Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Wright and J Ward, P Eke and L Bavin.

The Committee is invited to confirm as a correct record the notes of the previous meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising.

There were no matters arising.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee received an update from Melissa Hawker, Learning Officer, a summary of which is set out below:

·         Lynn Museum had continued to work with local schools to deliver a broad range of learning sessions.  Learning programmes had been adapted following recent changes to the history National Curriculum.  30% to 50% of organised school groups were from primary schools.     

·         New boxes of handling artefacts which were being created for use with schools, including a new prehistoric box to help children investigate local history and archaeology.

·         Lynn Museum continued to offer a flexible programme responding to teachers’ needs – this had included developing one-off sessions on American Pioneers and Out of the Attic.

·         There was an upsurge in interest from schools in sessions on Stone Age and Bronze Age.

·         Seahenge had proved the most popular session.  A new activity involved making a model of Seahenge in cake using chocolate for the timber circle, nicknamed ‘Cakehenge.’  The Committee received a demonstration on how ‘Cakehenge’ was constructed.

·         Lynn Museum supported local uniformed groups, such as Scouts and Brownies, to visit the museum outside normal opening hours as part of their badge.  The Museums Service is exploring creating a badge specific to Lynn Museum to encourage more of these visits.

·         Lynn Museum had also been working with the College of west Anglia to welcome groups learning in the museum space.

·         Partnership working with the Stories of Lynn project at the Town Hall had included a joint session for schools exploring the town’s Victorian fairground heritage.

·         The Learning Officer had been training and mentoring the Museum Learning Assistant team at Lynn Museum in delivering sessions for schools.

The Learning Officer and Head of Operations and Learning responded to questions relating to:

·         Practical sessions involving activities which assisted pupils during the learning process.

·         Charging for activities at the Museum. It was noted that school children received free admission to the Lynn Museum, but that a charge was made for additional activities - £3.50 half day, £5.00 full day.

·         Mixed curriculum sessions for schools in small rural areas.

·         Cost of transport for schools located in rural areas to visit the Museum.

·         Pupil Premium Fund.

·         Number of school visits - it was noted that a record number of 50,000 school visits had been made to museums.

·         Quality learning experience for schools and feedback received from teachers.

·         Individual museums developing their own programme.

·         Seahenge.

·         Role of the Teaching Museum traineeship.

·         Museum Learning Assistant training on how to link activities to the national curriculum and how to deliver sessions.

·         Design of a badge specific to the Lynn Museum.

·         Forest schools and activities offered by trained staff at Gressenhall Museum.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds thanked the Learning Officer for attending and giving an update.

To consider the King’s Lynn Museum Report.

The Committee received the report from the Head of Operations and Learning which provided information on King’s Lynn Museum activities for the period October to November 2017.

The visitor numbers were tabled for 2017 to date.  The Lynn Museum continued to see an upward trend.  It was highlighted that for the year to date, the performance to date was 40,000 up on the previous year.

A copy of the Norfolk Museums Service Annual Review 2016-2017 was circulated to the Committee.

The Learning and Operations Manager responded to questions relating to:

·         Printed leaflets to be available in locations such as guest houses and hotels for visitors.

·         Unveiling event of the Thomas Baines Hardwick Cemetery painting – 18 December 2017 at 4 pm, invitations had been sent to the Committee.

·         Joint ticket for Lynn Museum and Stories of Lynn during the summer period.

·         Map guide – print run had been increased.

·         Conservation Team based at Shire Hall, Norwich and Gressenhall.

·         Record Office.

·         National visitors to museums.  Reference was made to The Mendoza Review – An Independent Review of Museums in England.- link to report:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-mendoza-review-an-independent-review-of-museums-in-england

·         Norfolk Museums Services on track to exceed record for visitor numbers.

·         Visitor offer at Norwich Castle.

·         National Programme explored particular themes e.g. shoes

·         South Gates – NMS had provided support to the Borough Council.

·         Income received by NMS.

·         Norfolk Museums Service Annual review 2016-2017 – link to report https://issuu.com/norfolkmuseumsservice/docs/nms_20annual_20review_202016-17_20l

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds thanked the Learning and Operations Manager

The Committee received the report from the Borough Council’s Tourism Officer.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds informed the Committee that Tim Humphreys, Tourism Manager left the Borough Council in late August 2017 and the general day-to-day activities, as well as the primary focus on printed publication production during the autumn/winter period of 2017/18, has been overseen by existing Tourism Officer, Phil Eke since that date.

It was noted that the printed marketing publications would still be available but the print runs had been reduced.

The website - www.visitwestnorfolk.com – during the Summer to Autumn period, work had continued to update content on the website, with regularly changing front page items. 

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds responded to questions relating to:

·        The West Norfolk Mobile App and it was noted that that list of retail offers would appear on the App in the future.  Members of the Area Museums Committee were invited to forward details of any organisations/businesses that were running seasonal offers for visitors to the area, to get in touch with the Tourism department.

·        The Mobile App being potentially developed at identifying facilities and letting visitors know of projects/artefacts when they passing during their visit to the area.  The Operations and Learning Manager advised that work was being carried out on the Stories of Lynn App which presented an opportunity to link with the West Norfolk App,.

·        Printed copies of marketing information would still be available for visitors as well as continuing to develop digital marketing.

·        The potential for an advertisement to be placed at London railway stations advising of the West Norfolk App.

·        Development of themed trails, focussed on encouraging visitors to explore more to the rural areas of west Norfolk particularly featuring the area’s heritage and natural environment product.

The Committee received the report circulated with the Agenda from the Museum Manager at True’s Yard.

The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds reminded the Committee that True’s Yard launched a Silver Jubilee Appeal in September 2015, the purpose of which was to consolidate what had been achieved over the last 25 years ad to develop key educational projects for schools and maintain True’s Yard future generations.

The Committee noted that during 2017 the Museum had hosted 6 main exhibitions and 6 Children’s exhibitions.

Councillor Smith asked if a future meeting of the Area Museums Committee could be held at True’s Yard.  The Chairman, Councillor Mrs Nockolds advised that True’s Yard was not open on a Monday and there were therefore no staff available, but undertook to discuss the idea with True’s Yard Museum Manager.

To note the date of the next meeting will be held on 19 March 2018, 2.15 pm.

To note the date of the next meeting will be held on 19 March 2018 at 2.15 pm at The Lynn Museum, King’s Lynn.