Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Adults and Communities concerning the proposed disposal of a Reid and Sigrist aircraft by transfer, from the County Council’s Museum Collection to Newark Air Museum. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 7’ is filed with these minutes.

With the agreement of the Leader, Mr Bedford CC addressed the Cabinet as the local member for Desford.

Mr Bedford said that the Reid and Sigrist aircraft, known locally as the ‘Desford Bomber’, had a significant historical connection to the village of Desford where the aircraft was built in 1945. Since 2014 the Council had spent £13,500 restoring the aircraft in partnership with a specialist light aircraft restorer Windmill Aviation, which had also contributed significant time and money to ensure the plane could fly again. He added that local residents and the Parish Council had written to him expressing their disagreement with the proposed transfer and therefore he asked the Cabinet to consider pausing the transfer to enable the County Council to engage with the interested parties to consider the best course of action for the aircraft.

The Director of Adults and Communities thanked Windmill Aviation for its efforts and resources in restoring the aircraft which had now completed its test flights and was able to obtain an airworthiness certificate should the Council wish to do so. He added that the Council did not have the space to display the aircraft at its own venues and was unable to provide long term storage and maintenance. He added that the costs of maintaining the aircraft in its current location for a further short period of time were manageable should the Cabinet wish for the Council to further engage with stakeholders before a decision on its disposal was made.

Mr Blunt said that the Council needed to find a resolution which enabled the aircraft to be seen by people and not housed in storage. 

The Leader said he had received a significant amount of correspondence concerning the proposed transfer, including a petition with over 1300 signatures. He added that whilst it was reasonable to pause the transfer whilst further discussions regarding its future took place, the County Council, as the owner of the aircraft, would not be in a position to accept the liabilities arising from the aircraft being flown for public display.

RESOLVED:

a)    That in light of the interest shown in the transfer of the Reid and Sigrist aircraft to the Newark Air Museum, the transfer be paused;

b)    That having been informed that the aircraft has now completed sufficient flying hours so that an application can be made for a certificate of airworthiness, the aircraft for now be left with Windmill Aviation but they be advised that

                          I.          the application for a certificate is a matter for the County Council as the owner of the aircraft, and

                        II.          no further flying of the aircraft be undertaken without insurance conditions being agreed with the County Council;

c)     That arrangements be made for officers to meet with Desford Parish Council and other interested parties to explain the County Council’s position, in particular that any transfer will be in line with the County Council’s Collections Development Policy; its main objective is that the aircraft is maintained and made available for public access by an accredited museum with specialist expertise in aircraft; there is no such facility within Leicestershire; the benefits of displaying the aircraft as a static object should be recognised; and the County Council is not and would not be in a position as the owner of the aircraft to accept the liabilities arising from the aircraft being flown for public display;

d)    That delegated authority be given to the Director of Adults and Communities, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to take a decision on disposal.

REASON FOR DECISION:

There has been an amount of interest in the transfer of the aircraft and it is understandable that having restored the aircraft to an air worthy condition, aeroplane enthusiasts would wish to see the aeroplane fly, and to continue to have it maintained such that it can be flown in public display.

However, the County Council museum service is not in a position to maintain a flying aircraft nor can it take on the costs and liabilities of doing so

It is therefore appropriate that a further period of reflection is undertaken to engage with interested parties and to consider the best course of action for the aircraft given it has now completed its trial flights.