Purpose

In 2024 Arts Council England, on behalf of the Department for Education, appointed RBKC to act as the “Hub Lead Organisation” for the then newly formed London West Music Hub (“The Hub”) to support the teaching of music in schools and community.

The forthcoming Key Decision will be asking the Lead  Member to approve:

i)          the Council’s assigned role as Hub Lead Organisation for the Hub,

ii)         acceptance, on behalf of the Hub, of the revenue and capital grants, and

iii)        allocation of the grants within RBKC.

Decision

The Lead Member AGREED to:

(i)                Approve the Hub Lead Organisation role to continue to be assigned to RBKC by ACE, on behalf of DfE.

(ii)               Accept the new £2,120,163 revenue grant; and continuation of the existing £703,725 capital grant from ACE on behalf of the Hub.

(iii)              Allocate RBKC’s £117,691 share of the revenue grant and £39,569 share of the capital grant to RBKC schools and community.

(iv)             Approve RBKC entering into the grant agreement with ACE to receive the grant funding on behalf of the Hub.

(v)               Approve RBKC extending the consortium agreement with the other six local authorities comprising the Hub to give effect to the grant agreement from ACE for a period of 12 months for the 2026/27 academic year, expiring on 31st August 2027.

(vi)             Approve the variation of the consortium agreement providing for a revenue grant uplift of £2,120,163 (including the distribution of grant funds to the other parties of the Hub) for the 2026/27 academic year.

(vii)            Approve the variation of the consortium agreement providing for a capital grant uplift of £703,725 (including the distribution of grant funds to the other parties of the Hub) for the 2026/27 academic year.

(viii)           Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Children’s Services, following consultation with the Lead Member, to approve any extension or further grant from DfE/ACE for the 2027/28 and 2028/29 academic years on the same or similar terms with RBKC as the Lead Hub Organisation.

(ix)             Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Children’s Services, following consultation with the Lead Member, to approve any extension or further consortium agreement with the Hub parties for the 2027/28 and 2028/29 academic years on the same or similar terms with RBKC as the Lead Hub Organisation.