Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED: Councillor Bubb was appointed Chair for the Municipal Year 2025 to 2026.

In the absence of nominees from the Norfolk County Council representatives coming forward, the Committee appointed a Borough Council representative as Vice Chair.

RESOLVED: Councillor Kemp was appointed Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2025 to 2026.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Borough Councillor Bland, Mr Davison, Councillor Ward, Norfolk Joint Museums Committee and Lindsey Bavin, Manager of True’s Yard Museum.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 10 March 2025 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.

County Councillor Bambridge declared an interest in item 8 as she was a Trustee of True’s Yard Museum.

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The Curator of the Lynn Museum introduced the report on the King’s Lynn Museum activities in the period from March to May 2025.  A copy of the report is attached to the minutes.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the following areas of the report:

1)    Exhibitions and events at Lynn Museum

1.1    Current Exhibition Woof: A Celebration of Dogs

1.2    Forthcoming Exhibition May the Toys Be with You

1.3    Family events

1.4    Family Trails

1.5    Mini Museum

1.6    Coffee Mornings

1.8   Warm Wednesdays

1.9   Pewter Workshop

1.10 National Lottery Open Week

1.11 Forthcoming events

The Curator of the Lynn Museum invited questions from the Committee in relation to those areas of the report, as summarised below.

The Chair, Councillor Bubb referred to the Warm Wednesdays and asked what heat source was used in the Lynn Museum.  The Curator of the Lynn Museum explained they had gas boilers which provided a wet central heating system within the Museum.

The Chair, Councillor Bubb raised a further question and asked if there was any scope for putting any solar panels on the roof of the Lynn Museum.  The Assistant Head of Museums explained it would be difficult to install solar panels on the roof of the Lynn Museum as it was a Grade 2 Listed Building.

The Vice Chair, Councillor Kemp referred to the Borough Council’s scheme around decarbonising public buildings and asked whether air source heat pumps could be installed to the perimeter of the Lynn Museum.  The Assistant Head of Museums explained the space was not managed or controlled by them and did not think it was realistically possible.  In terms of decarbonisation, the Assistant Head of Museums explained that over the years they had replaced the gallery lighting with LED lighting.

The Committee’s attention was drawn further to the following areas of the report:

2)    Newman Legacy project

3)    Other Museums developments

3.1 Publicity and promotion

3.2 NMS Teaching Museum Trainees

3.3 Retail offer at Lynn Museum

3.4 Object Photography

3.5 Volunteers

3.6 Baines Publication

3.7 Study visit to see the Lynn Museum’s doll collection

3.8 Finds Identification and Recording Day

Councillor de Whalley referred to the Newman Legacy project and asked how many more records there were to update and how much longer the project would take.  The Curator of the Lynn Museum confirmed the Aikman’s Yard collections facility was progressing well and added that a number of rooms had been done.  The Curator of the Lynn Museum commented that he would find out the precise figure and share with the Committee after the meeting.

Councillor de Whalley raised a further question and asked if they were looking at ways to making the Aikman’s Yard stored assets more accessible.  The Curator of the Lynn Museum explained they were looking at including more of the artwork at the Town Hall in King’s Lynn to ensure there was more on public display and added they were looking at other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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County Councillor Bambridge commented that they currently had four part time staff but advised that it run very well and had lots of activities going on.

RESOLVED: The Committee noted the report.

The visitor figures for the period March to May 2025 were noted.  A copy of the visitor figures is attached to the minutes.

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The Borough Council’s Cultural Officer, Tim FitzHigham presented the item and provided the Committee with an update on the Guildhall.  A copy of the presentation is attached to the minutes.

In response to a question from County Councillor Chenery of Horsbrugh, the Cultural Officer explained there was very little biographical information about Shakespeare but there was far more evidence that Shakespeare was in King’s Lynn in the 1590s.

County Councillor Bambridge asked what the timescales were to finish the works on the Guildhall.  The Cultural Officer was continuing to engage with their neighbours and hoped to finish in 2027.

In response to comments and questions from Councillor de Whalley, the Cultural Officer confirmed he would try to find a place within the Guildhall to present the plaque from the College of West Anglia of the George and the Dragon.  In terms of solar panels, these were looking to be placed on the south facing roof of the White Barn and confirmed you would not see them from the main courtyard.

The Committee thanked the Cultural Officer for his enthusiasm and work on the project.

To consider any additional items for the next Agenda.

There were none identified at the meeting.

The next meeting of the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Area Museums Committee would be held on 15^th September 2025 at 2.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Area Museums Committee was scheduled to take place on 15^th September 2025 at 2.00pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.