Decision details

Authority to enter into a grant agreement with West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) for the WOW Barn

Reference: D56217

Decision Maker: Director of City Development

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

1  This decision is to enter into a grant agreement with WYCA for gainshare funding for LEEDS 2023’s WOW Barn project.  The funds will cover the development costs for the WOW Barn project to be delivered by Leeds Culture Trust (LCT) as a signature event in the LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture. The funds will be channelled in full to Leeds Culture Trust to deliver the project and manage expenditure.

2  It is proposed that the £551,672 WYCA funding is managed through the Leeds City Council grant agreement. The grant agreement requires robust reporting on the impact of LEEDS 2023 and is being refreshed to ensure specific outcomes from the WOW Barn project are reported whilst also capturing the wider benefits of the funding commitment to the year of culture.  The refreshed grant agreement will be signed by the end of March 2023.

3  This current grant agreement will be followed by a further grant agreement between WYCA and LCC for the remaining sum of £ 948,328 which was approved by WYCA Culture Committee on 26.1.23 for the WOW Barn project.  This will bring total funding from WYCA’s Gainshare fund to be channelled to LCT for the WOW Barn to £1.5m.

4  The authority to enter into a grant agreement for this second tranche of funding for the WOW Barn also sits under this key decision.

 

Decision:

a)  The Chief Officer Culture and Economy has authorised the City Council to enter into grant agreement with West Yorkshire Combined Authority for a sum of £551,672 from WYCA’s Gainshare fund.  This funding will then be channelled in full to Leeds Culture Trust who will deliver the WOW Barn project and who will manage all WOW Barn expenditure.

b)  The decision has been exempted from call in.  The reasons for this exemption are set out in section 19 of this report under legal implications.

Reason Key: Financial Impact>£500K;

Wards Affected: Headingley and Hyde Park; Little London and Woodhouse;

If exempt from Call-In, the reason why Call-In would prejudice the interests of the Council or the public:: The decision has been exempted from call-in as the grant needs to be sealed within the timescales set by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the funding secured for the WOW Barn project which is already in delivery as part of Leeds 2023’s Year of Culture.

Other reasons / organisations consulted

Consultation has already taken place with the Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education and with ward members from two relevant wards

2 x ward members from Headingley & Hyde Park

3 x ward members from Little London and Woodhouse

Consultees

Consultation has already taken place with the Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education and with ward members from two relevant wards

2 x ward members from Headingley & Hyde Park

3 x ward members from Little London and Woodhouse

Contact: Karen Murgatroyd 0113 378 8531 Email: karen.murgatroyd@leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 30/03/2023

Date of decision: 11/04/2023

Accompanying Documents: