Issue - meetings

This cover report presents the final report from the York Museums Trust Scrutiny Review and asks the Executive to approve the recommendations arising from the review.

Cllr Looker as Task Group Chair will present the review recommendations.

Resolved:   That, having considered the York Museums Trust Scrutiny Review Task Groups final report and annexes, the Executive approves the recommendations listed at paragraph 2 (i to vi) of the report.

Reason:     To conclude the Scrutiny Review in line with CYC Scrutiny procedures and protocols.

Members considered the final report and draft recommendations of the York Museums Trust (YMT) Scrutiny Review undertaken to consider the Council’s financial contribution to YMT, to identify the most appropriate custodianship arrangements and to enable the Trust to operate effectively as a business-like charity.

Consideration was given to the following recommendations:

In regard to the Council’s financial contribution to YMT that:

i.             A Funding Agreement be developed and maintained consisting of four elements: Common Partnership Objectives for Museums Provision; Reporting Mechanisms; A Long-Term Financial Plan; A Projected Capital Development Plan, as set out in paragraph 19 of the final report

ii.            YMT provide a 5 year rolling financial plan with commentary (at the level of detail given in Annex B of the final report) to support the Council in its consideration of its contribution to maintaining YMT’s core business.

iii.          YMT provide a long-term capital development plan to inform the Council’s consideration of its support of YMT’s capital development programme.

In regard to future custodianship arrangements:

iv.          A consistent charitable framework to be implemented for all assets and collections, which addresses the objectives set out at paragraph 23 of the review final report, and which together with the proposed Funding Agreement, replaces the various current legal agreements.

To ensure YMT can operate as an effective business-like charity:

v.      The Common Partnership Objectives for Museums Provision at paragraph 6 be endorsed as the partnership’s long- term shared intentions

vi.      The reporting arrangements set out in the final report at paragraph 19 ii to be adopted, and the Learning & Culture Policy & Scrutiny Committee to receive bi-annual reports on developments and challenges with respect to the Common Partnership Objectives, the Financial Plan and the Capital Development Plan as the basis for discussion on shared opportunities for the partnership between the Council and YMT. ^2.

Councillor Looker as Task Group Chair presented the report and recommendations which examined ways in which long term security could be provided for the Trust whilst accessing other sources of funding and providing a coherent charitable framework. She referred to the significant support received from all concerned and work undertaken to meet the review objectives.

The Executive Member highlighted the management risks to the Council without a renewed funding agreement with YMT, as set out at paragraph 9 of the report, and expressed his full support for the review recommendations.

Resolved:   That, having considered the York Museums Trust Scrutiny Review Task Groups final report and annexes, the Executive approves the recommendations listed at paragraph 2 (i to vi) of the report. ^1.

Reason:     To conclude the Scrutiny Review in line with CYC Scrutiny procedures and protocols.