Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Culture, Leisure and Tourism.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council agree:-

(1)  to establish a new Oversight Panel, as a prerequisite of the Funding Agreement that the Council will make with Arts Council England, in connection with its receipt of National Portfolio Organisation Funding 2023-26; and

(2)  the Terms of the Reference for the Oversight Panel.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on establishing a new Oversight Panel to provide Arts Council England (ACE) with monitoring, evaluation and reporting information, relating to the City Council’s receipt of National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding for the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM).

An Oversight Panel was a requirement of the national funding programme, and provided the ACE with the assurance of the governing body’s engagement with the funding programme, as well as providing an appropriate level of scrutiny. Exeter City Council was the accountable body for the funding agreement with the ACE and their offer covering the period 2023-26 was for £618,000 per annum, which was subject to the settlement received from Government for this period.

Councillor D. Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item. She enquired on the relationship between the oversight group and other organisations who had an interest in the RAMM

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Arts, Culture and Corporate Services advised that the purpose of the oversight panel was not to direct the activities of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, but to focus on monitoring and reporting on work delivered through funding from Arts Council England’s NPO programme.

The Museums Manager and Cultural Lead explained that the Museum was grateful for the support its two associated independent charities, the Friends of RAMM and the RAMM Development Trust, however neither had decision making responsibilities for delivery of museum activities. The oversight panel would similarly have no decision making role but act solely as a monitoring panel for Arts Council England targets which formed part of the NPO funding agreement with the City Council.

.

RECOMMENDED that Council agree:-

(1)  to establish a new Oversight Panel, as a prerequisite of the Funding Agreement that the Council will make with Arts Council England, in connection with its receipt of National Portfolio Organisation Funding 2023-26; and

(2)  the Terms of the Reference for the Oversight Panel.