Content

Purpose of the report:
The purpose of the report is to
seek approval from Cabinet, for Oldham Council Music Service to
enter into a new agreement with other Greater Manchester (GM) Local
Authorities (LA’s) to receive funding to continue to operate
as the Local Area Delivery Partner for the GM Music
Hub.
 
Reason for the Recommendations:
The
GM Music Hub (GMMH) partnership began in 2012 following the
publication of the first National Plan for Music education (NPME)
(DfE, 2011). There were existing good relationships between the
music services serving the LAs in GM (AGMA template at the time).
Except for City of Manchester, the other nine Directors of
Education (taking advice from Heads of Music Service) voted to move
forward with the partnership agreement and for Bolton Music Service
to be the Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) for the alliance. The
partnership was in no way enforced. It was the will of the nine
LA’s and their Music Services to join forces in this
way.
 
The
partnership agreement between the nine LAs as established in 2012
is a legal document. Each LA legal dept. adds its
‘seal’ to the document. There have been numerous
interim extensions to the agreement since it was proposed in
2011.
 
The
GMMH is the largest Music Hub in the country. It has been a
flagship for Arts Council England (ACE)/DfE and has proven the
benefits of cross LA working.  This
situation was further enhanced when Bolton Music Service was
approached by Blackburn with Darwen Council in 2015 and asked to
take over the management of their local music service.  Since that time, BwD
Music Service has become an additional partner within GMMH and
contributes financially in the same way as the other nine
organisations. The existence of the GMMH has played a part in the
development to establish far more multi-LA hubs across England, a
process which commenced in 2023 and which led to organisations
bidding to become the new HLOs for geographic locations assigned by
ACE, operation of which will commence from Sept 2024.
 
The
relationships between the LAs and the wider partnership (Halle,
BBC, RNCM, University of Salford and many more) has grown and
remains extremely collegiate. There are very many economies of
scale, enhanced opportunities for children and teachers because of
the Hub. The principle benefits
experienced during the initial phase of the NPME have include, much
closer working between the Music Services in each of the partner
LAs, enhanced educational pathways for students, increased funding,
both regionally and locally, economies of scale, increased
efficiency in respect of the grant admin process, peer support.
These benefits continue to evolve and we
are continually adding value through the addition of new industry
partners.
 
It
was the unanimous recommendation of the nine Heads of Music
Services that Bolton should continue to be the HLO for GM and that
they would lead the application in the 2023 funding relating to the
period from Sept 2024.
 
A
significant advantage of the GMMH structure is that the HLO
(Bolton) is empowered to deal with the admin heavy business of ACE
liaison and reporting. This allows the other partners to focus on
local provision. Bolton take a 3% ‘top slice’ to fund
the work they carry out on behalf of all partners. This is
remarkable value for money, because to manage the ACE burden
locally would require the establishment of further management posts
in each of the boroughs.
 
The value of the grant funding
to Oldham in 2023-24 is £415,210 (after 3% top-slice). A
similar figure is expected going forwards.
 
Options/Alternatives considered:
Option 1:  To sign the Agreement as
presented and to continue as the appointed local Delivery Partner
for the GM Music Hub in the borough of Oldham.  This option has the advantage of ensuring that the
delivery of musical opportunities for young people and other groups
in Oldham continues its unbroken tradition and will continue to
develop and thrive.

 
Option 2:  To reject the Agreement and not to remain as the
Delivery Partner for the GM Music Hub in Oldham.  This would pose an existential threat to the
Oldham Council Music Service as the reduction of c. £415k of
funding annually would result in mass redundancies, a massive
contraction of the offer and the potential failure of
extra-curricular delivery. 
Additionally, the new GM/BwD Music Hub
would be compelled to appoint an alternative Local Delivery Partner
for the borough and this would, most
likely, lead to the establishment of an additional and well-funded,
if inexperienced, local competitor, thereby placing additional
pressure upon the Council Music Service.
 
Option 1 is the preferred
option.
 
Decision:
that the Cabinet approves the
proposal, detailed in the report and
enters into the agreement with other Greater Manchester (GM) Local
Authorities (LA’s) to receive funding to continue to operate
as the Local Area Delivery Partner for the GM Music Hub.