Agenda item

This report updates Members on the current progress of the York Museums Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets agreed in the Partnership Delivery Plan, and provides an update on the implementation of the approved recommendations arising from the previously completed YMT Scrutiny review.

Members considered a report which updated them on the current progress of the York Museum’s Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets agreed in the Partnership Delivery Plan, and provided them with an update on the implementation of the approved recommendations arising from the previously completed York Museums Trust Scrutiny Review.

York Museums Trust’s Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer presented the information contained in the York Museums Trust Performance Report which covered the period April to September 2014 including the following information:

·         Art Gallery project proceeding well after structural problem with gable wall – now working towards opening date in summer 2015

·         Planning permission submitted for new gardens to connect Museum Gardens with area behind Art Gallery.

·         Opening of new exhibition at the Castle Museum 1914 When the world changed forever, on 28 June 2014

·         YMT has successfully applied for funding from Arts Council Major Partners Museum Funding till 2018  and the Museums Development Yorkshire has successfully applied for funding for 2015-18. Enables YMT to continue working with smaller and medium sized accredited museums across the region which will increase YMTs profile and influence in the region and beyond.

·         Progress made in provision of information online – now 50,000 images online – further progress will be made over next few years.

·         Due to reduction in funding from the council, now looking at other business models to enable us to become more resilient and sustainable.

Members praised YMT staff for the work which had been undertaken with regard to cataloguing the collection noting that 12,000 records had been added since the last report was received by the committee. The Chair expressed an interest in viewing the Trust’s image policy. In view of YMTs successful application for Arts Council Major Partners Museum Funding, Members queried whether  their work with other museums across Yorkshire and Humberside would take their focus away from York. Officers advised that this was a strategic decision but was only a small aspect of their work and that supporting other museums would help increase their profile and make them more sustainable. Members asked that an update be provided at a future meeting on how this work has impacted on their work in York itself.

Members discussed the information provided in the report on formal learning through visits from schools and higher and further education establishments. One Member asked for the data for York schools to be broken down into individual schools.

Members considered the table at annex 2 to the report which provided information on the implementation of recommendations of the previously completed YMT review. In response to the queries raised by Councillor Watson under public participation, YMT officers advised that the first paragraph in the update column confirmed what work had been done with regard to the recommendation and the second paragraph was a general comment to provide members with further information. With regard to the Trust’s intention to dispose of an item in one of their collections, YMT advised that they would notify the council to give officers time to object to any proposed disposal. The Assistant Director confirmed that future update reports could include information on disposals.

In response to concerns raised by members over the continued storage of items at the Fulford Store, Officers confirmed that a new store was being purchased which the council hoped to take possession of in January 2015 although this would then need some work and investment.

Resolved:      (i)         That the performance of the York Museums Trust as detailed in Annex 1 be noted and members comments be taken into account.

(ii)        That recommendations (i) to (vi) be agreed as being fully implemented.

Reason:         To conclude the work on the review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.