This meeting of the Cabinet Member Signing was scheduled to discuss grant funding from Arts Council England for the Haringey Music Service, which leads the North London Music Hub. The funding is intended to support music education for young people across five boroughs, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Haringey Council is the lead organisation for the hub, and would administer the funding to consortium members.

North London Music Hub Grant Funding

Councillor Zena Brabazon, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families, was scheduled to consider a report seeking approval to receive £1,718,403 in grant funding from Arts Council England (ACE) for the Haringey Music Service (HMS). HMS acts as the lead organisation for the North London Music Hub, a consortium of music education services from Haringey, Barnet, Camden, Enfield and Islington.

The report noted that the grant aims to ensure music education is accessible and impactful across the North London Music Hub, and links to aspirations within the culture strategy and London Borough of Culture 2027 project.

The report stated that HMS has been the Hub Lead Organisation for the North London Music Hub since 1 September 2024, following a competitive tendering process. There are 43 Music Hubs in England, with most covering multiple local authority areas.

The report recommended that Councillor Brabazon:

• Approve acceptance of the grant funding from Arts Council England.
• Agree that Haringey Council will administer the funding to consortium members, taking a 3.75% top slice for administration costs.
• Agree that HMS will continue as the Hub Lead Organisation, using a flow-through model of grant funding to consortium members, as per the Department for Education funding formula.
• Agree to a timely mechanism for receiving the grant from ACE and payment to consortium members.

The report detailed how the funding would be distributed among the consortium partners:

According to the report, the 3.75% top slice covers the cost of administration for the academic year 2025/2026, and was reviewed in June 2025. The report stated that it was unlikely that Haringey Council would incur any additional expenditure outside of this contribution. Amounts to fund consortium partners would be sent in five payments upon the Hub Lead Organisation receiving reporting documentation.

The report also outlined Haringey's responsibilities as the Hub Lead Organisation, including:

An area-wide strategic vision, shared values, and budget, monitored by a representative Hub Board.

A strategic approach to supporting inclusion and progression so that young people can connect to local, regional, and national structures.

A shared understanding and approach to considering environmental responsibility.

The report noted that there is little to no financial or reputational risk involved in HMS undertaking work as the Hub Lead Organisation. It also stated that approval to accept the funding and related Music Hub programme directly responds to outcomes in the Corporate Delivery Plan 2024-2026, particularly in relation to themes 3 and 7, which set out the council's ambition for every child to have the best start in life and for Haringey to be a culturally rich borough.

The report also included comments from statutory officers, including the Director of Finance, Strategic Procurement, and the Director of Legal and Governance, who raised no objections to the recommendations. The report stated that the council has a Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and people who do not. The report stated that the Arts Council Grant will clearly set out the supplier's responsibilities under equalities legislation.