Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet: -

(a)           recommends Council to accept the £1,500,817 from Arts Council England MEND Round 4 and delegates authority to the Director of Customer & Property to complete the formal acceptance process on behalf of the Council

Note – resolutions (b) and (c) were resolved matters by the Cabinet

The Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture, Councillor Andy Martin presented the report on the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum Arts Council England (ACE) Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Grant.

RESOLVED that Council: -

(a)           Accepts the £1,500,817 from Arts Council England MEND Round 4 and delegates authority to the Director of Customer & Property to complete the formal acceptance process on behalf of the Council

Note: resolutions (b) and (c) were resolved matters by the Cabinet.

Voting: Unanimous

In August 2024 the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum applied for a grant from Arts Council England (ACE)’s Museum Estate and Development Fund Round 4, to fund urgent repair work on the fabric of the building.

In February 2025, ACE wrote to confirm success and an allocation of £1,500,817, match funded by £250,000 from CIL and £109,317 from legacies to the Museum charity, making a total project grant of £1,860,134.

This paper informs Cabinet of this success and seeks delegation to formally accept the grant and invest awarded money and match funds in line with the application to ACE.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet: -

(a)           recommends Council to accept the £1,500,817 from Arts Council England MEND Round 4 and delegates authority to the Director of Customer & Property to complete the formal acceptance process on behalf of the Council

(b)          notes the match funding of £250,000 from CIL and £109,317 from restricted legacies; and

(c)          approves their investment in the project outcomes of urgent repairs and renewals outlined in the application to ACE

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Customer, Communications and Culture

Reason

Financial Regulations require the acceptance of external funding and approval of any project over £1million by full Council.

ACE require Cabinet approval before payment can be made.

The grant will be spent on urgent remedial maintenance of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum (of which BCP Council is sole trustee) to ensure it can remain open and survive.

The Portfolio Holder for Customer, Communications and Culture presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that in August 2024 the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum applied for a grant from Arts Council England (ACE)’s Museum Estate and Development Fund Round 4, to fund urgent repair work on the fabric of the building.

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that in February 2025, ACE wrote to confirm success and an allocation of £1,500,817, match funded by £250,000 from CIL and £109,317 from legacies to the Museum charity, making a total project grant of £1,860,134.

Cabinet was advised that this paper informed Cabinet of this success and sought delegation to formally accept the grant and invest awarded money and match funds in line with the application to ACE.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet: -

a)             recommends Council to accept the £1,500,817 from Arts Council England MEND Round 4 and delegates authority to the Director of Customer & Property to complete the formal acceptance process on behalf of the Council

b)            notes the match funding of £250,000 from CIL and £109,317 from restricted legacies; and

c)            approves their investment in the project outcomes of urgent repairs and renewals outlined in the application to ACE

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Customer, Communications and Culture

Reason

Financial Regulations require the acceptance of external funding and approval of any project over £1million by full Council.

ACE require Cabinet approval before payment can be made.

The grant will be spent on urgent remedial maintenance of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum (of which BCP Council is sole trustee) to ensure it can remain open and survive.