Council gives green light to Museum bid

From the minutes of the CCC Executive, 3rd July 2014

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TO CONSIDER the report of the Head of Commissioning

Expressions of Interest (EOI) to manage Herne Bay and Whitstable Museums. PDF 78 KB

Additional documents:

• Expression of Interest form Herne Bay , item 31. PDF 145 KB
• Friends of Herne Bay Museum Constitution , item 31. PDF 74 KB
• Expression of Interest Whitstable Museum , item 31. PDF 166 KB
• Whitstable Chamber of Commerce Constitution , item 31. PDF 86 KB

 Minutes:

(At the commencement of the meeting -

Councillor A Cook declared a personal interest in the item because of his position as a member of the Friends of Herne Bay Museum;

Councillor Law declared a personal interest in the item because of her position as a life member of the Friends of Herne Bay Museum).

 The portfolio holder introduced the report of the Head of Commissioning which provided details of two Expressions of Interest made under the Community Right to Challenge to manage the council’s coastal museums. The first Expression of Interest was from the Friends of Herne Bay Museum and is to manage Herne Bay Museum. The second Expression of Interest was from Whitstable District Chamber of Commerce and is to manage Whitstable Museum.

The statutory guidance permitted three options:

1.    accept the EOI which then triggers a procurement process;

2.    reject the EOI;

3.    if the Council believes it would otherwise reject an EOI, it may seek instead to agree to it being modified.

 The process was being supported by the Arts Council in England which had provided funding support.

RESOLVED -

a)    That the Council accept the Expression of Interest made under the Community Right to Challenge for Herne Bay Museum.

b)    That the Council accept the Expression of Interest made under the Community Right to Challenge for Whitstable Museum.

Reasons for the decisions

1. Both Expressions of Interest substantially meet all the criteria set down in the Government’s Guidance around the Community Right to Challenge as reflected in the Council’s EOI form.
2. Both organisations have the financial resources to operate the museums; there are proper governance arrangements in place; they have a viable plan to manage and improve services; they have consulted with local community groups and residents and many of their ideas reflect this feedback; and they have demonstrated (prior to any formal procurement exercise) they can run the museums on value for money principles.

CCC Executive 3rd July 2014

Council bosses to consider community bid to run museums

Community campaigners will set out their arguments for taking over Herne Bay and Whitstable museums next week.

The Friends of Herne Bay Museum and Whitstable Chamber of Commerce have both submitted formal expressions of interest to run the museums in each town under national 'community right to challenge' legislation introduced by the Localism Act.

Both groups worked with council officials to plan their applications and they will be considered by members of the ruling executive committee on Thursday.

The Friends of Herne Bay Museum propose to manage the museum in partnership with Herne Bay Historical Records Society (HBHRS). They would use volunteers to run it when it is open, to display and interpret the collections owned by the city council and the HBHRS, to stage temporary exhibitions and events and to inform and educate the public and schools about the history of Herne Bay and its community.

The Whitstable District Chamber of Commerce proposes to form a consortium with Whitstable Improvement Trust, Whitstable Society, Whitstable Historical Society, Friends of Whitstable Museum and Gallery and the Favourite Trust to oversee the management of the museum.

Their main aims will be to extend the opening hours, provide additional services including more facilities for family research and to revitalise the current display of exhibits. A report to the meeting on Thursday says:

"It is the view of officers that both Expressions of Interest substantially meet all the criteria set down in the Government's guidance. They both have the financial resources to operate the museums; there are proper governance arrangements in place; they have a viable plan to manage and improve services; they have consulted with local community groups and residents and many of their ideas reflect this feedback; and they have demonstrated (prior to any formal procurement exercise) they can run the museums on value for money principles."

If councillors agree there would then be a formal procurement exercise and the museums could be run by the groups from April next year. At the moment, both museums are only open seasonally after councillors decided to cut costs. The meeting is open to the public and starts at 6.30pm on Thursday 3rd July in the Guildhall, Canterbury.

HB Times 27th June 2014

HB Museum Trust - Public Meeting

Welcome to the future!

• MUSEUM TRUST - PUBLIC MEETING
• Wednesday 21st May at 7.00 pm
• BEACH HOUSE, BEACH STREET, HERNE BAY

The aim of this meeting is to give everybody an idea of the road ahead, to start defining the roles that people can play in the Trust, and to answer your questions.

This is a great opportunity for all of you who have volunteered a half-day to get together and bask in the warm glow that comes from knowing you're in with a good crowd.

Of course, it's also a great opportunity for anyone else to add their half-day to our... "time bank" - would that be a good term for it? And of course, if you're simply curious to find out what's happening - you'll be welcome.

The meeting is to be held at Beach Creative, Beach House, Beach Street on Wednesday May 21st at 7pm. If you want to be part of the new trust or would like to find out more, please come along and encourage others of similar mind to do the same.

Herne Bay Museum Trust - be part of it

Can you join the Herne Bay Museum Trust?

People power is needed to form a new trust to run the Herne Bay Museum.

The Friends of Herne Bay Museum and the Herne Bay Historical Records Society have teamed up to lead the bid to create a charitable incorporated organisation to take charge of the William Street site.

The aim is to take over the day-to-day running from Canterbury City Council but volunteers are needed to make this a reality. Phil Rose, from the friends, said:

"The Friends and Historical Records Society are taking the lead as they are the two organisations that are historically closest to the museum and supply most of the exhibits. We are looking for support across the town."

The trust will also be tasked with overseeing a remodelling of the museum. The Arts Council has handed a £77,000 grant to the city council with allocations of £15,000 for the two coastal museums towards renovation. Plans for how and when this will be spent have not yet been made.

The groups were sharing their ideas with residents and businesses at yesterday's business showcase in the Kings Hall and are hoping to arrange a public meeting soon. The trust needs to be formed by the autumn so it is in place for a projected hand over from the council in April 2015.

People with every type of skill are needed. Friends of the Museum secretary David Cross said:

"Getting people involved is the main thing. To get the trust in place we need the right people with the right skills."

Posts available will include a part time curator. The two groups are being helped by Kent museum development officer Sarah Corn, who was a student volunteer at the museum. She has helped to run East Grinstead museum with volunteers. Find out more at www.FoHBM.info

Turning point

One way or another, this year will be a turning point for Herne Bay's Museum.

Click to download the Newsletter

The Friends have, in the past, stopped the Museum from closing. Now we have to chance not only to keep it open, but to transform it into the Museum this town wants and deserves.

For the first time, we have the chance to run our own Museum - "we" being the whole town, not just the Friends of the Museum.

PLEASE read the latest Newsletter from our secretary, David Cross. It explains everything very clearly, spells out what we can all do to make this succeed, and has a brilliant piece from Sarah Corn, Kent's expert on making this kind of transformation work.

We need help with this - no single group can do it alone. Please share this with your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.

We want everyone in town to know that they have a chance to do their bit to make our Museum outstanding.

If nobody does anything, we'll get what we deserve - nothing.

If a lot of people do a bit, we'll get what we deserve - a Museum to be proud of.

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You can help - CLICK to download the leaflet that tells you how...

You can help - CLICK to download the leaflet that tells you how...