Future of Design Council under review

The Government has called a review of ‘the future role and status’ of the Design Council.

By

The review has been called in response to the Government commitment to reduce the number and cost of quangos, as well as to consider the implementation of the March 2010 Dyson Report, which recommended a review of the funding, objectives and impact of the Design Council.

The review will be led by Martin Temple, chairman of manufacturer the 600 Group and council member of the Design Council. Temple will be supported by staff from the Department for Business, Information and Skills and the Design Council, as well as a steering group of business and design representatives.

Temple will present his recommendations to David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, and Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries, in September. This is ahead of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which is due on 20 October.

Willetts says, ‘The UK is a world leader in design and the Design Council has played an important role in promoting the value of design to the economy. With the forthcoming spending review it is right that we take this opportunity to assess the role of the Design Council and consider options for the future.’

Temple says, ‘I am a huge supporter of design and the review is an opportunity to reflect on the role of the Design Council as the national strategic design body and to think radically about delivery options going forward.’

From 2008-9 grant in aid to the Design Council from BIS was £6.275m. Over the same period the Design Council had a total income of £8.581m and total expenditure of £8.485m.

The Design Council has already streamlined its costs by 10 per cent since the coalition Government took power.

Read this next

Hide Comments (1)Show Comments (1)
Comments
  • Richard Eisermann November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    If the Design Council is to undergo a fair and impartial review of its ‘future role and status’, then surely a council member is not the person to lead it. Any review should be conducted by an individual well outside council chambers, in the most transparent and consultative way possible. Opinion gathering will also be affected by the September deadline, which leaves little time for meaningful consultation. Further info here: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/innovation/design-council/design-council-review

    Richard Eisermann, Director, Prospect

    Reply
  • Post a comment

Latest articles