Councillor Peray Ahmet, Leader of the Council, approved the appointment of two new trustees to the Haringey Culture Collective (HCC) Board. The meeting also noted the initiation of an open recruitment process for additional trustees, with future candidates to be presented for approval in May 2026.

Appointment of New Trustees for Haringey Culture Collective

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Peray Ahmet, approved the appointment of Emete Kirton and Marcus Davey to the Board of Trustees for the Haringey Culture Collective (HCC). This decision follows recommendations from the existing HCC Board of Trustees, who conducted a skills audit to identify gaps in areas such as cultural leadership, community representation, and specialist expertise. The HCC is the charitable company established to deliver the London Borough of Culture 2027 programme.

The report presented to Councillor Ahmet highlighted that the HCC Board was initially formed with five trustees, comprising three council officers and two independents. The intention has always been to expand the board to ensure it has the necessary skills and expertise to oversee the London Borough of Culture delivery.

Emete Kirton, an Art Director and Partner at HATO Studio and HATO Press, brings strategic design experience and a track record in inclusive cultural projects. She is also a resident of N17¹ and has experience across fashion, food, design, and community-led creative ecosystems. Marcus Davey, the former Chief Executive and Artistic Director at the Roundhouse², brings over 25 years of senior cultural leadership and expertise in large-scale creative governance. He has a long-standing connection to Haringey, having lived in the borough for many years and engaged with its music and youth arts services.

The decision to appoint these individuals was made under the Leader's delegated authority, as outlined in the Council's Constitution. The appointments are considered a non-key decision as they do not involve significant expenditure or impact communities across two or more wards.

In addition to these targeted appointments, an open recruitment process has been initiated to find up to two further trustees. This process aims to ensure transparency and representation, with priority areas including legal and financial expertise, as well as community representation from under-represented groups such as Latine, Black British/African/Caribbean, Turkish/Kurdish heritage, LGBTQI+, disabled residents, and local residents more broadly. The open call for recruitment closes on 20 April 2026, and recommended candidates will be brought back for Council approval in May 2026.

The report also noted that these appointments support the Council's strategic aims under Theme 7 of the Corporate Delivery Plan 2024-2026: a Culturally Rich Borough, by expanding cultural opportunities, strengthening community engagement, and delivering the London Borough of Culture 2027 as a flagship inclusive programme. The Council's Public Sector Equality Duty³ under the Equality Act 2010 was also considered, with the appointments and the open recruitment process aiming to promote inclusive representation and widen participation in cultural decision-making.