Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

To elect a Chairman of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum Management Committee for the municipal year 2026-27.

To elect a Vice-Chairman of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum Management Committee for the municipal year 2026-27.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is Tuesday 26 May 2026 3 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday Friday 29 May 2026 the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

This period has seen a maintenance of visitor numbers and visitor income with diverse and engaging public programming across a number of areas.

From October to March, ‘Artist as Witness: Impact of War’ with its associated legacy catalogue was a thought-provoking and moving exhibition on the impact of war from the First World War to Ukraine. It was accompanied by associated exhibitions about Indian soldiers recuperating in Bournemouth in the First World War and a photographic exhibition documenting the experience of Ukrainian refugees.

Subsequently, the opening of the ‘Flower Fairies’ exhibition in March 2026 has brought significantly increased visitor numbers.

The café and the shop have performed particularly well.

The Russell-Cotes has a £1,860,134 project (part funded by ACE MEND 4) to fund major urgent repairs to the Russell-Cotes building, services and interiors.

Conservation architects, Purcell, have been appointed as lead designers and have commenced Stage 4 design work for the building project including significant opening up works in the basement area to better understand the construction, extent of the problems and identify the best course of action. Stage 4 design is expected to be completed by the end of June for the tender process to start later in the summer.

Tenders for the CCTV replacement have been received and are being evaluated.

Design work for fire protection is underway by IDF.

The supporting team of structural engineers, fire specialists and quantity surveyors have been appointed.

Listed building consent has been received subject to the discharge of conditions.

The project is due for completion by November 2027.

To note the new acquisitions to the Collection (material owned and held in trust by the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum charity in accordance with its charitable objectives) and the loan of material to other institutions (ie public art galleries and museums) and to approve the disposal of items in the Collection which do not meet the Museum’s Core Offer in accordance with the Museums Association Code of Ethics.

The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) have undertaken significant redrafting of the charitable scheme to update the governance of the Russell-Cotes charity. It is understood from the Charity Commission that the redrafting is nearly complete and that it is realistic to expect the Scheme to be laid before Parliament in September 2026. An update is being sought on a projected Vesting Day.

Three positive meetings have been held since November 2025 between the BCP Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the RCAMG Management Committee/new Sole Trustee about the Council’s decision to use the £2.25 million lump sum (originally agreed to fund the new trustee at Vesting day by Council on 20 February 2024) to fund revenue costs incurred from 1 October 2025 until externalisation takes place. This is likely to reduce the lump sum by c.£600,000 and therefore undermine the future financial viability of the independent charity putting the process of externalisation at risk. However, no agreement has been reached with the CEO on a mutually acceptable solution.