Working in partnership

Our strategy goals will be achieved by leveraging the unique assets and opportunities on our doorstep, by playing to our organisational strengths as a leader, convenor and enabler and by innovating and delivering outstanding value for money.

In order to achieve the goals set out in this strategy, the council will:

• Provide leadership, identifying opportunities and challenges, setting direction and closely monitoring progress towards goals
• Develop and catalyse new initiatives with the private and voluntary sectors, helping to get ideas off the ground and attracting input and investment from others
• Lead by example, following the recommendations of Future Lambeth and the Equality Commission Report to improve our own performance in leadership, innovation, efficiency and inclusiveness
• Work closely with a wide range of partners from start-ups to established businesses, regional and national government, making connections across organisations and diverse areas of activity
• Facilitate, co-ordinate and sign-post the work of others
• Conduct research and evaluation providing a strong evidence base for what works, why and what impact is being achieved — to guide the work of others and to support external fundraising.

We expect that this strategy may need to adapt and evolve in the future. We will therefore review the action plan on an annual basis.

To make sure our strategy is well-founded we have adopted a robust and comprehensive methodology. With support from the Greater London Authority and South Bank BID, the council conducted research, evidence gathering and engagement, primarily through the Lambeth Creative and Digital Industries Study 2017 and the production of our London Borough of Culture bid Radical Hearts Open Minds.

This has included:

• The formation of an Advisory Group with key creative and
  digital sector representativesfrom across the borough
• Several events with over 100 local stakeholders, exploring the cultural distinctiveness of Lambeth and its future ambitions
  for change
• A survey of local businesses, with 160 responses
• A literature review, including research already undertaken by organisations such as Creative Industries Federation and Tech UK
• In-depth interviews with 40 stakeholders
• A review of the property market and planning framework relating to the creative and digital economy
• Workshops — with businesses, sector-focused business support bodies, property developers, and education providers
• Site visits to key growth areas in the borough

An extensive research process ensures that our plans are evidence-led. It has allowed us to present the existing picture — giants and hidden gems, diversity and richness of Lambeth creative and digital DNA.

We are now in a better position to understand these sectors in greater detail, how they can grow, and what Lambeth and its partners can do to nurture that growth.

The council will have to be measured in the way it invests its time and resources to support our creative and technology industry, working with limited funding resources and staff.

At the outset of this strategy, the council has secured investment from the following sources to deliver a range of projects, including:

• Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (for public
  arts and cultural facilities)
• Greater London Authority ‘Good Growth Fund’ investment (for workspace and public realm initiatives)
• Greater London Authority ‘Creative Enterprise Zone’ round 1 investment (for the Brixton Creative Enterprise Zone Action Plan)
• Mayor of London ‘Cultural Impact Award’ (for the Next Generation campaign)

London’s Strategic Investment Pot (SIP) provides another important funding opportunity, and the council will seek to lead and collaborate on cross borough funding applications to SIP & other relevant funding sources.

Using the resources we secure, we will support a small numberof high impact initiatives which have the potential to sustain themselves without the need for ongoing support. Where the council accesses additional funding to support new initiatives, it will be guided by the framework set
by this strategy.

Delivering many aspects of the strategy will not require direct funding by the council. Some of the actions will be supported and financed by Lambeth’s Business Improvement Districts. There are also actions within the strategy that will be undertaken voluntarily by organisations in the borough, or through existing investment secured (e.g. our education partners and National Portfolio Organisations in the borough).

We are committed to measuring the impact of our work, learning from our efforts and those of others, and communicating our progress through the Lambeth Now platform.

At a borough level, the strategy seeks to make a major contribution towards:

• Attracting more large scale businesses into the borough from the creative and technology sectors
• Increasing the overall volume of commercial space, and increasing the number of affordable workspaces, including business incubator and accelerator spaces
• More creative and technology employers becoming involved in careers guidance, training and employment projects
• The visibility and understanding of training and employment pathways into the creative and technology sectors from underrepresented groups.

Working with partners in academia, business and elsewhere, we will continue to build a strong evidence base to underpin our work, including identifying ‘best in class’ solutions and policies supporting creative and technology sector inclusive growth. Monitoring and measurement frameworks will be embedded within all major projects delivered by the council, enabling us to capture key lessons and progress towards goals.

We will regularly communicate progress on delivery of the strategy.

We will also continue to listen to others, encouraging greater dialogue around supporting inclusive growth through the creative and technology economy.

We invite organisations to invest in Lambeth’s creative and digital economy, joining a growing effort to secure inclusive growth.

As a result of reading this strategy, if you are a creative, technology, skills or young people-focused organisation, a developer or workspace provider and want to connect with the council, please get in touch with the Business, Culture and Investment team:

Matthew Blades
Head of Business, Culture and Investment
mblades@lambeth.gov.uk

Nathan Vasey
Senior Business and Inward Investment Officer
nvasey@lambeth.gov.uk

Dawn Bunce
Cultural Development Officer
dbunce@lambeth.gov.uk

invest@lambeth.gov.uk
lambethnow.co.uk