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  • Access to gyms and swimming pools

    • Reference: 2021/4419
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 18 November 2021
    A constituent has raised with me an issue with changes brought in at their local borough gym, which restrict swimming slots to 45 minutes, without an equivalent reduction in price. Given the need to keep Londoners healthy after multiple lockdowns, do you support exercise facilities safely removing these expensive restrictions?

  • Supporting London’s musicians through recovery and post-Brexit (1)

    • Reference: 2021/0980
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 18 March 2021
    At the London Assembly Plenary on Thursday 4 March 2021, we heard from Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE, that so far, you have provided £3.9 million to support the creative sector which has helped 13,000 individuals, artists and businesses. This sector was worth £58 billion to London’s economy prior to the pandemic and provides more than 600,000 jobs, which is 11.9 per cent of all jobs in the capital, compared to 4.9 per cent in the rest of the UK. What further support are you providing to retain skilled creative workers in the city...

  • Supporting London’s musicians through recovery and post-Brexit (2)

    • Reference: 2021/1003
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 18 March 2021
    In your answer to my question 2021/0483 you stated that on 3 February 2021 you wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP, about the UK Government’s failure to come to a deal with the EU and the impact on the creative and cultural sectors. Could you publish this letter and share any response you receive from the Secretary of State with me?

  • Supporting London’s musicians post-Brexit

    • Reference: 2021/0483
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 25 February 2021
    Recently The Independent reported that the Government has misled the UK music industry over the issue of visa-free travel for musicians to/from the EU. It was in fact the UK Government who rejected the EU offer of reciprocal visa free travel for touring musicians. UK Music in their 2020 report, Music by Numbers, found that the total export revenue of the music industry was £2.9 billion in 2019. Do you agree with me that musicians being able to tour the EU is vital for our economy and vital for cultural exchange, and will you call on the Government to get...

  • Redundancies and freelancers during coronavirus

    • Reference: 2020/3849
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 19 November 2020
    In July the government announced £1.5 billion in funding for the arts and creative sector. I have now heard from several creative freelancers that they and many of their colleagues have been made redundant and that, even though the funding has started to come through for organisations, it is going on building management and senior salaries. Will you lobby the government for increased funding for our vital creative and arts sector workers?

  • Supporting Arts and Culture venues

    • Reference: 2020/2960
    • Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
    • Meeting date: 17 September 2020
    How are you supporting arts and culture venues that are not specifically recognised as leisure and hospitality venues? For example Storm Rehearsal Studios in my constituency face an uncertain future as they are not considered part of the leisure and hospitality sector. However the rules which their business is governed by are those relating to live performances. As such they are being charged business rates for periods they have been unable to open, making their financial position much more challenging.

  • Support for creative industries during the coronavirus crisis

    • Reference: 2020/1664
    • Question by: Caroline Russell
    • Meeting date: 18 June 2020
    On 30 April 2020 you launched a new emergency £2.3 million fund to support culture and creative industries at risk due to the impact of coronavirus. How many of these: a) businesses, and b) individuals do you estimate need economic support as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?

  • Supporting Harmony Hall

    • Reference: 2020/1895
    • Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
    • Meeting date: 18 June 2020
    Harmony Hall in Walthamstow is a multi-cultural family centre and a vital asset for the community. Please provide an update on how you are supporting the charity CREST and its supporters to access the funding necessary to keep the Hall available for public use.

  • Access to culture for young people (1)

    • Reference: 2020/1228
    • Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
    • Meeting date: 19 March 2020
    Research, including last year from the House of Commons Digital, Culture Media and Sport Committee, has found that schools are being forced to cut their cultural and arts programmes. What discussions have you had with the Secretary of State for Education on this, and what are you doing from within City Hall to support London’s schools to continue this vital activity?

  • Access to culture for young people (2)

    • Reference: 2020/1229
    • Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
    • Meeting date: 19 March 2020
    Wealthier families are often able to provide extra-curricular access to cultural experiences for their children, but with UNISON estimating that, between April 2010 and April 2016, £387m was cut from youth service spending across the UK, children from less well off backgrounds are increasingly unable to access the same opportunities. How will your Borough of Culture help to create opportunities for young people where they live?