Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Director of Adults and Communities, Director of Corporate Resources and Chief Executive regarding the full business case for the delivery of a new Archives, Heritage and Learning Collections Hub (Collections Hub) to bring together the archive, museums and creative learning service collections into a single publically accessible site.  A copy of the report, marked ‘11’, is filed with these minutes.

Mr. Rushton CC noted that the Council had a statutory responsibility to provide an archive and record keeping service and said that bringing the collections together into a modern accessible facility would ensure that they were conserved and enhanced well into the future.   Mr. Blunt added that the possibility of external funding for the project would now be explored.

RESOLVED:

(a)      That the full business case for the Archives, Heritage and Learning Collections Hub be noted;

(b)      That Option 2 - the creation of an Archives, Heritage and Collections Hub on the County Hall campus - be approved;

(c)      That the Directors of Adults and Communities and Corporate Resources be authorised to undertake further work in order to develop the two potential schemes for Option 2 (a new build, and the refurbishment of an existing building) including:

          (i)       exploring the development of a package of external funding and

(ii)      engagement with key stakeholders to begin initial planning for the preferred scheme;

(d)      That a further report be submitted to the Cabinet regarding the outcome of work at (c) above and recommending the most appropriate scheme.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

Option 2 fulfils the brief by providing a central single site location for the Collections Hub, delivering a modern public service facility that would bring together the benefits of improved access to collections, increased storage space for the Record Office of Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, and cashable savings of £350,000.

The option offers two potential schemes, both fulfilling the brief and based on the County Hall campus.  A final decision on the preferred scheme will be taken at a later date once investigations into potential external funding have been carried out.  Commencing discussion with stakeholders, in the meantime, will facilitate dialogue with potential funders.