Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

Purpose of report

To review the achievements of Portsmouth Museums Service in 2016/17 and to present the service’s operational ‘Plan on a Page’ (PoP) for the current financial year.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)  That the review of last year's activity and progress and on the delivery of the council’s museums strategy is noted, especially the progress made on Transforming the D-Day Museum.

(2)  Transforming the D-Day Museum continues as planned and as the priority for the museums service.        

(3)  The museums service works with its partners to deliver a number of significant externally funded projects should bids for funding be successful.

(4)  Work on the new Butterfly House at Cumberland House is completed and a team of volunteers is recruited and trained to support staff with its ongoing operation.

(5)  The museums service continues to support delivery of the Paulsgrove project 'Capturing the Spirit’, working with the project team to showcase the project at Portsmouth Museum. 

(6)    The Decorative Art Gallery at Portsmouth is redisplayed and the loan of a Grayson Perry ceramic from the British Crafts Council noted.

(7)  The marketing plan for the council's six museums is implemented and visitor surveys undertaken at Cumberland House and Portsmouth Museum using Audience Finder.

(8)   Collection reviews are carried out on the Vehicle Collection and the Natural Sciences Collection. 

(9)  The expectation of increased income through initiatives such as Waterfront Gifts, taking the Portsmouth Museum café in-house and improving small cash donations given by museum visitors is noted.

The report was introduced by Jane Mee, Museum and Visitor Service Manager.  She added that the new D Day Museum will open in March 2018 and said that since the report had been published Portsmouth Museum had been approved by the National Portrait Gallery to display some paintings as part of the 'Coming Home' project which was excellent news.

The Cabinet Member said that the new Butterfly House now looks very different and it will open on 19 August.  She also said that the service has 97 volunteers which is commendable and shows that the service is a good place to work.

Councillor Pitt praised the team on their brilliant work.  The team works extremely hard and always managed to deliver. He mentioned the new WW1 museum at Hilsea Lines and asked whether this could be tied into the museum offer.  The Cabinet Member said that she thought this was a stand-alone museum but the service could promote this.

Councillor Morgan commended officers on their work.  He felt that it would be sensible to look at developing a strategic relationship with the University of Portsmouth as this is a key opportunity.  The Cabinet Member said that the university have said that they want to work with the council    

DECISIONS:

(1)   The review of last year's activity and progress and the delivery of the council’s museums strategy was noted, especially the progress made on Transforming the D-Day Museum.

(2)   That Transforming the D-Day Museum continues as planned and as the priority for the museums service.      

(3)   That the museums service works with its partners to deliver a number of significant externally funded projects should bids for funding be successful.

(4)   That work on the new Butterfly House at Cumberland House is completed and a team of volunteers is recruited and trained to support staff with its ongoing operation.

(5)   That the museums service continues to support delivery of the Paulsgrove project 'Capturing the Spirit’, working with the project team to showcase the project at Portsmouth Museum. 

(6)   That the Decorative Art Gallery at Portsmouth is redisplayed and the loan of a Grayson Perry ceramic from the British Crafts Council was noted.

(7)   That the marketing plan for the council's six museums is implemented and visitor surveys undertaken at Cumberland House and Portsmouth Museum using Audience Finder.

(8)   That collection reviews are carried out on the Vehicle Collection and the Natural Sciences Collection. 

(9)   The expectation of increased income through initiatives such as Waterfront Gifts, taking the Portsmouth Museum café in-house and improving small cash donations given by museum visitors was noted.

Purpose of report

To propose changes to the admission charges, free entry days and venue hirefees for the D-Day Museum from July 2017 and to propose a change to the venue hire charge for Southsea Castle outside of season.

RECOMMENDED: that the Cabinet Member

(1)  Agrees the new D-Day Museum admission charges as in Appendix A.

(2)  Agrees flexible pricing for events at D-Day Museum to allow full cost recovery and income generation.

(3)  Agrees to reduce free entry days at D-Day Museum from 4 to 2 annually.

(4)  Agrees to introduce a charge for entry to D-Day Museum for Portsmouth City Council managed schools.

(5)  Agrees that the Museum Service is able to discount tickets up to 75%.

(6)  Agrees a reduced rate of £200 for the hire of Southsea Castle marquee out of season.

The report was introduced by Felicity Wood, Public Participation Officer - D-Day Museum.

The Cabinet Member and opposition spokespeople commended officers on the report and Councillor Morgan in particular commended the quality of the equality impact assessment.

DECISIONS: the Cabinet Member

(1)  Agreed the new D-Day Museum admission charges as in Appendix A.

(2)  Agreed flexible pricing for events at D-Day Museum to allow full cost recovery and income generation.

(3)  Agreed to reduce free entry days at D-Day Museum from 4 to 2 annually.

(4)  Agreed to introduce a charge for entry to D-Day Museum for Portsmouth City Council managed schools.

(5)  Agreed that the Museum Service is able to discount tickets up to 75%.

(6)  Agreed a reduced rate of £200 for the hire of Southsea Castle marquee out of season.

Purpose of report

To update the Cabinet Member on the success of the 2017 Portsmouth BookFest.

The report was introduced by Clare Forsyth, Service Development Manager. She said the event had seen an increase in ticket sales for the second year running and had secured some big names for this year's event which was great.   More needed to be done to encourage young people to the event and she was working to set up two workshops one for 11-16 year olds and one for over 17s on comic strips and graphic novels.

The Cabinet member said that this is a great event and moving it to February/March was a great idea. 

Councillor Morgan asked whether a mapping of school engagement had taken place and whether ward councillors could write to those schools who had not engaged with the event. The Service Development Manager advised that there are certain schools who do not engage and David Percival, Outreach and School Library Services Manager, writes to these schools. The Service Development Manager said she would ask David Percival to let members know which schools did not attend the event. 

Councillor Pitt agreed that it asking ward councillors to write to those schools as well was a good idea.  He also mentioned that there was a comic con event scheduled in Portsmouth Guildhall next year and said it might be worth Clare's team seeing if they could tie this in with Bookfest.  The Service Development Manager thanked Cllr Pitt and said she would look into this.

The Cabinet Member noted the report.