Issue - meetings

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum (charity Number 306288) is going through a highly complex governance change which was started in 2018 and will require an Order of State through Parliament to complete.  Very significant progress has been made, after considerable investment of time and resource from BCP Council, Charity Commission, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

The charitable ‘Scheme’, which allows for the repeal of Section 57 of the Bournemouth Borough Council Act 1985 and updates the original founding documents (from 1908 to 1920), has been agreed by Charity Commission and BCP Council and sent to the Department of Culture Media and Sport for review, ministerial and ultimately parliamentary approval.

Through the prolonged and complex process, which has also involved negotiating a financial package with the Council (agreed in January 2024), Professor Stuart Bartholomew has been the Chair of the Management Committee, to which Cabinet delegate the responsibility for oversight of the charity.

Professor Bartholomew was appointed in 2017 and served for the maximum two terms. In 2022, Cabinet agreed exceptionally to appoint him for a further 3 year term on the basis that the governance change had reached a critical juncture, which was impacted by Covid and heightened by coinciding with the Museum’s Centenary.

That further term is due to end in September 2025 and while it had been anticipated that externalisation would be complete on 1 October 2025, there is a strong likelihood that Vesting Day may not be achieved until 1 January 2026 or even 1 April 2026 and therefore the Committee will need to keep functioning in the meantime.

A further limited extension is advised rather than lose Professor Bartholomew’s experience and commitment to this complex project and potentially putting it at risk at this critical moment. 

The Chairman 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.

The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum was going through a highly complex governance change which was started in 2018 and would require an Order of State through Parliament to complete. 

Through the prolonged and complex process, Professor Stuart Bartholomew had been the Chair of the Management Committee, to which Cabinet delegate the responsibility for oversight of the charity.

Professor Bartholomew was appointed in 2017 and served for the maximum two terms. In 2022, Cabinet agreed exceptionally to appoint him for a further 3 year term on the basis that the governance change had reached a critical juncture, which was impacted by Covid and heightened by coinciding with the Museum’s Centenary.

That further term was due to end in September 2025 and while it had been anticipated that externalisation would be complete on 1 October 2025, there was a strong likelihood that Vesting Day may not be achieved until 1 January 2026 or even 1 April 2026 and therefore the Committee would need to keep functioning in the meantime.

A further limited extension was advised rather than lose Professor Bartholomew’s experience and commitment to this complex project and potentially putting it at risk at this critical moment. 

RESOLVED that that the Russell-Cotes Management Committee recommend to Cabinet that the Chair of the Management Committee’s term of office be extended until the transfer of the Museum to the new sole trustee is completed or for a further 3 years (whichever is soonest) to provide vital continuity at the pivotal moment in the process of externalisation.

It is noted that as soon as Vesting Day is achieved the Management Committee would cease to exist and the appointment will be concluded.

It is noted that this decision would not set any precedent for this or any other BCP Council Committee.

Voting: Unanimous