The future of Grantham's Guildhall is safe, a top South Kesteven councillor has pledged.

The reassurance from district council cabinet member Rosemary Trollope-Bellew comes as members of a council scrutiny committee yesterday voted to work with officers on potential changes as to how arts and culture is delivered in the district.

Last week, Nub News revealed that South Kesteven District Council is seeking major savings in staffing and other costs with arts provision as it grapples with reduced grant funding from central government.

A £10,000 external report has recommended that rather than provide such services directly, it could move to a trust model, which would open up extra chances of government funding.

Arts centres across the district could also work better closely together and make efficiency savings, the report recommended.

Following the meeting, held on Tuesday, Coun Trollope-Bellew said: "It is important to make it clear that none of our arts venues are at risk of closure.

"What we are doing is exploring a number of options for ensuring that a vibrant arts and culture programme is not only maintained, but also developed.

"Arts and culture are not statutory services that we have to provide, but South Kesteven District Council has a long history of supporting them in recognition of the contribution they make to the social well-being of the district.

"Our support is clearly demonstrated by the level of subsidy we provide across Grantham Guildhall, Stamford Arts Centre, Bourne Corn Exchange and for other arts events – which in 2019/20 totalled almost £900,000. Depreciation costs are an additional consideration on the annual balance sheet.

"None of the venues make a profit and each require considerable financial support. In 2019/20 this amounted to £317,403 at Grantham; £370,174 at Stamford; £169,347 at Bourne and £41,837 for

other arts events. "Against a background of increasing pressure on public finances and further financial challenges to come, this review has identified potential savings and new ways of operating. "Our three arts venues currently operate independently of each other and the council, and one of the options being considered is centralising services such as Box Office, marketing and administration. "Longer-term, another possibility is switching to a different operating model such as a trust with charitable status that could more easily attract support from grant making organisations, donations from the public and sponsorship." Coun Trollope-Bellew added: "Our delivery of arts and culture services hasn't changed for many years and it is good management practice to review how Council services are provided. "This is a starting point for us to explore alternative operating models, identify potential savings and secure the future of our arts provision." At the scrutiny committee meeting, Coun Phil Dilks (Ind- Deeping St James) said it is right to review services, noting how the council spends more on arts, rather than leisure, but that has left the Deepings Leisure Centre having to close due to the "roof falling in". Council leader Kelham Cooke (Con- Casewick) said the council was facing reduced funding and SKDC spent 11 per cent of its budget on arts and culture when the average for district councils is 5 per cent. "I am not advocating we go to that at all," he said. "We can make efficiencies in how we run the services." This would include 'centralising' more services, like communications, because if savings could not be found in arts, other council budgets may suffer more. Coun Cooke added: "We need to be making the centres run in a more efficient way. We are never going to stop doing arts and culture but we have to look at our budgets." However, Coun Amanda Wheeler said the arts centres already work together in many areas. Coun Wheeler (Lib-Dem- Stamford St George) also said Vivacity, a trust that ran arts services in Peterborough "walked away" from arts provision, leaving services "in disarray." Coun Mark Whittington (Con- Grantham Barrowby Gate) warned that how trusts are set up means they do not always deliver savings. "The problem with trust models is pitching the risk and liability. It's not to say they don't work but you have to be really careful about how you set them up." The scrutiny committee will meet again on September 8th when members will make further recommendations on the way forward for the Council's Cabinet to consider at its meeting on September 14th.