Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Policy and Resources Item 2

23 January 2004

Fordingbridge Museum

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Stephen Locke 01962 826702

Alastair Penfold 01962 826700

1. Summary

The following decision is sought:

To provide targeted assistance to support the continuing development of the voluntary community museum at Fordingbridge and facilitate partnership with Fordingbridge Town Council and New Forest District Council, including:

i. A grant of £2,000 to allow the introduction of free admission for a trial period of one year

ii. Funding of £3,000 to support the curation of the local collection

iii. Provide on-going professional advice and support

2. Reasons

2.1 The Fordingbridge Museum is a successful example of the County Council's policy to support the provision of local museums in smaller settlements by working with partners and voluntary organizations.

2.2 The Fordingbridge Museum Trust has taken responsibility for an important local collection, which is significant also for Hampshire as a whole, and provided public access and educational benefits in a progressive and very economical way.

2.3 The activities of the Trust support the corporate aims of maximising life opportunities, stewardship and building strong and safe communities.

2.4 The Trust wishes to improve the curation of the collection, and increase access and use of the collection at the museum and by initiating an `outreach' service to the neighbourhood

3. Other options considered and rejected

3.1 Not providing any further assistance.

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted

4.1 None.

5. Dispensation granted by Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable.

6. Reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: (signature) Date: (date of decision)

................................ ..............................

Councillor T K Thornber

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Policy and Resources Item 2

23 January 2004

Fordingbridge Museum

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Stephen Locke 01962 826702

Alastair Penfold 01962 826700

1. Background

1.1 The Fordingbridge Museum Trust is a registered charity with the object:

"The object for which the Trust is established is the advancement of education and the stimulation of public interest in and care for the beauty, history and character of the locality and the preservation development and improvement therein of features of historic and environmental interest".

1.2 The catalyst for the creation of the Trust was the need to provide long term care and access to an important collection of local history brought together by John and Richard Shering, the proprietors of a long established building and development company. This collection was displayed on a `grace and favour' basis at the company's premises where it was available to local groups and visitors.

1.3 It became increasingly clear that this arrangement was not sustainable and in 1992 the Museums Service was invited to assess the collection and join with other interested parties to provide a better, broader and more accessible basis for a local museum and tourist information centre in Fordingbridge.

1.4 The collection was judged to be a very important local collection and as such, significant for Hampshire as a whole. At the same time, the County Council adopted a policy of working flexibly with local organizations and other partners to develop local museum services, rather than creating further directly managed local museums as it had hitherto done in the larger towns of Hampshire.

1.5 The Museums Service played an active role in local discussions led by Fordingbridge Town Council and including New Forest District Council, the then Southern Tourist Board and local people.

1.6 Subsequently, the firm of Sherings went into receivership and the collection was stored and its ownership transferred to the Fordingbridge Museum Trust.

The collection has been assessed by the Museums Service. It consists of a broad range of local, social and domestic history, which well reflects the history and occupations of the Fordingbridge area. It is at least as important as those collections which formed the basis of local museums created in boroughs such as Fareham, Eastleigh and Havant.

2. The development of Fordingbridge Museum

2.1 In 1999, Hampshire County Council purchased premises in Fox's Yard, Fordingbridge, with the aid of contributions from Fordingbridge Town Council and New Forest District Council of £20,000 each, and leased the building at a peppercorn to the Museums Trust for use as a museum.

2.2 Since then, the Museums Trust has developed substantial and effective displays in the museum with a great deal of voluntary effort, both practical and fundraising, and thereby provided a good level of public access.

2.3 Throughout, an excellent level of co-ordination and co-operation has been maintained with the Museums Service, chiefly through the Area Curator based at the Red House Museum, Christchurch.

3. Review of position and future developments

3.1 Recently, the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage and officers of the Museums Service met the Trustees at Fordingbridge Museum to review progress in a detailed and constructive discussion.

3.2 the key conclusions were these:

i. the trust had created an excellent community museum with a great deal of voluntary effort. There has been a strong public response to the museum and much local interest.

ii. the imposition of a charge to visit this small local museum was required to make ends meet within the Trusts very limited finances : there is good evidence that free admission would substantially increase use (perhaps double it) and would be a better return on the investment of time and money already made.

iii. the Trustees want to increase their capacity to generate more use of the collections by providing simple forms of outreach in the area, outside of the museum itself, but all their resources are needed to simply maintain the museum.

iv. at the same time, it is essential to change and refresh the museum, especially one so small and with a mainly local visitor base.

v. a major constraint on improved access to and use of collections is the lack of adequate storage and working space. The existing spaces are very limited and insecure. Essential curatorship of the collection as a whole, especially the considerable element which remains in store, is not possible in these circumstances.

4. Proposals

4.1 The following proposals were agreed as a basis for the next phase of development:

i. provide more secure medium term occupation of the storage space adjacent to the Museum and work with Fordingbridge Town Council and New Forest District Council to achieve this.

ii. improve storage provision in the museum itself.

iii. Provide curatorial assistance to complete the sorting out of the collections in store as a basis for improving knowledge and access for re-displays and outreach.

iv. the curatorial assistance required is a `part-time' requirement but must be of a good standard. Opportunities will be sought to integrate this with other possible curatorial work within the Museums and Archives Service to provide the optimum support.

v. Hampshire County Council to provide financial support of £2,000 in 2004/05 to fund the remission of the admission charge.

vi. Hampshire County Council to earmark a further £3,000 subject to partnership support from Fordingbridge Town Council and New Forest District Council, to fund curatorial support for the collection.

vii. The Fordingbridge Museum Trust to make proposals to increase access to and use of the collections, using the benefits of free access and simple forms of outreach.

viii. the need to provide long-term storage for the Fordingbridge collections to be considered in the context of the review of collections management resources at the Museums Service HQ at Chilcomb House.

Recommendation

That targeted measures in support of the continued development of the community museum at Fordingbridge be supported, including the provision of funding of £5,000 in 2004/05.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB: the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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