Report of the Director of Community Services enclosed
Minutes:
The Director of Community Services submitted a report providing Committee with an update on the management of Clitheroe Museum and the Atrium Café.
Since re-opening in 2009, the Council owned museum had been managed by the Lancashire County Museum Service under a contract with the Council, for which they received £162,520 per year. The current contract was due to end on 31 March 2024. The Atrium Café did not form part of the agreement with LCC and had been subject to separate agreements with independent providers, the most recent of which had ended following the pandemic and the café had since remained closed. The bowling green café was let under a contract for the previous two summers.
Under the terms of the agreement with Lancashire County Council, the collection was maintained by them on the Council’s behalf along with various other services which ensured that the museum achieved and maintained its accredited status, namely:
· Conservation services
· Curatorial services
· Collection management and documentation
· Technical support and services
· Collection care and collection management training
The Council had been in discussions with Lancashire County Council regarding the management of the museum once the existing contract expired on 31 March 2024. LCC had indicated that they were willing to continue with the management of the museum subject to a contractual amendment. LCC had informed officers that the operation of the museum was currently subsidised by LCC and proposed a full cost recovery model which would increase the amount paid by the Council.
LCC put forward 3 options as set out in the Annex to the report;
· Option 1 based on the current opening hours of 35 hours per week (20 hours
in winter) at an extra cost of £88,458 per annum
· Option 2 based on opening hours of 20 hours per week with an extra annual
cost of £52,796
· Option 3 based on opening hours of 16 hours per week at an extra annual
cost of £33,870.
The operational costs of the facilities such as repairs, maintenance, business rates, and utilities, would all continue to be met by the Council. Income from the museum would continue to be shared with LCC.
The report set out the options beyond the end of the current management agreement however, to enable time for Officers to fully examine the options and for Committee to make an informed decision, LCC had agreed to extend the current agreement for up to six months at no additional cost. However it was explained that this would require reduced opening hours of 4 days rather than the current 7 days.
Members were asked to consider the temporary extension offer. If this option was chosen, a further report would then be brought to Committee with a full appraisal of the options for the future management of the museum.
Members discussed the options put forward in the report and also the LCC options attached at Annex 1. They made suggestions in regard to the Atrium.
Committee were minded to agree with Option 1 put forward by LCC to continue with the museum’s current arrangements and opening hours subject to a referral to Policy and Finance Committee to approve the extra cost of £88,458.
RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:
Approve the offer by Lancashire County Council to continue with the current arrangement for the museum to be open for 35 hours per week (20 hours per week in winter) subject to referring the extra cost of £88,458 per annum to Policy and Finance Committee for approval.