Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1. To authorise the provision of up to £25,000 per annum grant aid, committed for three years, to support a new Business Plan and the sustainable future of Gilbert White's House & The Oates Museum in Selborne (hereafter referred to as `The Wakes').

2) Issues Covered in Report:

2.1. The role and purpose of The Wakes

2.2. The history of the relationship between Hampshire County Council and The Wakes.

2.3. The `Review and Way Forward' consultant's report for The Wakes.

2.4. A new Business Plan for The Wakes and potential HCC support.

3) Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

3.1. Recreation and Heritage officers continue to provide advice and practical support to the trustees and staff of the Wakes.

3.2. The Head of Collections for the Museums Service attends the trustee meetings and is the conduit by which this advice and practical support is accessed.

3.3. Recreation and Heritage helps the trustees to produce a four year `Business Plan' for The Wakes (2009-13).

3.4. Recreation and Heritage provides up to £25,000 per annum over three years to fund both the creation of The Wakes `Business Plan' and the implementation of specific elements of it allied to R&H and SE Hub service/business plans.

MAIN REPORT

1) Contextual Information:

1.1. The Wakes is an accredited independent museum administered by a Board of Trustees who are currently supported by a team of paid and volunteer staff led by a professional Museum Director.

1.2. The mission statement for The Wakes is: `To promote an understanding of the environment by inspiring, informing and enthusing the public about Gilbert White and the Oates family and in particular their contribution to ecology, observation and recording.'

1.3. Managed jointly with The Wakes is a Field Studies Centre which delivers professionally led sessions for school and college students on a wide range of subjects, including landscape, ecology, natural history, life in the 18^th century, and the history of Antarctica and Africa.

1.4. The Field Studies Centre has been grant-aided by HCC for many years and the Museums Service has been equally committed to providing professional advice and support at individual officer level as well as through senior management representation at trustee meetings.

2) Key Issues:

2.1. To recognise that The Wakes is ideally placed to provide `sense of place' displays for the parish of Selborne as well as interpreting the lives and achievements of three internationally renowned historical figures, Gilbert White (1720-1793), Frank Oates (1840-1875) and Lawrence Oates (1880-1912).

2.2. To ensure that The Wakes has a sustainable future both as a museum and as a centre of excellence for outdoor environmental education.

3) `Review and Way Forward' report:

3.1. The Wakes Trust has been running on a deficit budget for a number of years and this is likely to increase substantially during 2008/9. Without a significant change of strategy it is likely that the Trust's reserves will be exhausted within two to three years.

3.2. Kingshurst Consulting Group were engaged by the trustees with a brief to:-

a) Undertake a review of the current operation

b) Recommend a way forward, and

c) Identify actions to achieve this

The resulting report was delivered in September 2008.

3.3. The Chair of the Wakes trustees met with the Director of Recreation and Heritage on 2 October 2008 to discuss the report and seek HCC funding and advice in order to secure the future of The Wakes.

4) Subsequent actions:

4.1. Advice has been provided or set in motion by HCC officers in a number of areas including, HR issues, operation of retail outlets, display improvements, learning, signage, marketing and budget management.

4.2. The Hampshire Museums and Galleries Trust has provided a report on sponsorship/income generation opportunities specifically for The Wakes site.

4.3. An operational review of the Field Studies Centre has been carried out by the Outdoor Activities Officer.

5) Outline of Options:

5.1. Option 1:

a) For Recreation and Heritage to totally withdraw support for The Wakes by discontinuing the existing annual grant to the Field Studies Centre and the Museums Service's regular assistance with collections management and other advice.

5.2. Option 2:

a) For the Museums Service to continue to provide advice to The Wakes on collections management and governance issues but without Recreation and Heritage having a direct financial stake in the implementation of its Business Plan, other than the existing annual grant to the Field Studies Centre.

5.3. Option 3:

a) To extend the grant aid on offer by up to a further £25,000 in order to `buy in' to a new Business Plan for The Wakes

6) Option Analysis / Comparison:

6.1. Option 1 is incompatible with the Museums Service's Renaissance obligations as well as Recreation and Heritage aspirations for empowering independent organisations to assist with the delivery of the HCC Corporate Strategy.

6.2. Option 2 is a risk since, without new sources of significant financial support and a new Business Plan, it is predicted that the site does not have a viable future. The Field Studies Centre would be particularly at risk under this scenario.

6.3. Option 3 should provide a sustainable future by increasing the `offer' and fully exploiting the many attractions the venue has to offer. It should also help to unlock other funding sources. By `buying in' to the Business Plan it allows HCC to influence outcomes so that they closer match the objectives of the Corporate Strategy.

6.4. Option 3 is not without risk, particularly for the Museums Service. A three year commitment at this level could have a significant impact on core services in the future.

7) Financial Implications

7.1. The grant would be payable from 2009/10 to 2011/12. It is intended that half the cost should be borne by the Museums Service budget and half by the Policy Fund. This sum has been earmarked in the Policy Fund, and the Museums Service will need to identify efficiency savings to the value of £12,500 p.a.

8) Conclusions:

8.1. The Wakes is a potential `jewel in the crown' of Hampshire destinations with an international market value.

8.2. The Field Studies Centre is a strategically placed, valued and important component for the delivery of environmental education to young people in Hampshire.

8.3. Without increased financial support from HCC it is likely that the future of The Wakes is at risk.

9) Recommendations:

Please see Executive Summary for recommendations.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

a) An impact assessment has been done on the proposal and the outcome is that there is no direct impact at this time. However, it does open up the possibility of a positive impact in the future since it allows HCC to influence a Business Plan (which will itself be assessed) as well as linking potential funding to HCC and Renaissance specific objectives which both have positive equalities agendas (see 6.3).

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

a) It has been considered and there are none.

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

· It has been considered and there are none.

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

· It has been considered and there are no long term impacts although educating young people about environmental issues is important for raising awareness (see 1.3).