreation and cultural activities. Some facilities will be directly managed by local authorities; others may be owned by or leased to community groups. Local authorities should ensure that voluntary groups managing halls or other community facilities are adequately supported.

6.2.4 Many public and village halls throughout Scotland are relatively old and some are in poor condition. The difficulty of securing funding to invest in repairs and improvements is discussed in Part 3. Local authorities should consider if community ownership or leasing halls or other facilities to local organisations could reduce operating costs or facilitate fund-raising including access to Lottery grants from the Community Fund. It is good practice for each local authority to have an authority-wide approach to promotion of access to facilities - including school facilities. This should be based on what might be termed the principle of 'asset management from the point of view of the community'.

Access to schools

6.2.5 It is good practice for:

• local schools to be made available, where possible, for community use

• management arrangements, particularly for janitorial or other staff cover, to take account of the demand for community use rather than just the needs of the school and its pupils

• charges to be based on what community groups can afford rather than necessarily having to offset costs completely, particularly if this involves meeting the costs of overtime for staff

• local authorities to decide whether there should be a single management model (i.e. the Head Teacher responsible for both school and community use) or dual management (i.e. the Head Teacher responsible for school use only and another officer responsible for community use)

• arrangements for apportioning costs and sharing the use of equipment between the school and community to be established in advance

• consideration to be given to the inclusion of facilities for community use in plans, where new schools are to be built.

NB: Where this is done through public private partnerships account should be taken of the time required for community use and provision made for meeting the costs of this within the contract.

Public parks

6.2.6 See paragraphs 6.5.18 - 6.5.24 for a discussion of the natural and historical landscape. Urban parks, country parks and open spaces of all kinds are a major cultural resource. The role of urban parks has been particularly relevant to the development of towns and cities over the previous two centuries and the legacy of these parks remains vital to local communities as a focus for leisure activity and community identity. Some contain cultural facilities (e.g. the Peoples Palace in Glasgow Green). Overall, therefore, parks are an important amenity. However, they are also often a legacy from the Victorian era, and some local authorities find financial difficulty in maintaining them resulting in a decline in investment. In addition, in the case of urban parts, research commissioned by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions identified barriers to people using urban parks (e.g. poor or inadequate children's play areas or other facilities, anti-social behaviour, concern over dogs and dog mess, public safety fears, and environmental quality issues such as litter and graffiti).

6.2.7 While this guidance cannot advise on appropriate levels of investment, it is good practice for local authorities to:

• regard parks they manage not as a burden (e.g. an open space to be maintained), but as an asset to achieve not just community recreation but also cultural provision, and an asset of value to local people and visitors

• develop policies and practices to address known local problems

• take a view of the overall importance of this type of provision, and the appropriate spending on it, in the context of the local authority-wide strategy or plan for cultural provision as recommended in this guidance.

Access to the Countryside

6.2.8 Many local authorities operate country parks and have countryside rangers part of whose remit will include the organisation of events and other activities such as work with schools to promote interest in and understanding of the countryside.

6.2.9 "Paths for All" is an initiative sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage to encourage local authorities and other bodies to promote access to the countryside from towns and villages by means of public paths. Some local authorities have used the initiative to develop new pathways and encourage public use of existing path systems.

6.2.10 Rights of way also facilitate access to the countryside. As planning authorities, local authorities are responsible for ensuring established rights of way are kept open to the public.

6.3 Economic activity

Cultural and economic development significance

6.3.1 As this guidance recognises, it is increasingly acknowledged that cultural provision is not only valuable in its own right but that it can have important economic development impact within each local authority area. Cultural provision is a recognised economic growth area, with more people being employed and small businesses being set up. In addition to these employment and business start-up impacts, cultural provision can attract significant visitor numbers and associated spending. This has spin-off benefits to local businesses such as hotels, restaurants and shops.

6.3.2 There have been local authority-led initiatives to use the 'cultural industries' as a way of driving urban regeneration. Examples of this include:

• cultural festivals (e.g. in Glasgow, Sheffield and Manchester)

• support for particular cultural/economic sectors (for example the craft sector in Dumfries & Galloway, where the Council has supported the sector by appointing a crafts officer to stimulate activity)

• unique initiatives (e.g. the establishment of Wigtown as Scotland's 'Book Town').

6.3.3 Events can also bring economic benefits, for example, the impact of "T in the Park" (Perth & Kinross Council). Major Events can attract large numbers of visitors generating additional expenditure in the local economy and supporting local jobs. The right events - whether large or small - if they are well-executed and linked to the tourism and other strategies for the area can also play an important role in raising its international profile. The Braemar Highland Games (Aberdeenshire Council) is perhaps one of the best examples of this.

6.3.4 The Scottish Executive is currently working on a Major Events Strategy for Scotland in partnership with CoSLA, Glasgow and Edinburgh Councils, Scottish - and Highlands and Islands -Enterprise, VisitScotland and sportscotland. This aims to help local authorities and others involved in events to co-ordinate their activities. It will also provide a growing centre of expertise to assist with both the bids for and organisation of events. The strategy is due to be published later in 2002.

The creative industries

6.3.5 The term 'creative industries' refers to a very wide set of activities which are of both cultural and economic significance. As defined in the National Cultural Strategy, they include the screen industries, publishing and music. Many are distinguished by their use of digital technology. The role of local authorities is essentially a facilitative one, achieved through mechanisms such as:

• recognising the importance of the creative industries in local authority cultural strategies and plans (e.g. for skills and employment reasons; for their special attraction for young people)

• supporting development through planning and economic development mechanisms, to create local infrastructure (includes use of planning consents, provision of industrial sites)

• direct financial and non-financial support for particular initiatives.

Moving image

6.3.6 Film and video offer creative, employment, and recreational opportunities to a broad range of constituencies. For young people, particularly those disengaged from statutory education, they provide a platform for re-engagement which often reflects their interests. For community groups, they provide a means of self-expression. The industry also offers real and growing employment opportunities. The economic benefits of local spending by visiting production companies can be important, through direct and indirect (car hire, hotels, catering) employment.

6.3.7 Several local authorities have taken an active interest in supporting film-making (including documentaries, commercials, short and feature films, for cinemas, television and other outlets). The 'screen commission' model, which is supported by Scottish Screen, the national screen agency, encourages each Scottish local authority to develop its location and other support services. Many local authorities simply have a 'liasion officer'. However, in some parts of Scotland (e.g. Glasgow, Highlands & Islands, Edinburgh & Lothian, Dumfries & Galloway and Tayside), the local authorities, supported by Scottish Screen have gone further and established a more developed commission-type body. In some cases, these bodies have considerable powers to pursue opportunities - e.g. production grant powers. Other examples include financial and other support for the establishment of the newly emerging 'digital media access centres' - a new type of body, which serves both economic development and education/social inclusion goals. Dumfries & Galloway Council has also developed a 'moving image strategy'.

6.3.8 It is good practice for local authorities to:

• develop policies in relation to the moving image

• distinguish the different social, cultural, educational, recreational, industrial training and economic benefit reasons underlying these policies

• consider the 'film charter' being developed by Scottish Screen

• express these policies in an appropriate plan or strategy

• consider the effectiveness of the local authority's current support arrangements including -

  • use and effectiveness of liaison officers

  • use and effectiveness of screen commissions (includes formation of a screen commission where none currently exists)

  • level of support for community media access centres

  • use of regulatory powers (including land use planning) to secure new initiatives such as production centres and even studios.

Music

6.3.9 In the field of popular music, several local authorities have supported the creation of recording studios (e.g. Aberdeenshire and Dumfries & Galloway Councils), or vocational courses relating to the music industry (e.g. South Ayrshire Council). It is good practice for local authorities to:

• support the full range of music, including popular music and traditional music (which includes music of minority ethnic cultures, and music in rural areas)

• recognise the particular appeal of music for young people, and to develop opportunities for engaging with young people

• develop the skills building and economic development aspects of music and new technology.

6.3.10 Overall, to maximise cultural and economic benefits from the creative industries, local authorities should consider what they can do to nurture them through the creation of infrastructure. It is good practice for local authorities to:

• recognise the inherent value in these newer cultural activities (e.g. by developing more coherent policy and practice; linking the contributions of different 'departments')

• promote these activities for the benefits which they can bring (e.g. economic development, social inclusion).

6.4 Health and social care6.4 Health and social care

The roles of culture in health and inclusion

6.4.1 Cultural activities contribute to quality of life, which in turn brings positive benefits to community health and well being. Cultural provision, therefore, has promotional, preventative and remedial roles. These roles support social inclusion, health promotion and health improvement.

6.4.2 Health is a holistic concept, influenced by numerous interacting factors. Historically many different cultures have recognised the role that arts play in health. Increasingly, current orthodox medical practice is recognising the interplay between mind, body and spirit and that treating one in isolation from the rest will not necessarily prevent ill health or restore good health. Also, research shows the value of creative expression and having a creative outlet, which the arts provide, in helping instil in people a sense of control and self worth which are the building blocks of health, and mental health in particular. The role of the arts in health, therefore, has been considerably understated and there is good scope to develop this important link and to raise its profile.

6.4.3 Sport also has a critical contribution to make towards physical and mental health and well being. Certain activities, such as dance and physical theatre, make a similarly beneficial contribution in this respect. In relation to good mental health there is a considerable body of evidence about the positive benefits of physical exercise, sport and activities such as music, art, and drama. The National Programme to Improve the Mental Health and Well Being of the Scottish Population (see: www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehealth/mentalwellbeing) has been established by the Scottish Executive Health Department, Public Health Division. More information on how to promote positive mental health through cultural activities will be made available from this work. Examples of some important activity in this area are reported below.

Role of culture in social care

6.4.4 Also, in relation to social care, cultural provision can play a significant role in promoting the well-being of those with learning or physical disabilities, those experiencing mental health problems, the socially isolated, older people and those with dementia. It is good practice for each local authority, together with its planning partners, and working alongside disabled people themselves, to find ways of ensuring their integration and inclusion in to the life and activities of their community.

Local authority sponsored cultural activities which promote and improve health and well being

6.4.5 Many activities provided and supported by local authorities promote the links discussed above, and contribute to physical, social and mental well being. These activities and initiatives include:

• sport and physical activity (including "GP referral" and "active lifestyles" schemes to promote health and physical activity)

• reminiscence groups

• visual arts, drama and music therapy

• yoga, Tai'chi, dance and movement classes

• recreational activities, such as art, woodwork, pottery and creative writing classes

• library services for people in hospitals and the house-bound

• 'artist in residence' schemes in health and social care settings

• health promotion, prevention and educational work which may include theatre work

• "Book Start" and "books for babies" schemes

• participation in a range of artforms, such as community theatre.

Reaching less accessible groups

6.4.6 The health and social needs of young people can be tackled imaginatively and successfully through creative and cultural projects. More creative techniques such as drama can be a particularly useful 'tool' for use in health education where professional advice on some key issues (e.g. sexual health, emotional and mental health and wellbeing, drug and alcohol misuse, healthy eating, etc.) may be resisted by young people.

6.4.7 Other cultural projects have successfully engaged with 'difficult to reach' social groups by approaching subjects such as homelessness, ageing well and early literacy from a creative perspective to allow people to tap into their own resources to bring about changes to their lives. In this way people develop more of a sense of ownership, coming up with their own ideas and learning by doing rather than being told, but with support on hand (for example, "Book Start" which is a national scheme to encourage family reading, working in partnership with the NHS health visitors and local authorities' library services). There are many examples of other multi-agency partnership projects which adopt non-medical approaches to improving health.

6.4.8 It is good practice for local authorities to:

• plan their cultural provision with health boards and trusts so as to maximise its impact for the general population

• plan their social work services (and also education, housing and community services) to ensure that the contribution of culture is made explicit

• take account of relevant sources of information and advice (e.g. that of the Scottish Executive's National Physical Activity Taskforce, making recommendations for local authorities see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/06/SEHDO71.aspx .)

• ensure that the services they provide are as accessible as possible for both the general public and for those with special care needs

• plan services to meet the needs of those who are disadvantaged

• overall, recognise the role of cultural provision in promoting inclusion.

6.5 Heritage

Museums and galleries

6.5.1 Scotland has approximately 400 museums and galleries of different sizes, covering a range of subjects. Many are managed or funded by local authorities, including:

• directly managed museums and galleries

• independently managed museums and galleries, run and funded by trusts, but often heavily reliant on local government financial support, and other forms of support (e.g. professional and curatorial support).

Current funding arrangements

6.5.2 The National Museums of Scotland (NMS) and the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) are funded directly by the Scottish Executive. Many local authorities manage collections - or items within collections - which are of national, and in some cases international, significance.

Illustration: widening access to cultural resources

SCRAN was created with Millennium Commission funding to establish an online searchable resource base of over 120,000 multimedia and over 1,000,000 text records relating to Scottish culture and history, based largely on Scotland's museum, library and archive collections. All the data, and thumbnail images, are available free on the SCRAN web site < http://www.scran.ac.uk>; additional resources, including video and sound files, larger versions of the images and curriculum-based educational resource packs are available to licensed users. All the material is free for educational use. All of Scotland's schools are licensed to use SCRAN, paid for by the Scottish Executive.

Significance of the Scottish Museums Council for local authorities

6.5.3 The Scottish Museums Council (SMC) is the membership organisation for all Scotland's 340 non-national museums and galleries. It is the Scottish Executive's main advisor on local museums and the main channel of central government support for these museums. It combines strategic leadership for the sector, developing national policies and initiatives, with practical assistance in the form of grants, advice and a range of services for members.

6.5.4 In addition, and also of importance to local authorities, in 2002/3 - 2003/04, the SMC will administer a Strategic Change Fund which is designed to promote strategic change in the sector. The Fund will support a limited number of high impact projects with the potential to act as exemplars - to be adopted elsewhere in Scotland. The SMC also encourages ICT development within the museum sector, and will take this forward in conjunction with a range of Scottish Executive and other ICT initiatives.

Audit of museums collections

6.5.5 The National Audit published in July 2002, reports on museum collections throughout Scotland, identifying the significance of separate collections in 5 separate categories - local, regional, national, UK and international. National significance is a primary criterion for applications to the Strategic Change Fund (see above).

6.5.6 The National Audit has confirmed there is a backlog of documentation within individual institutions. There remain outstanding technical challenges, linked to the requirements of the Modernising Government agenda, and the need for substantial investment in infrastructure. The need for this and for a national digital preservation strategy will impact on local authority planning and resource requirements.

6.5.7 In July 2002, the Executive announced that a consultation exercise with all relevant parties would be launched in the Summer to assist in developing an Action Plan for Scotland's museums and galleries' sector. An Action Plan for the sector will be published in Spring 2003.

6.5.8 All local authorities should ensure their audit work is completed, and updated on a continuous basis. This has proved a challenge for some local authorities, perhaps because of the shortage of curatorial staff resources. Many local authorities do not have adequate storage facilities. This reduces access, and also raises questions of possible damage to - and even loss of - items within collections.

6.5.9 It is good practice for local authorities to:

• have acquisitions and disposals policies

• have registered each museum and gallery (i.e. the individual facility) under the national registration schemes for museums

• invest in continuing professional development

• promote access and use as an educational resource.

Access

6.5.9 The conventional idea of a museum service assumes a building-based service, with access to the collections restricted to display space (affecting how much of the museum's own collection can be displayed, what can be collected, and capacity for displaying visiting collections). As notions of access have become more sophisticated, a 'museum service' is now assumed to include outreach and education activities delivered off-site.

6.5.10 The public's expectation (made explicit in the National Cultural Strategy) is that physical access to collections will increasingly be complemented by virtual access. This requires substantial investment in infrastructure, training and content creation as is already available for libraries. Local authority investment in ICT for all services should be considered in light of the Modernising Government agenda. It is good practice for local authorities to consider their whole ICT agenda for museums, within the framework of Scottish Executive policy. This should also be informed by experience of the People's Network and the development of SCRAN.

Improving services

6.5.11 Partnerships between several local authorities, and between authorities and academic bodies, can help improve services and achieve economies of scale. This also is possible in relation to specialist services, where individual authorities can achieve things in partnership which they could not achieve on their own (e.g. sharing of curatorial posts, storage, improvements in quality of service relating to exhibition exchanges).

6.5.12 While there are few formalised arrangements in Scottish local authorities, there are numerous examples of cross-boundary co-operation within individual services including loan programmes, exchanges of exhibitions, specialist networks (e.g. the Scottish Local Authority Museums Group) and co-operation between specialist curators. The SMC's Strategic Change Fund is intended to encourage consideration of radical options, which may include cross-boundary initiatives.

6.5.13 Another type of partnership is between authorities and national bodies - for example in relation to how access, exhibition and marketing can be planned on a joint local-national basis.

Local authorities' strategies and plans

6.5.14 General guidance on plans and strategies is discussed in detail at section 5.4. Each local authority ideally should have a strategy or plan covering museums and gallery services, and this should:

• set out the aims and objectives of the local authority, and how they relate to national policy

• set out how it shapes service provision (including any direct service provision by the local authority itself and also any support - including financial support - given to independent museums and galleries

• discuss issues of access, use of technology, and how the existing service can be improved (see below).

The historic environment

6.5.15 Local authorities have a significant role working in partnership with Historic Scotland (*) in safeguarding and promoting the historic environment, and identifying the benefits that it offers to communities, in the widest sense.

(*) Historic Scotland is an Agency of the Scottish Executive and its guidelines, in particular " A Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas", also set out Executive policy.

6.5.16 The Scottish Executive's National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG 18): Planning and the Historic Environment sets out national policy on the historic environment which local authorities are advised to consider in formulating and assessing development proposals. NPPG 18 also recognises that local authorities have a range of duties and powers with regard to the historic environment and that the stewardship of that environment should be reflected in local development plans.

6.5.17 The planning guidance also urges local authorities to ensure that they call on sufficient specialist conservation advice to inform their decision-making and to advise owners of historic buildings and other members of the public regarding any development proposals. Unfortunately the evidence of such skills in a number of local authorities is variable and in some cases non-existent, placing the historic environment at risk.

The natural and historic environment

6.5.18 The National Cultural Strategy recognises the significance of the natural and historical landscape as a key element of Scotland's cultural identity. Local authorities are often very active in their work as managers of the landscape and countryside and have a key role to play to conserve and manage the environment and promote access through environmental outdoor education, tourism initiatives and the management of access to the countryside. The work of the local authority often relates to land owned by others as well as areas managed directly by the local authority itself.

6.5.19 It is good practice for local authorities to work in partnership with local interest groups and landowners as well as with key national agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland and others to develop sensitive local strategies for managing the natural and historic landscape. Strategic planning for the natural and historic landscape has led some authorities to develop Heritage Strategies linking the natural heritage with the work of other heritage sectors including museums, local history groups, and archives.

6.5.20 Clearly there is also potential to include the work of landscape and countryside management within a local authority's cultural strategy. Consideration should be given to ways in which activities and initiatives such as countryside access, outdoor education, countryside ranger programmes, and 'Grounds for Learning' (a school grounds improvement scheme) can be maximised in relation to the wider cultural agenda.

6.5.21 Some local authorities group the management and development of parks, open spaces and school grounds with the management of the natural and historical landscape and these groupings may provide additional opportunities for partnership working and cultural initiatives. Specific projects to link culture and natural environment have also been developed in partnership with national agencies such as the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Heritage and visitor attractions

6.5.22 Local authorities can provide heritage attractions and visitor attractions which have appeal to local people (including school pupils) and tourists. It is good practice to plan and manage these attractions and centres with both audiences in mind.

6.5.23 Capital funding can be accessed, though local authorities need to consider the level of continuing revenue spend required. It is good practice to investigate tourist potential. Some attractions earn income, so the local authority should consider charging options.

6.5.24 It is good practice for local authorities to:

• research the size of the market

• consider carefully their ability to retain planned visitor numbers over the lifespan of the project.

• consider how to sustain the appeal of existing attractions to make facilities viable (e.g. the need for a large number of visitors beyond a particular exhibition), and explore issues of viability carefully in assessing the need for new attractions.

6.6 Learning

The local authority role

6.6.1 As the managers and co-ordinators of the statutory education infrastructure, local authorities are uniquely positioned to promote and develop cultural provision through Scotland's schools. The responsibility for educating the generation that will be the mainstay of the nation's future economic and social stability has long been recognised as one of the most significant of all the responsibilities that government has. The role of the arts and sports in underpinning, augmenting and inspiring can be maximised through a range of cross-curricular and extra-curricular activities as well as being subject focused through the 5-14 curriculum and the national examination framework to meet national priorities. The infrastructure to support and develop the significant contribution that involvement and participation in culture can make exists throughout Scotland in primary and secondary schools.

6.6.2 A range of other integrated lifelong learning initiatives such as New Community Schools, Social Inclusion Partnerships, Early Intervention, The People's Network and Out of School Hours Learning extend and complement the state school infrastructure and provide a range of opportunities for linking cultural provision in education with the community infrastructure of arts, sport and community centres, museums and libraries. The links between schools and community provision can also be made through a range of partnership projects involving the professional culture sector and the organised sports sector and a range of examples of innovative projects have been undertaken across Scotland.

6.6.3 Experiencing the arts and sports through school provides the basis for a lifetime of enrichment and personal development. Community based arts provision is also educational and can be a dynamic focus for individual creative experience as audience member, participant or arts practitioner. Creative skills are not only important for the development of quality of life for the individual but also have the potential to impact directly on prospects for employment (including employment in the creative industries). With the advent of the information society, creative skills are key to a wide range of employment opportunities where general creative and strategic thinking is increasingly prioritised by many employers. Further and higher education are key to the development of many creative industries where students become highly trained for entry to a range of posts in this sector and indeed other sectors which value creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Many local authorities work in partnership with further and higher education to form a dynamic partnership linking the professional development of students with the interests of local communities and schools.

Key issues

6.6.4 The key issues for education provide many opportunities for linking the aims of the schools sector with the cultural agenda. Issues such as raising attainment, promoting inclusion and meeting Special Educational Needs are all concerns that can be supported and promoted with reference to culture. As discussed, involvement in culture (including sports activity) can have an enormous impact on the lives of individuals and is particularly important for building the confidence of children and young people. Culture can also link educational and social benefits to strengthen community identity and local pride; and it is often key to the development and promotion of the positive ethos of a school. Cultural activity also offers the opportunity for collaborative working with families, schools and the community at large and has played a significant role in social inclusion programmes.

Championing culture in schools - the co-ordinator pilot

6.6.5 As well as making a general contribution to the wider aims of school education, culture has a subject focus within the 5-14 curriculum through the expressive arts, art & design, physical education, drama, dance, and music. Teachers with considerable expertise and enthusiasm for culture are a major resource for local authorities, and linking their activity with the wider cultural sector offers considerable potential for further enhancement and development.

6.6.6 A number of local authorities have already been working in partnership with the SAC as part of their Creative links Programme scheme which complements the Cultural Co-ordinators scheme by supporting local authorities to develop a strategic infrastructure for arts education.

Children's play

6.6.7 Play is crucial to children's development and has many links with a range of cultural activities including sport, arts and outdoor pursuits. Local authorities are the main providers of local play facilities and opportunities for children and young people, including outdoor and indoor play areas, playing fields, participatory cultural activities and sports events. The role of play in children's development is well recognised and local authorities have worked in partnership with a range of specialist agencies to maximise this potential in imaginative ways. Play can foster autonomy, independence, a strong sense of personal identity, respect for others and a positive attitude to diversity and the difference of others (e.g. race, gender, ability). Play provision supports the development of well-rounded young people by promoting creativity, helping young people to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around them and by enhancing the development of physical health and skills.

6.6.8 The Department of Culture, Media & Sport funded the Children's Play Council to develop and undertake a research and policy development programme on play and play provision which is scheduled for completion around the end of 2002. The programme is designed to meet the following three objectives:

• to identify the potential for play initiatives to inform and support key Government policies, in order to find out what could work and why, in relation to play

• to identify the key building blocks (both service models and processes) of an efficient and effective play development strategy (that is, a co-ordinated approach to enhancing children's play opportunities, at local, regional or national level)

• to build consensus and understanding of policy issues, research findings and good practice within the play sector and in related fields.

6.6.9 The Children's Play Council is a specialist organisation based at the National Children's Bureau which works to share knowledge and raise awareness of all issues relating to the welfare, education and health of children and young people. The National Children's Bureau works in partnership with Children in Scotland and Scotland has its own national organisation for children's play: Play Scotland. Further information about policy development, standards and best practice can be obtained from these organisations.

6.6.10 In addition to following statutory guidelines and established good practice to achieve high standards in health and safety, it is good practice for all local authorities to:

• support children's play through the provision of play facilities and the development of the widest range of opportunities for play linked to local policy on culture, health, education and social inclusion

• to take account of advice from the national agency for play when developing facilities and services.

Instrumental music services

6.6.11 The Scottish Executive Education Department is working with the Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland (HITS) to produce guidance on the management, promotion and delivery of instrumental tuition services in Scotland's schools. This guidance is in the final stages of development and will be issued to local authorities after the summer break. It aims to raise awareness of the benefits to all of involvement in music making and illustrates good practice in the management of instrumental services, paying particular attention to issues such as quality assurance, health and safety and child protection.

6.6.12 An audit is being conducted, at time of writing, by the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) and the National Foundation for Youth Music (NFYM) to establish a full 'map' of youth music provision in Scotland. Interpretation of that map will help inform the SAC's future policy and support the NFYM in extending the full range of its work to Scotland. The exercise will cover all styles of music and music-making. It is envisaged that the information gathered will be made fully available to local authorities that wish to develop plans and policies and arrange for complementary provision. The audit is expected to be complete by the end of 2002.

6.6.13 It is good practice for all local authorities to manage music services to ensure:

• there is equality of access across the whole of the local authority's area

• there is a service-based approach; a Head of Instrumental Teaching is required to allow the local authority to plan, develop and deliver an instrumental music service on a Best Value basis

• there are no charges for lessons wherever possible. Where charging does exist, the service should allow for exemptions for those on low incomes. Local authorities should give consideration to the development of strategies to overcome barriers to access due to financial difficulty (e.g. cost of buying/renting instruments, purchasing music, attending residential courses)

• every child has the opportunity to be considered as a candidate for learning to play a musical instrument; this is important to ensure equality of access. Whilst places will be restricted and related to the testing of suitability, access to the selection procedure should be offered to every child

• the instrumental music service is available in all primary schools as well as secondary schools. It is good practice to offer access from Primary 4 for upper strings and Primary 5 for all other instruments. Choral work should be introduced at the primary stage

• access to good quality instruments. Distribution, repair and purchase of instruments should be co-ordinated and related to the availability of specialist staff time. Arrangements for pupils to rent or purchase instruments should be monitored and supported by the service

• opportunities are provided for ensemble playing at all stages - which should include residential courses. Choral work should also be supported where possible

• there are links with the national youth orchestras and ensembles, youth choir and other national agencies concerned with formal training (e.g. the Royal Scottish Academy for Music & Drama). It is good practice for local authorities to support individual students to join ensembles at the national level.

Supporting Scotland's indigenous languages

6.6.14 The National Cultural Strategy recognises the Gaelic language as an important aspect of Scotland's cultural identity. It also recognises that Gaelic-medium education is crucial to the survival of Gaelic as a living language. The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (following on from previous legislation) enables local authorities to provide Gaelic-medium education, and the Scottish Executive makes specific grants available to local authorities for this purpose. This education is not confined to the Highlands and Islands area, and some local authorities in the central belt of Scotland have made provision at nursery, primary and secondary levels. Gaelic arts projects have also been an important way of developing a dynamic and contemporary role for the language.

6.6.15 The Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000 states that local authorities must now publish an annual statement of education improvement objectives. These were first published in December 2001. Authorities must now give an account of the ways and circumstances in which "they will provide Gaelic medium education and, where they do provide Gaelic medium education, of the ways in which they will seek to develop their provision of such education" (section 5(2)(c)). National Priority Three (as set out in The Education (National Priorities) (Scotland) Order 2000) also aims "To promote equality and help every pupil benefit from education, with particular regard paid to pupils with disabilities and special educational needs, and to Gaelic and other lesser used languages". Local authorities will be measured by the number and percentage of written requests for Gaelic medium education met within the local authority and elsewhere (measure 3.3.A). The reports will be for three academic years, starting with 2002/03.

6.6.16 In addition, Scots and Doric language or dialect traditions are a feature of life in many parts of Scotland, and also have a distinct cultural role. A significant proportion of the writing which the Scottish Arts Council supports, including some of the literary publications, is in Scots. The Executive guidance on the curriculum stresses that pupils should learn to understand and appreciate Scots and that they should develop their ability in self-expression, including their proficiency in Scots.

6.6.17 In summary, local authorities are required to:

• include an account of their support of Gaelic medium education in their annual statement of objectives as per statutory requirements in the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000

• prepare to report on National Priority measure 3.3.A by monitoring the number and percentage of written requests for Gaelic medium education met within the authority or elsewhere.

6.6.18 Also, it is good practice for local authorities to:

• consider the extent of their current support for native languages (e.g. by reviewing current policies, and auditing current support such as service provision)

• assess the 'coverage' of current arrangements for each language

• assess the range and effectiveness of current arrangements (includes use of festivals and workshops).

Using culture to support life-long learning

6.6.19 It is clear that local authorities have a key role to play as co-ordinators, enablers and partners for community and schools-based culture and sports as part of the lifelong learning agenda.

6.6.20 Partnerships between arts, sports and heritage agencies and the formal education sector often involve drawing additional funding into a local authority area and linking with local strategic aims and objectives to maximise impact. Local authorities should seek to identify opportunities for collaborative working between internal departments, cultural agencies and private business to ensure that they can achieve greatest impact and value for lifelong learning within their local area. Local authorities should consider ways of working in partnership with further and higher education to maximise the potential for linking the skills and expertise of this sector with the needs and interests of schools and the wider community.

6.6.21 When cultural strategies are being developed/reviewed, it is good practice to maintain close consultation with education colleagues, and to liaise with the range of internal and external partners mentioned above, to achieve maximum impact.

School sports co-ordinators

6.6.22 The School Sports Co-ordinator programme is designed to increase the opportunities for children and young people to participate in more sports more often, both inside and outside curriculum time and also through developing links with local clubs. This 4-year Lottery-funded programme, with a budget of almost 6 million, runs to 31 August 2003.

6.6.23 The majority of Scottish local authorities have participated in the programme. Those local authorities which have not participated should consider the potential benefits of doing so, which are explained and discussed in many places within this guidance.

6.7 Libraries & information

Role of Libraries

6.7.1 The role of libraries is in a state of continuous change. Books remain a major component of the service, but the balance is changing towards electronic sources of information and new media.

6.7.2 New technologies and digital media place the emphasis on access to information in its widest sense and on ensuring that services are available across the social spectrum. These recent technological developments equalise access to electronic information between large and small centres of population and also between urban and rural libraries.

6.7.3 As the balance between traditional and electronic sources of information tips towards the electronic so the differences between large and small and urban and rural libraries will reduce.

6.7.4 Local libraries can also be expected to become access points for a wide range of services supplied on behalf of other service providers, whether local government or other local or national agencies.

6.7.5 Libraries are no strangers to change. They have been evolving for over a hundred years to reflect, and sometimes to anticipate, the requirements of their users. The changes which libraries are now undergoing will produce a different type of service but one which will harness the new technologies to build on the strengths of the past to create the future.

6.7.6 Since local government re-organisation in 1995, local authorities have been moving progressively towards flatter management structures and larger departments. This has created the opportunity for a greater integration of school and public library services and for delivering these services from within a single management structure. The degree of integration varies from sharing a management structure and central support to a more radical sharing of facilities and professional expertise at branch level.

School libraries

6.7.7 School libraries provide access to culture. Almost all of Scotland's secondary schools employ a professional librarian. School librarians promote reading, which encourages writing skills and develops literacy, and they offer access to cultural information and also support culture in the curriculum. The "Writers in Schools" project run by the Scottish Book Trust and funded by the Scottish Arts Council enables pupils to meet with writers and encourages a greater understanding of contemporary Scottish literature.

6.7.8 Some school librarians run lunchtime reading groups for pupils, organise events to support World Book Day and organise programmes of visiting authors, storytellers and speakers to stimulate interest in reading and writing.

Partnership working

6.7.9 Some libraries have developed a wide range of strategic and tactical partnerships with bodies such as Lifelong Learning Partnerships and local colleges; some have also played an active role in the formulation of Community Learning Strategies and their associated Learning Plans.

6.7.10 The delivery of the Scottish Executive's policies for lifelong learning, social inclusion, 21 ^st Century Government, and Digital Scotland, will mean that libraries have to establish partnerships with other services within local authorities, with other local authorities, and with a host of other agencies. They will also have to produce flexible solutions to service delivery - both in terms of joint provision and in terms of the range of staff expertise which will be required to deliver new services. This process can be seen in a number of local authorities e.g. Dundee, Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire and West Lothian.

6.7.11 Such partnership working is seen as crucial to the progress and development of public libraries in the years ahead.

6.7.12 As well as intra-local authority partnerships, there will be a need for those which are inter-local authority - for example: the provision of joint training; identification of resources, including special collections; collaborative purchase of material linked to Best Value; and benchmarking with comparable services.

E-services

6.7.13 Computer based e-services, such as Internet access and on-line training, represent one aspect of the way services are being developed. Open and flexible learning within local libraries, including computer based learning, is seen as a vital element in ensuring that the people of Scotland are not economically or socially disadvantaged by lack of access to computer based technologies or the new media. It is good practice for local authorities to be aware of the full potential of new technologies in delivery of library services.

Reader development

6.7.14 The establishment of a National Readership Development Officer, supported by the Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund, will encourage the combination of traditional and electronic resources to promote reading to the public, and allow greater, more focused, interaction with readers of all ages. It is good practice for local authorities to encourage reader development activities through local libraries.

Cultural heritage and community identity

6.7.15 Libraries, through their 'local studies' collections, act as the collective memory of communities in terms of local history. These primary sources of information are rich pickings for genealogists and historical researchers and are supplemented by printed books, ephemera, maps, photographs, illustrations and digital videos.

6.7.16 Many of these items, for reasons of value, fragility or rarity, cannot be made easily available to the public. Local authorities should make adequate arrangements to conserve and preserve local studies materials. One way to do this and to increase public access to these materials is by digitisation. It is good practice for this to be considered.

6.7.17 Many libraries publish material of local interest as a means of making local studies material more accessible. This can be done in partnership with community groups, local writers' groups or other agencies. Local authorities should consider publishing as part of an access to resources strategy.

Information for active citizenship

6.7.18 Libraries have been recognised as gateways to information for the public. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has developed Partner Libraries, one in each constituency, which maintain a collection of Scottish Parliament Information. This arrangement allows local communities to gain information about the Scottish Parliament within their local areas.

6.7.19 The European Union has established a series of Public Information Relays with local authority libraries. This arrangement is similar to SPICe in relation to EU information.

Issues

6.7.20 Local authorities should be aware of the wide-ranging role of libraries within, for example, culture, lifelong learning and as providers of business information to the creative industries; and should bear in mind the need to ensure that their span of operation is not compromised by restrictive service groupings within local authority structures.

6.7.21 Local authorities should recognise the role that libraries are expected to play within government policy in relation to lifelong learning and 21st Century Government.

6.8 Records

Why local authority records are important

6.8.1 Scotland's records and archives play an important role in its economic and cultural life. Archives provide the documentary guarantee of individual and collective rights, and are also vital in defining cultural identity.

6.8.2 Local records, and the information they contain, are one of the most valuable cultural resources of a local authority. Archives, and the records from which they are drawn, are important to local communities in several ways. They promote local identity and assist social inclusion. They have an important role in education and enable learners of all ages to understand their community. They help develop tourism - particularly in the growing niche market of genealogy - and they provide the raw material for local history.

6.8.3 Local authorities' records serve important cultural needs. Several of these are of growing importance to the public, including:

• photographic records

• oral history (which, in some cases, has involved local authorities arranging exit interviews of senior staff, as part of knowledge management; and in other cases, recordings have been made of the memories of people in the local community).

6.8.4 However, records are expensive to create and to maintain, and must always be considered and managed as corporate assets. The physical bulk of paper records and the information bulk of electronic records can be managed by scheduling that determines when and why they are created, how long they should be retained, and which records should be passed to the archive service for permanent preservation.

6.8.5 When records are 'born digital', that is they are created in electronic systems, it is essential to identify at the planning stage what their potential long-term value is, so that mechanisms to safeguard the data and guarantee access across time can be built in. Failure to build in such mechanisms threatens the loss of corporate memory and huge waste of resources in future.

6.8.6 Every local authority should develop and implement a clearly stated policy on the creation, collection, management and disposal of all its records, both paper and electronic. This will not only promote local knowledge, identity and culture, but also improve administrative efficiency. The development of a collecting policy will also assist local authorities to participate in joint cultural projects with libraries and museums within their own areas or with similar bodies elsewhere in Scotland.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994

6.8.7 Local authorities have a duty under sections 53 and 119 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994, to make "proper arrangements" for their records; to consult the Keeper of the Records of Scotland on the proposed arrangements and any material change to them; and to have regard to any comments which the Keeper may make. Section 58 allows local authorities to make joint or agency arrangements for their records, provided they have consulted the Keeper.

6.8.8 Local authorities which do not make proper arrangements for managing their records and archives will, in addition to failing in their duty under the 1994 Act:

• be unable to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 which now applies to conventional as well as electronic records

• be unable to comply with the requirements of Scotland's Freedom of Information Act

• suffer significant loss of their corporate memory

• put at risk unique sources of local information and knowledge.

6.8.9 The phrase "proper arrangements" is not fully defined. Nevertheless, the need for such arrangements is now more pressing than ever, as local authorities face the challenge of creating, preserving and providing access to records electronically as part of the Modernising Government initiative. Records are also needed for accountability, including records of the local authority's own business.

6.8.10 The records that a local authority collects need not be confined to those which it itself generates. Section 54 of the 1994 Act allows authorities to purchase records or accept them as a gift or deposit when they appear to be of local or general interest. Such records often complement the official ones and provide valuable insights into a particular action or course of events.

Professional staff

6.8.11 Looking after archives and records needs specialised knowledge and skills. The Keeper of the Records considers that the appointment of a qualified archivist is an essential first step for a local authority seeking to make proper arrangements for its records. Authorities will typically appoint an archivist who also has skills in the management of current records. Such an appointment will:

• provide expertise in the management of the local authority's records, both current and historical, and inform the development of policy in this area

• appraise the authority's records, selecting those worthy of permanent preservation and destroying the ephemera

• operate a public service for access to the authority's records and archives (typically a public search room which also handles postal and e-mail inquiries)

• provide expertise in the history of the authority, its rights and obligations

• advise the authority on compliance with relevant legislation relating to records and archives

• develop community education and outreach programmes for local schools and groups, including visits, talks and publications

• provide high quality content for the authority's website.

6.8.12 Larger authorities should also consider appointing a qualified archive conservator to provide professional advice on the long-term preservation of their records. A conservator will support 'disaster control', advise on storage and exhibition facilities and carry out specialised treatments to stabilise fragile records. Authorities without in-house conservation facilities will be obliged to buy in these services.

6.8.13 Almost a quarter of Scottish local authorities do not employ an archivist. It is good practice for such local authorities to review their arrangements and consider how effectively they meet:

• good practice standards for records conservation and management

• the requirements of the 1994 Act, and

• national and local policy objectives, in particular, Best Value.

6.8.14 An archivist can:

• distinguish those records which must be kept, as required by statute or retention schedules

• identify which records are subject to "freedom of information" legislation

• identify those which should be kept for cultural reasons, and

• more generally, develop a local authority collection and disposals/retention policy (including policy in relation to more recent records being generated in digital form - 'born digital').

A good archivist will also identify records which are appropriate for disposal - the attentions of an archivist can sometimes lead to as much as six-sevenths of material reviewed being so identified!

Freedom of Information legislation

6.8.15 Freedom of Information legislation establishes a general public right of access to information and a duty to meet requests within a specified period. The legislation does not distinguish between records kept in paper, electronic or other form.

6.8.16 Archivists are well placed to assist authorities in implementing freedom of information and the related requirements of the data protection legislation. Requests for information and requests for subject access will not be met if records cannot be retrieved in time. The key to compliance in both cases is a policy on the management of the local authority's records, compiled with the assistance of a professional archivist.

A managerial checklist-test for Scottish local authorities

6.8.19 In summary, it is good practice for local authorities to consider how well they respond to the following series of questions:

• do you have a policy for records creation/collection/management/ retention/disposal?

• do you have specialist archivist advice?

• do you know where the record for 'X' is?

• how effective are your policies and practices in supporting the range of cultural interests which may use your records?

6.9 Sport

Promoting sport provision and support of sport

6.9.1 Table A lists the relevant service provision. Local authorities are the main provider of sport facilities in Scotland, as Sport 21 acknowledges. This includes swimming pools, sports centres, playing fields and golf courses.

6.9.2 In relation to physical education and schools, local authorities should have regard to the Scottish Executive's curriculum guidance for both primary and secondary schools, and also consider the opportunity for post-school sport.

6.9.3 Local authorities are involved in sports development programmes - to increase participation in sport, and encourage higher performance standards. Local authorities should consider how sport development work can be used to develop the capacity of voluntary sports organisations - e.g. through grant schemes, and training for club administrators and coaches. Sport development is particularly effective when done in partnership between the local authorities and the voluntary sector, - and by using local sport councils.

Sport's contribution to social inclusion, health and education

6.9.4 As discussed, there is considerable evidence of sport contributing to better health, and diverting young people from crime and drug/alcohol abuse. It also brings opportunities for learning new skills, and assists the re-generation of individuals and communities in disadvantaged areas. Sport provides an opportunity for volunteering, and can help re-shape peoples' perception of the neighbourhood (e.g. engendering civic pride through identification with a sports team).

6.9.5 Returning to the benefits to health, some local authorities have worked on 'referral schemes' for individuals - either through self-referral or more commonly through a GP - e.g. for a fitness check or to address problems such as excessive weight and hypertension. This is an increasing trend.

Managing facilities

6.9.6 Many facilities were built in the 1970s and 1980s, and there is a need to upgrade and improve them. sportscotland has estimated that 500 million is required for investment in swimming pools alone. Sport 21 also identified a number of gaps in provision for sport; and local authorities should consider how best to ensure access (by measures such as increasing community access to schools). Local authorities should also consider the use of outreach programmes and sports development programmes to maximise the value of sports facilities.

Supporting young people

6.9.7 It is important to identify opportunities for young people at an early stage. Local authorities should take advantage of Lottery funding for sport - not only the Lottery Sports Fund but also the New Opportunities Fund for Physical Education and Sport: a programme of 87 million over 2002/03 - 2004/05. Local authorities are invited to co-ordinate bids (which do not all relate to direct provision by the authority).

Deciding on land use

6.9.8 Planning by local authorities has resulted, in some areas, in the loss of playing fields. When authorities are considering new developments, it is good practice for them to discuss with developers how the sporting needs of communities can be met. Where authorities are considering selling playing fields for development purposes, they should have regard to National Policy Planning Guideline No. 11 (which explains how to balance 'cultural' and 'development' issues), and seek advice from sportscotland (as statutory consultee).

Partnerships

6.9.9 Development of partnerships is discussed in Part 4. Local authorities should develop partnerships with local sports councils, and consult them. (Most local authorities have a local sports council in their area - an umbrella body for the area's voluntary organisations). Local authorities which do not have local sport councils should consider how such bodies can be established (e.g. provision of a grant; provision of officer time; elected member involvement) and/or other methods of seeking the views of the local community.

6.9.10 The private sector is important, and local authorities should take account of provision by that sector within their sport plans. For example, some private sector bodies have established fitness clubs. It is good practice for local authorities to meet the needs of service users, where these are not satisfied by private sector provision. This is one of the few areas of cultural provision where there can be private-public competition for users - yet if local authorities withdraw, those who need the service may lose out.

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