Select committee: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Conclusion 10

Third Report - Reimagining where we live: cultural placemaking and the levelling up agenda Published 2 Nov 2022 Paragraph 68 Addressed to Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Alongside its impact on individuals and households, the cost-of-living crisis poses an existential threat to the cultural, sporting and media organisations and infrastructures that are at the centre of our communities at a time when they need Reimagining where we live: cultural placemaking and the levelling up agenda 57 certainty following the Covid-19 pandemic, even despite the Government’s welcome announcement of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme for businesses, charities and public sector organisations in September.

From: Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Third Report - Reimagining where we live: cultural placemaking and the levelling up agenda (HC 155), paragraph 68, 2 November 2022

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 3 February 2023 (deadline 11 January 2023).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the inquiry and agrees that place-based cultural policymaking can help deliver the Levelling Up missions, but it disagrees with the Committee's conclusion on a joined-up approach and declines several recommendations.

  • It disagrees with the Committee's "lack of faith" that a collaborative approach to Levelling Up cultural infrastructure is being taken, citing partnership working between Government, Arms-Length Bodies and places.
  • On skills, it says a Government-led national training programme "is not required", and does not agree that an audit and roadmap of cultural placemaking skills is necessary, citing the risk of duplication.
  • On Cultural Compacts, it says that "in the current fiscal climate, further Government investment in Compacts at this time is unlikely", preferring their "organic development".
  • On funding, it says current policy does not distinguish "national" from "regional" or "local" organisations. It says there are "no plans to expand the Music Hubs model to other art forms".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error