Hello! This is my first Blog as CLOA Chair, so I thought I’d start of by saying ‘thank you’. I feel quite humbled to be elected to represent the sector membership, following on from many other experienced and committed Executive Committee members before me. Like all new roles we take on, I’m a tad nervous; worried I’ll miss the ball, sing off pitch, or forget all my lines on stage! Fortunately, I’m surrounded by a great breadth of talented sector leaders on the executive, passionate about supporting every locality in England and Wales, to have a thriving, high quality and distinctive cultural and leisure offer. So this will certainly be a team effort.

It feels very right (although concerning) to start this first blog off around public finances. My oh my: firstly my heart goes out to any of our members currently dealing with the pressures of a Section 114 notice and/or a newly commissioner-led authority; or if you’re an authority close to that place. As an Executive, we want to make sure we are helping you as much as possible. We recognise that financial pressure often means diminished training, mentoring or indeed any opportunity for wider networking and ‘head space’ (ironically, at a time when we need it the most!).

We will continue to offer members free, accessible roundtable discussion(s) and online content, and of course our trusted bi-weekly newsletter with a brilliant sector summary, to save you time trying to keep up with the sectors issues and opportunities. We are also working hard nationally, to help ensure the sector is heard and valued. Please do reach out to us directly at info@cloa.org.uk if there is anything specific you need help on; we will try to help as much as we can, by listening, connecting members together and drawing upon the rich experience in our member authorities across England and Wales.

The Local Government Association (LGA) in a letter to the Chancellor highlights the significant financial challenge for local government. This article is worth a read, and shows that Government funding for councils fell by 60p in the pound from 2010/11 to 2019/20; the LGA estimates that a councils’ core spending power fell by 27.0 per cent in real terms from 2010/11 to 2023/24. It’s not surprising that local services, and particularly those reliant on ‘physical assets’, are literally crumbling. It is also increasing the ‘spotlight’ on our sector; which is often described as ‘non statutory’, and this challenges our very existence.

We do need to be willing and accept that the shape and nature of our place-based offer will keep changing; joining forces with others to deliver shared outcomes, seeking more tailored, co-located or coproduced services to meet the changing needs of our place. This does mean honest data led review, wider systems based thinking and plentiful co production and collaboration, with the communities we are there to support.

That said, it continues to amaze me, the remarkable creativity, innovation and resilience with which much of our sector continues to deliver great local services, despite the challenging landscape. We do need to remain positive we will find new ways.

As we go into budget periods, let’s keep repeating and emphasising some of our core sector strengths and not get drawn into the narrative of others  – such as folks thinking our sector’s sole purpose is to generate income!   We are at the very least a preventative physical and mental health service in all that we offer, but we’re more than that aren’t we? Our services ‘create health and wellbeing’ at individual and community level. We are the most affordable ‘drug’ to ever exist, with the benefit of reducing pressure on an overburdened health and social care system: Let’s make-sure that’s not forgotten in any frantic ‘bean counting’ moments, you might encounter!

In my next blog I hope to update on some of the work were doing nationally with the LGA and wider national bodies to influence the government of our value and purpose; a common and more powerful voice by working together.

Julie Russell, Chair of CLOA – Chief Cultural & Leisure Officers Association 7 November 2023