Agenda item - Royal Pavilion & Museums

Report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture (copy attached).

108.1      RESOLVED – That the Committee

1)     Approve the establishment of a charitable trust for arts and culture in Brighton & Hove into which the Royal Pavilion & Museums will move in April 2018.

2)     Agree that a shadow/interim board of Trustees is established from April 2017, which will include Member appointments to be agreed by the Council.

3)     Grant delegated authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Culture, Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law, and Executive Director Finance & Resources to work with the shadow board to prepare all documents required in order to:

·           Establish the new charitable trust for arts and culture in Brighton & Hove;

·           Agree a 25 year funding agreement with the trust, reviewable every 5 years;

·           Agree for the Royal Pavilion & Museums portfolio buildings to be leased to the trust for a period of 25 years, with the City Council retaining the freehold ownership of all buildings;

·           Transfer the operational management services into the new trust;

·           Loan the Royal Pavilion & Museums’ collections to the trust and for any new acquisitions to be held by the trust.

4)     To note that a further report will be brought to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee, expected early 2018, which will outline the final heads of terms of the legal and commercial agreements and to seek final approval to establish the new charitable trust. 

5)     To note that formal consultation will be undertaken with affected staff and unions regarding the details of the proposed transfer to the trust, and with funding partners including Arts Council England.

6)     To note that a roadmap will be prepared with Brighton Dome and Festival Ltd to consider the merger of the two trusts to establish a single ‘cultural trust’ for the city within 4 years of the charitable trust being established.

108.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture in relation to Royal Pavilion & Museums. The purpose of the report was to update members on work to establish a new governance model for the Royal Pavilion & Museums (RPM) and seek approval to begin the process to move the Royal Pavilion & Museums into a newly established charitable trust for culture in Brighton & Hove.

108.2      The Chair thanked all Officers that had worked on this project to date; the Pavilion was the city’s most famous asset and the decision before the Committee was of hugely importance significance, but would ensure the Royal Pavilion and Museums were preserved for years to come.

108.3      Councillor G. Theobald welcomed the report, in response to queries it was explained that the next steps included establishing the role profiles for the trustees, then undertaking advertising to make appointments; the final appointments would then be signed off at Leaders’ Group.

108.4      In response to Councillor Wealls it was confirmed that the Council would seek to achieve the best solution for the transfer of staff to the trust. In response to further questions it was confirmed that the savings for this financial year had already been taking into account and delivered, and there had been agreement made by the Committee in a previous report to put future savings on hold as part of investment in the future model – across the whole first five years it was envisaged the trust would generate a surplus.

108.5      Councillor Janio noted he was very supportive of the report and congratulated the current and previous Administration’s for their work on this. In relation to the governance it was confirmed that the board would be 9 or 12 members, with elected Councillors being in a minority.

108.6      In response to Councillor Mac Cafferty it was explained that rules and regulations in relation to the governance of collections would be written into agreements with the board; lending on a national and international level would continue to assist in raising the profile of the Royal Pavilion and Museums.

108.7      The Chair put the recommendations to the vote.

108.8      RESOLVED – That the Committee

1)     Approve the establishment of a charitable trust for arts and culture in Brighton & Hove into which the Royal Pavilion & Museums will move in April 2018.

2)     Agree that a shadow/interim board of Trustees is established from April 2017, which will include Member appointments to be agreed by the Council.

3)     Grant delegated authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment & Culture, Executive Lead Officer Strategy, Governance & Law, and Executive Director Finance & Resources to work with the shadow board to prepare all documents required in order to:

·           Establish the new charitable trust for arts and culture in Brighton & Hove;

·           Agree a 25 year funding agreement with the trust, reviewable every 5 years;

·           Agree for the Royal Pavilion & Museums portfolio buildings to be leased to the trust for a period of 25 years, with the City Council retaining the freehold ownership of all buildings;

·           Transfer the operational management services into the new trust;

·           Loan the Royal Pavilion & Museums’ collections to the trust and for any new acquisitions to be held by the trust.

4)     To note that a further report will be brought to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee, expected early 2018, which will outline the final heads of terms of the legal and commercial agreements and to seek final approval to establish the new charitable trust. 

5)     To note that formal consultation will be undertaken with affected staff and unions regarding the details of the proposed transfer to the trust, and with funding partners including Arts Council England.

6)     To note that a roadmap will be prepared with Brighton Dome and Festival Ltd to consider the merger of the two trusts to establish a single ‘cultural trust’ for the city within 4 years of the charitable trust being established.