“The Government is right to focus on widening access to excellent culture and strengthening public confidence in an independent Arts Council England.
Commenting on the Government's response to the Hodge Review of Arts Council England, Cllr Julie Jones-Evans, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Committee, said:
“The Government is right to focus on widening access to excellent culture and strengthening public confidence in an independent Arts Council England.
“Councils are major investors in local culture and the statutory providers of public libraries, so reform will only succeed if it is designed and delivered in partnership with local government and combined authorities.
“Any new statutory expectations on councils must be fully funded, and changes to local decision‑making should build on existing place‑based partnerships rather than create new, parallel structures.
“Any new structures and approaches should also recognise local government’s role as the democratically elected leader of place — adding value to existing local conversations and operating in line with devolution principles, not through top‑down implementation.”