Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Udy declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 6,as a customer of BH Live but not at the Pyramids.

Purpose

To review the achievements of Portsmouth Museums in 2019/20 and to present the museum service ‘Plan on a Page’ (PoP) for the current financial year.

RECOMMENDED that

(1)  The achievements of 2019/20 are noted.

(2)  A new Museums Strategy is developed in dialogue with stakeholders.

(3)  The Landing Craft Tank (LCT) project is completed in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, opening in 2020 as part of the D-Day Story.

(4)  Audiences are broadened and better understood by involving them in the work of the museums service and through special projects, programming, evaluation and visitor surveys.

(5)  Standards of customer care are raised through training and performance monitoring and that the museums service continues to develop volunteers and paid staff to create a single integrated team

(6)  Preparations begin to renew accreditation with Arts Council England. 

The report was introduced by Jane Mee, Museum and Visitor Services Manager. 

The Cabinet and opposition members thanked Jane for her thorough report. Members looked forward to the opening of the Landing Craft Tank later this year which would be a great attraction for the city.

DECISIONS:
(1) The achievements of 2019/20 were noted.

(2) That a new Museums Strategy is developed in dialogue with stakeholders.

(3) That the Landing Craft Tank (LCT) project is completed in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, opening in 2020 as part of the D-Day Story.

(4) That audiences are broadened and better understood by involving them in the work of the museums service and through special projects, programming, evaluation and visitor surveys.

(5) That standards of customer care are raised through training and performance monitoring and that the museums service continues to develop volunteers and paid staff to create a single integrated team

(6) That preparations begin to renew accreditation with Arts Council England.

Purpose

To update the Cabinet Member on activity relating to the development of the Council's Museum Collection to ensure it remains relevant to the City and its communities. 

RECOMMENDED    

(1)  The contemporary collecting initiative focusing on Covid-19 and the experience of the city during lockdown is noted.

(2)  The disposal of 'the mountain collection' from the City's Museum collection is approved.  

(3)  The review and rationalisation of the handling collection is noted. 

The report was introduced by Jane Mee, Museum and Visitor Services Manager. 

DECISIONS:

(1)  The contemporary collecting initiative focusing on Covid-19 and the experience of the city during lockdown was noted.

(2)  The disposal of 'the mountain collection' from the City's Museum collection was approved.

(3)  The review and rationalisation of the handling collection was noted.

Purpose

To describe the preparations for the opening of Landing Craft Tank to visitors as an exciting addition to The D-Day Story.  

The report was introduced by Jane Mee, Museum and Visitor Services Manager.  She explained there had been a slight slippage to the planned opening date and the official opening would take place by the end of the year.

Opposition members welcomed the report and all looked forward to the official opening, although it was regrettable it was not possible to open for the October half term.  Councillor Morgan added that he remained committed to getting the trust and the NMRN on board with the funding and continuing to raise the profile of this brilliant asset to the city.

The Cabinet Member wished to place on record his thanks and congratulations to Jane and the team for the project and wished them luck for getting the LCT ready to open to the public.  This would be an amazing visitor experience and a welcome asset to Southsea and he very much looked forward to the opening.

The Cabinet Member noted the report

Purpose

(1)  To update the Cabinet Member on the move of the 'You Don't Know Sherlock Holmes, Yet' exhibition from Portsmouth Museum to the Third Floor of the Central Library

(2)  To show how the Conan Doyle Collection Study Packs and social media engagement have been used during the lockdown period to engage with a wider audience and more volunteers

(3)  To outline the continuation and adaptation of programming under the City of Stories project within the current Covid19 restrictions.

The report was introduced by Laura Weston, Learning and Education Officer.

The opposition members all thanked Laura for the thorough report and welcomed the proposals.  The Cabinet member said it had been a slightly disappointing year due to the COVID-19 restrictions as they had hoped to start building a business case to develop a permanent location to display more of the Conan Doyle collection.  He hoped that this could be resumed in December and suggested a further update be brought to the portfolio in the spring.  He also asked that his personal thanks be passed to the volunteers for all their work during the pandemic. 

The Cabinet Member noted the report.  

Purpose

(1) To outline to the Cabinet Member the funding secured from Arts Council England Covid-19 Emergency Fund and the use of the funds for the Hotwalls Studios Pause. Reflect. Create project.

(2) To update and summarise the involvement and support given by the Hotwalls Studios to the Portsmouth Creates We Believe project.

(3) To update and summarise the business support given to the Hotwalls Studios artists at the start and during the nationwide lockdown period.

The report was introduced by Chrissie McQueen, Hotwalls Studio Development Manager.

The opposition members thanked Chrissie for her report and felt that the artists would be grateful for all her hard work.  The Cabinet member endorsed this and said the feedback he had received from the artists was that they feel incredibly well supported, which has helped during such a difficult time. Members wished Chrissie and her team good luck with the future projects with the additional funding received.

The Cabinet Member noted the report.

Purpose

The purpose of this report is to provide the cabinet member with an update on developments and progress related to two items in the 2020/21 approved capital programme:

·         Pyramids refurbishment (£1,400,000)

·         Feasibility and Outline Planning for a New Eastney Swimming Pool (£100,000)

These two projects concern indoor facilities, and consequently the report will also discuss wider strategic considerations regarding Portsmouth's other swimming, and health and fitness facilities.

The decision referred to in this report is to reallocate money from some capital schemes that either will not now go ahead or will not do so for some time. This is a delegated decision, which has already been taken by The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to respond to the emerging priority of the Pyramids. This report is the mechanism for reporting on that decision. Consequently the report is being presented for information only. The Section 151 Officer has also advised that this falls within the Budget and Policy Framework because it does not exceed the budget.

David Moorman, Strategic Development Manager introduced the report and advised that the City Solicitor had allowed for written objections to be received for this information item. 

Deputations from the following members of the public were read out in full by David Moorman from:

1)    Annie Bradrick

2)    Mr & Mrs Viner

3)    Mr R Ghosh

Deputations are not included in the minutes but can be viewed on the livestream on the following link

https://livestream.com/accounts/14063785/cabinet-cled-16oct2020/videos/212176120

Chris Symons, Chief Executive BH Live and Rob Cunningham, Head of Leisure for BH Live had been invited to the meeting to provide further detail on the proposals to convert the swimming pool to an indoor adventure centre and the plaza into a large modern gym. 

Chris provided a short presentation detailing the reasons behind the proposals and showed photographs of similar schemes that he or the team had worked on developing. He gave members a brief explanation what would be included in the Play and Bounce area and the new gym.  

Councillor Jonas thanked the deputees for their deputations and congratulated BH Live on their ambitious plans.  He had concerns however that if the pool at the Pyramids is closed it will be closed forever as the cost of building a new pool would not be financially possible. He felt that people had not been using the pool as it has often been closed due to maintenance issues.  He asked for a reassurance from the Cabinet Member that all alternative options had been considered before this decision was made. Councillor Pitt said he was very aware of all the comments made in the press, social media and at Full Council earlier in the week, and said he would be making a statement at the end of the meeting that would address Councillor Jonas' points.

Councillor Morgan thanked BH Live for the presentation.  He said that Councillor Pitt was already aware that the Labour group had raised concerns over the lack of consultation and public engagement on this decision and a discussion had taken place at Full Council earlier this week.  He added that the Labour group believe that governing inevitably involves tough decisions however it is better to do that with public involvement. 

Councillor Udy said she would like a promise from the Cabinet Member that there will still be some form of swimming facility in the south of the city, particularly for disabled residents as the Pyramids was the only walk in pool in the city.  The new indoor adventure centre and gym would help bring people to the area, although it was regrettable losing the pool. She also said that Hilsea Lido also needed some help to make the provision better and asked if the Council could look to help the Trust further.  Councillor Pitt explained that as soon as he became Cabinet member he met with the Trust at Hilsea Lido as was in regular contact.  The Council had given advice on amending their lease and put a lot of resource behind their  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.