Agenda item

This cover report presents the draft final report arising from the York Museums Trust (YMT) scrutiny review, and asks the Task Group to identify any changes required to the report ahead of its presentation to the Learning & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 21 November 2012.

Members received the draft final report arising from the York Museums Trust (YMT) Scrutiny Review which asked them to agree a number of recommendations to Cabinet.

The YMT Scrutiny Review Task Group (Councillors Taylor, Watson and Fitzpatrick) updated Members on the work they had undertaken in respect of the review. They advised that it had been an interesting and enjoyable review to undertake and expressed their appreciation to the musuems’ staff for their time and the assistance they had given to Members. They also thanked the Scrutiny Officer for her hard work in respect of the review.

The Head of Arts, Heritage and Culture asked for a minor change to the wording in paragraph 102 (Council Plan 2011-15) so that it reads “The success of the Trust and its business plan contributes to the council’s priority to create jobs and grow the economy, through its investment in the tourism infrastructure.  It also provides opportunities for residents cultural life long learning across the city.” She noted that some clarification of the acquisitions/disposals policy would be very welcome. She asked that the report was made clearer in stating that YMT had achieved accreditation in collections management and Members agreed that this could be clarified in the review conclusions.

Members agreed that recommendations 1 and 2 should be amended to include the meeting dates when the committee would receive the presentation and revised policy document.

Members agreed that a seventh recommendation be added stating “The appropriate Cabinet Member to seek continued improvement in collection management standards and that this be monitored annually”

The Committee agreed that these changes be made prior to the final report being considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 8 January 2013. Members noted that Councillor Taylor, on behalf of the Task Group, and Cllr Fitzpatrick, as member of the Task Group and Vice Chair of the Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee, would attend the Cabinet meeting. The Committee expressed its thanks to the Task Group for their work on the review.

RESOLVED:

That in order to achieve the appropriate collections management standards (in line with the Collections Loan Agreement and Collections Management Protocol agreed in 2002), the Committee recommend to Cabinet that:

(i)         YMT be requested to provide, as a matter of urgency, a presentation to the Learning and Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the key principles that their Acquisition and Disposal policy review will be based on – In order to help frame and support YMT’s work on those revisions

(ii)        YMT provide a revised version of the Acquisition and Disposal policy for the Learning & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s consideration at its meeting on 1 May 2013.

(iii)       To help facilitate the recruitment of additional volunteers, the Cabinet  Member for Leisure & Culture encourages all Councillors to invite YMT’s Volunteers Manager to attend a future ward meeting or community event, and identify ward residents who may have the appropriate skills.

(iv)       A mechanism should be put in place for disseminating information to new guides and volunteers from experienced employees leaving the Trust as a means of enhancing their training.

(v)        They support appropriate revisions to the YMT Service Level Agreement to ensure YMT prioritise their work on de-accessioning unwanted/ damaged/duplicate collection items, in order to allow the  progression of work on the collections and the implementation of YMT’s plans for the future.

(vi)       YMT revise their future bi-annual update reports to Overview & Scrutiny, to ensure they:

(a)       identify their progress against the Collections Loan Agreement and Collections Management Protocol agreed in 2002;

(b)       include information on any items disposed of since the last

update report.

(vii)      The appropriate Cabinet Member seek continued improvement in collection management standards and that this be monitored annually

REASON:

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