Concerns over bidding process for local groups near Stamford for £30,000 arts cash

Councillors have expressed dismay that plans to spend £8,000 on an arts centre mural had been allocated without their knowledge.

South Kesteven District Council have been given £3.3 million from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Funding.

£30,000 must be spent on arts projects, including a proposed mural in the Stamford Arts Centre.

Members of the board responsible for spending it were concerned that the large sum had been earmarked without any chance for local groups to bid for the cash.

The money for the first year must be allocated by the end of March due to tight government timelines, meaning many were hearing about plans for the first time.

Councillor Richard Cleaver said: “I’m concerned that there’s been no bidding process for the £30,000.

“I contacted people active in the arts in Stamford to tell them this money was available – now do I have to go back to these people and say it’s a no-go?”

Councillor Ashley Baxter said it felt as though the council had been “bounced into this” without ever agreeing.

Leader Councillor Kelham Cooke also agreed that the process should be reopened for new arts projects.

Councillor Judy Stevens said: “The mural doesn’t strike me as a great idea. We want to spend £8,000 in Stamford when there was only £30,000 across four towns?”

The remaining funds would go towards an Arts Around The District event and nature workshops.

It was agreed that the three projects should be pushed back in the second year to give more time to scrutinise them, and bidding would be opened to find new projects for the £30,000.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was implemented to replace EU funding.

15 projects have been identified across South Kesteven to receive funding across the next three years.

The largest amount of £284,000 will be allocated to upgrading CCTV and installing free Wi-Fi hubs across Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping.

The council’s current cameras are analogue, which are becoming difficult to replace, and they would be upgraded to digital.