I've just come direct from a great meeting at the Tower with Nicola Horsley - Head of Arts, Tourism and Marketing at the County Council. We had 8 people representing the different user groups at the Tower. Steve Brine (Conservative PPC for Winchester) also attended to give support.

What a difference!!! The approach was worlds apart from the "consultation" in the lead up to the June decision. Nicola was very open and listened to the views from the Tower Users.

We saw for the first time the proposed brief for the Consultant on the options appraisal. Clearly a lot of thought had been put into the brief. All the users and Steve Brine raised a concern that the terms of reference were to narrow - they are focussed exclusively on the options for the future management of the Tower. Our understanding was that Councillor Thornbers intentions were to look at the Tower within the wider context of Winchester and Hampshire with the aim of informing a sensible debate about the future of Arts provision within the area. We expressed our view that the terms of reference should take a more strategic review of arts provision - including options for partnership between the Discovery Centre and the Theatre Royal.

We also felt that the terms of reference should specifically look at successful models operating within other authorities (e.g. Basingstoke and Reading).

Nicola will consider both of these suggestions.

The Consultant will be working to a very tight in terms of timescale - appointment of consultant by 21 September, the interim report to be published in mid October - with a public meeting in early November.

With this short timescale in mind - I would strongly encourage you to write again to your local representatives to give your views so that they can be taken into account within the consultation (see Blog entry for 24th June to get contacts). I would cc Nicola at nicola.horsey@hants.gov.uk and Marilyn Michalowicz (at MMichalowicz@WINCHESTER.GOV.UK) Marilyn is the Winchester City Council Arts Development Officer. Letters to the press would also keep us in the news at this crucial time.

We plan to have another meeting on Monday 1st October. Please let me or Lynda Bannister know if you are able to attend.

Finally........ see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVr0mWf-bV8 to hear what the late, great Dinah Washington has to say about it all.