In essence the purpose of the Civic Society Initiative is a simple one – to establish the means within twelve months to ensure provision of a national voice and support for the civic society movement.

The loss of the Civic Trust has prompted a groundswell of support for the civic society movement. Messages of support and practical offers of help have been received from a large number of professional bodies, local authorities, voluntary and charitable organisations and others. Over 650 civic societies have already said they want to be kept in touch with the future arrangements for supporting societies and providing a champion for the movement.

It is clear that many share the view that the civic society movement is too important for it to lose its national voice. The role of societies and local community action is as important now as it was when the Civic Trust was set up. This is the sentiment at the heart of the package of measures now being put in place to allow a range of options for the future health of the civic society movement to be explored and assessed.

A full range of options will need to be examined but three things are clear:

• the civic society movement needs an independent champion
• the movement needs to be supported as a network where the voice of individual societies and local groups can be strengthened
• the future needs to be rooted in what the societies want and they need to drive the way forward.

The core package for establishing the Civic Society Initiative which has emerged is as follows:

• one year’s funding donated by the National Trust for Tony Burton to lead the Initiatives
• office accommodation and in-kind support donated by CPRE (in London) and the RIBA (in Liverpool)
• a charitable ‘home’ to receive funds and provide governance through the North of England Civic Trust
• a civic society convention supported by Blackpool Council and hosted by Blackpool Civic Trust in October 2009.

English Heritage will deliver Heritage Open Days in 2009.

While there has been no decision as to whether a new organisation is even needed, it is essential that the solution meets the needs of the civic societies and other similar community groups. A top down solution will not work. The Civic Society Initiative will take an open approach and explore a full range of possibilities for the movement. This will include development of the mission, vision, values, funding, governance and name of a new organisation, or the means to do this, if it is determined one is required. It starts with an open mind, a desire to debate and involve and no presumptions as to the outcome. There will be a sounding board drawn from the civic society movement and others and an extensive debate will be undertaken, including surveys and local stakeholder events in the major cities and elsewhere. The outcome will be a set of proposals seeking to combine immediate practical viability with a 3-5 year plan of the future.

The latest bulletin from the Civic Society Initiative can be downloaded from here

We are pleased to hear of the successful appeal against the refusal to grant consent for the Music Centre which the Society has supported from the outset. We are sure that the Centre will be a great asset to both College and Eastbourne.

The matters under consideration are the new History Centre/Museum, storage facilities for Towner Local History Museum items, and keeping Local History in the public eye until the new build.

(a) New Eastbourne History Centre. The following sites are under consideration: The Wish Tower (briefly, to build around the Wish Tower); The Redoubt (to build on the present tea pavilion site); Fisherman’s Green (to build on the old Butterfly Centre site and the tennis courts combined with a rejuvenation of that area and Princes Park/Oval). Other sites being examined are the under-used Winter Gardens, the Langney Shopping Centre area and one or two of the hotels that are up for sale in the town. The most suitable model of a Centre for Eastbourne has been discussed and there are three under consideration. Firstly, one about the same size as the Towner or just slightly
larger (600-1000sqm). Secondly, a ‘commercial experience’ run by an outside business (as the popular Viking Museum in York), perhaps on a site leased to them by the Council. Thirdly, a larger Centre of over 2,500sq m. These all have their advantages and
disadvantages and I would be pleased to discuss these points with members. The content of the Centre has been discussed and a provisional list has been produced (copies available to members on request). The Governance is also under active consideration. It seems quite clear that the Borough Council, while willing to encourage a viable plan and possibly help with some pump-priming, does not have funds to build a Centre and would not wish to run the new History Centre. The question of a Trust or Foundation is under discussion.

(b) Storage Facilities. Up to the end of January no progress has been made. The damp casemate at the Redoubt holding the archaeological items is required for an exhibition in April so there is urgency here. With the delays in the Towner Art Gallery and Exhibition Hall building, the other Towner items in the satisfactory temporary storage at Devonshire Park are safe for the time being. There is no news about whether the Lawn Tennis Association will continue with the Eastbourne International Ladies Tournament. If they do not, there is the possibility of freeing-up the changing rooms adjacent to the old Fitness Centre to make space there.

(c) Local History activity in the meantime. The Society will assist the Eastbourne Local History Society with some displays in the Heritage Centre, but the main intent is to reach out to more residents and visitors with lectures, walks and displays around the town, such as the Central Library, Town Hall and schools. Negotiations are in progress.