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Part A (Board members only)
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1.0
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The Board received a report on progress
with the recruitment of a new chief executive.
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Part B (Board members and resource Senior
Management Team)
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| Matthew Evans welcomed Chris Batt to his
first Board meeting in his new role as acting Chief Executive. |
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2.0
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Apologies
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| 2.1 |
Apologies for absence were received from Board
members David Barrie, Mark Jones, Jane Ryder,
Michael Stevenson, Alan Watkin and Lola Young, and
Resource officer Karen Knight. |
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3.0
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Minutes of previous Board meeting
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| 3.1 |
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a
true record of the proceedings. |
| 3.2 |
The Chairman signed the minutes. |
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4.0
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Matters arising
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| 4.1 |
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
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5.0
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Report on March Finance, Audit and General
Purposes Committee meeting
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| 5.1 |
Terry Marshall gave a report back on the FAGP
Committee meeting which took place on the 13th
March. Financial indications were that Resource had
an underspend on projects, which would be carried
forward to 2002/03. Budgets for 2002/03 were in the
process of being finalised. |
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6.0
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Matters arising
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| 6.1 |
Mark Wood said that FAGP had recommended the
introduction of a new robust system to ensure
consistency across projects and to ensure that
project spending was proactive not reactive.
Business cases for all projects and grants proposed
for 2002/03 were prepared in accordance with the new
system. Terry Marshall said that planning for
2003/04 would begin in Autumn 2003. |
| 6.2 |
Maurna Crozier said that the Designation Challenge
Fund was underspent, and that one reason for this
could be the level of staffing available to
administer the Fund (currently 1.5). Nick Hogdson
noted progress with risk management assessment and
offered his support to this work. Vic Gray raised
the possibility of extending the membership of the
FAGP Committee; Mark Wood agreed to circulate a note
on this to all Board members. |
| 6.3 |
The Board noted the contents of the report and
confirmed the adoption of the final budget for 2001/02.
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7.0
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Update from acting Chief Executive
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| 7.1 |
Chris Batt updated the Board on progress with the
concordats being agreed with Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland. A further meeting would be
arranged with Board members to discuss the
concordats, and ensure that they reflected
intellectual and policy issues as well as financial
remits. A report would be made to the next Board
meeting on progress. |
| 7.2 |
Resource was working to strengthen its links with
the Local Government Association. Matthew Evans had
held a meeting with the LGA Cultural Executive, and
Chris Batt had addressed the LGA Conference in
Coventry, and presented Resource's work programme. |
| 7.3 |
Chris Batt reported on progress with the development
of a knowledge and information strategy for
Resource. Building on the report of an independent
consultant, priorities had been discussed at a staff
forum, and practical ways forward identified.
Resource was currently exploring options to appoint
a project manager to develop corporate records
management policies and implement strategies. All
staff were committed to the success of this programme. |
| 7.4 |
The DCMS has agreed with Resource that it will
provide funding for the Portable Antiquities Scheme
in the short term (2002/03). In the longer term,
Resource was exploring sustainability options,
including the re-submission of a bid to HLF for funding. |
| 7.5 |
Vivien Griffiths asked about the outcome of
discussions Resource has been having with DCMS about
the public libraries remit. Chris Batt replied that
it had been decided that the DCMS would retain
responsibility for the Public Library Standards
Unit, and that Baroness Blackstone, Minister of
State was personally interested in developing the
libraries agenda in partnership with DCMS and Resource. |
| 7.6 |
Ajay Chowdhury asked about Resource's relationship
with SCRAN, the Scottish Cultural Resources Network.
Chris Batt replied that Resource had no direct
involvement but had been liasing on technical matters.
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8.0
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Briefing: The People's Network
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| 8.1 |
Batt delivered a powerpoint presentation on the
People's Network programme. |
| 8.2 |
Mark Wood asked when the roll-out of the programme
would be complete. Chris Batt replied that it would
be complete by the deadline of December 2003, to all
libraries where practicable. Mark Wood asked about
publicity and urged Resource to maximize the
potential of this success story. Chris Batt replied
that Resource's new Head of Communications was
developing a publicity programme, and that an
advocacy and information video about the People's
Network was being produced. |
| 8.3 |
Ajay Chowdhury asked about broadband access, and the
NOF DIGI programme. Chris Batt replied that a 2
megabyte connection was the standard, under an
agreed connection price with BT. The NOF DIGI
programme was developing a wide range of content,
and had encouraged innovative partnerships. |
| 8.4 |
Nick Hodgson raised concerns over long term
sustainability. Chris Batt replied that DCMS had
confirmed a bid for future funding support for
replacement of ICT kit had been included in the CSR
for 2002, but that running costs were to be borne by
library institutions.
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9.0
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DCMS Funding Agreement, year end report
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| 9.1 |
The Board were invited to consider the paper
presented by Chris Batt and Fennah Podschies. The
Board accepted and approved the year end report. |
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10.0
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Progress towards an integrated planning framework
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| 10.1 |
Chris Batt presented this paper which summarised
progress to date. The planning process sought to
develop a framework to define Resource's
relationship and objectives with the DCMS, Single
Regional Agencies, Regional Museum Hubs. |
| 10.2 |
Ajay Chowdhury said that it was important to ensure
that the 2012 Vision work was reflected in the
planning process, as this work was identifying key
factors which will influence the future for our sector. |
| 10.3 |
The Board supported the approach being developed.
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11.0
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Regional Museums Task Force
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| 11.1 |
Stuart Davies gave a presentation on progress
with implementing recommendations of the
Renaissance in the Regions. The criteria for
selection of regional hubs had been published,
and external and internal selection panels
appointed. The external Expert Panel members are:
Marie Costigan - DfES
Robert Crawford -
Imperial War Museum
Michael Day - Jersey
Heritage Trust
David Fleming - Merseyside
Museums
Michael Jubb - Arts & Humanities
Research Board
Simon Olding - Heritage
Lottery Fund
Mark Taylor - Museums
Association
Jane Ryder - Scottish Museums
Council
Emma Scott - DCMS
It was anticipated that there would be one
application for hub status from each region; in
cases where there was more than one application,
the Expert Panel would be invited to make a
decision which would then be approved by
Resource and the DCMS, and ratified by the
Resource Board.
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| 11.2 |
The external advocacy team (led by Erica Bolton) and
the internal team (led by Karen Knight) were working
closely together to co-ordinate activities. The team
were currently fielding parliamentary questions, at
the rate of 2 - 3 a week, and series of
opinion-formers lunches and discussions were being
held to promote key messages in a non-prescriptive
manner. There was continued strong government and
cross-party support for the new regional museums
structures which Resource was tasked by DCMS with developing. |
| 11.3 |
Neil MacGregor raised the issue of what would happen
if there were a number of candidates for hub
selection from a region. Stuart Davies replied that
it was hoped that regions would nominate a single
lead candidate and hub partners, identified through
self-determination by each region. Present
indications were that were not likely to be any
contentious cases, and that a key role of the Expert
Panel would be in determining and discussing
governance mechanisms for the hubs. |
| 11.4 |
Vic Gray asked about the relationship between hubs
and their partners, and the Single Regional Agencies
(SRAs). Stuart replied that the SRAs would be the
lead strategic bodies in each region, and that hubs
will lead on museum practice for museums in each region.
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12.0
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Any other business
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| 12.1 |
2012 Vision: Chris Batt reported on
progress with the 2012 Vision study. The momentum
for this work had developed form a series of working
lunches with key sector professionals. A paper had
been produced, and this was in the process of being
refined, and a shorter version produced. This would
be circulated in due course and views of Board
members were welcomed. |
| 12.2 |
Archives Task Force: Matthew Evans
reported on progress with this key archives project.
A proposal had been drafted to take to the DCMS to
request them to commission this work from Resource.
The proposal focussed on the unique contribution
archives make to national cultural and social life,
and the opportunities that this Task Force would
articulate by putting the spotlight on the UK's
hidden archive resources. Maurna Crozier asked about
the geographical remit of the Task Force. Matthew
Evans confirmed that it would be UK-wide. Next steps
were to agree on the leadership of the Task Force.
The final proposal will be taken to the DCMS at the
end of March. |
| 12.3 |
Relationship with the British
Council: Maurna Crozier asked about
Resource's developing relationship with the British
Council. Chris Batt reported on the conference he
had attended in Berlin. Resource approach with the
British Council has been to work closely on areas of
common interest such as the developing international strategy. |
| 12.4 |
Proposed EC Directive: Neil
MacGregor asked what response Resource was planning
to make concerning the draft EC proposal concerning
the provision of free access to private contractors
to museum, library and archive holdings for the
purposes of digitisation and commercial digital
exploitation. Chris Batt said that Resource was
aware of this challenge and is in discussions with
the DCMS about appropriate responses.
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13.0
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Date of next meeting
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The next Board meeting will be on Friday 24th May,
11.00am -1.30pm, followed by lunch. Venue to be
announced. The meeting closed at 12.50pm. |
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Action List
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| 6.0 |
REPORT ON FINANCE, AUDIT AND GENERAL
PURPOSES COMMITTEE MEETING
- Resource staff to adopt revised procedures
for development and approval of project and
grant spending
- Mark Wood to circulate to all Board members
a note concerning extending the members hip
of the FAGP Committee
- The Board confirmed the adoption of the
final budget for 2001/02
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| 7.0 |
UPDATE FROM ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE
- Chris Batt to report to next Board meeting
on progress with concordats
- Sub Board group to meet to discuss
concordats
- Resource to develop strategies for knowledge
and information management in the light of
consultants report
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| 9.0 |
DCMS FUNDING AGREEMENT, YEAR END REPORT
- The Board accepted and approved the report
on the DCMS Funding Agreement
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| 13.0 |
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
- 2012 report to be circulated to board
members for comment (Chris Batt, Stuart
Davies)
- Archives Taskforce proposal to be agreed and
presented to DCMS (Stuart Davies, Matthew
Evans)
- Resource to pursue response to EC on draft
directive concerning commercial access and
exploitation of heritage holdings (Chris
Batt)
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