A £60,000 fund is set to be created to support cultural venues across the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Council leaders agreed plans for the creation of a Cultural Venues Investment Fund at a recent cabinet meeting.

The fund will be used to support feasibility work, access improvements and other minor works. The fund will also be used by anchor venues to prepare projects, improve facilities, increase footfall and attract external funding.

The council hopes that this would improve cultural access for residents, which would support the local economy.

Three venues have been identified as principal anchor venues, including the Foxlowe in Leek, Biddulph Town Hall and the Royal Oak in Cheadle.

The Cheadle venue has received renewed focus with attempts by the community to raise funds to purchase the vacant building and transform it into a community arts facility.

The council will also consider providing £50,000 a year from next year for ongoing revenue support. The initial £60,000 fund is set to be taken from the council's regeneration reserves. It is also hoped that money raised through the community lottery could contribute to the fund.

Councillor Dave Proudlove said: "I am really pleased with this report because it relates to one of the key strengths of the growth strategy, tourism, arts, culture and heritage.

"The focus of the creation of an investment fund to kick start some activity around some of these key hubs is much welcomed and it's a big part of the growth aspiration.

"We've got a lot to go at, a lot we're working on but we shouldn't lose sight of the importance of these established places and hopefully something emerging in Cheadle."

Council Leader Mike Gledhill told the cabinet meeting: "This is a major piece of work that's been developed primarily by our CEO Andrew Stokes following a steer from cabinet. It's a strategic case for how arts and culture and particularly venues for those purposes can be developed over the Staffordshire Moorlands in the years to come."

Analysis conducted by the council shows that Staffordshire Moorlands compares unfavourably with other towns of a similar scale.

A report to council leaders states that dedicated arts centres, theatres, cinemas, museums, festivals and professionally managed cultural organisations can generate stronger and more visible economic outcomes.

Labour councillor Mark Johnson called for tough decisions to be made on where to grant funding.

He said: "It's not hard to see a lot of scrabbling over what is quite a small, relatively small, amount of money in the scheme of things. So I'll be looking at the governance arrangements with some interest.

"I would just encourage whoever is in charge of it to perhaps, sometimes you might have to make brave decisions which are slightly unpopular, don't just spread it around and just try and please everyone."