Agenda and minutes

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RESOLVED:  Councillor Mrs E Nockolds be appointed Chair for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

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RESOLVED:  Councillor M Chenery be appointed Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor N Daubney, L Bavin, P Eke, and S Thompson.

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

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The minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2020 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.

To consider the King’s Lynn Museum Report.

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The Chair informed the Committee that in a very difficult time for us all the Museums staff have worked extremely and flexible well during the Pandemic such as Stories for Bedtime and digital information, etc and still presenting reports.  On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked  the Museum staff for their efforts to deliver the service during the Pandemic.

The Assistant Head of Museums/Curator Lynn Museum and Learning and Engagement Officer, Stories of Lynn and Project Worker for Kick the Dust  presented a report which provided information on the King’s Lynn Museum activities in the period from January to September 2021.  An electronic report had been circulated in January 2021 as the meeting was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.

The Committee was informed that that new exhibition ‘Gardens, Sowing Seeds, Growing Stores’ opened on the 16 October 2021 and would run until 12 June 2022.  The displays tell the story of gardens and gardening in the King’s Lynn Area including the display of collections from the Tayor’s seed merchants business in the town and material relating to the Walks and other public gardens.

A copy of the update report from the Learning and Engagement Officer, Stories of Lynn and Project Worker for Kick the Dust is attached to the minutes.

The Assistant Head of Museums/Curator Lynn Museum and Learning and Engagement Officers, Stories of Lynn and Project Worker for Kick the Dust  responded to questions and comments in relation to:

·         Government compensation awarded to the Norfolk Museums Service and the impact on loss of revenue.

·         Impact of Covid on staff wellbeing and measures/tools in place to support staff where required.

·         New skills acquired by staff particularly in relation to high quality digital work and be embedded into the long term programme.

·         On line programmes/events available to schools and anyone who had access to the internet in the Borough.

·         Acquisition of items such as a Baines painting via auction, etc for display in Museums.

·         Loan of part of the Seahenge display to the British Museum.

·         Provision of future plays on line – an example was given of Sherlock Homes which had proved successful.

·         Curriculum activities offered to schools.

·         Iron Age coin acquisition.

·         Ongoing support from the Friends of Lynn Museum.

·         Kick the Dust Project and invitation of ideas/discussions with high schools to improve the current uptake.

·         Visitor figures across all Museum sites.

·         Visitor figures to Lynn Museum – visitor figures to be circulated in relation to NMS exhibitions in the Town Hall and be included in the total visitor figures.

The Curator, Lynn Museum circulated the visitor figures for the museum sites in Norfolk.

On behalf of the Committee, the Chair thanked the Friends for their ongoing support and the staff of the NMS for the excellent work undertaken during the Pandemic.

AGREED:  The report be noted.

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The Committee received the report from the Museum Curator.

The Chair highlighted the grant funding received during the Pandemic, fund raising and many other events held.  It was noted that there was a new memorial garden for all to use.

There were no questions from the Committee.

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The Committee received the report from the Senior Tourism Officer.

The Chair explained that she had asked for a report to come to the Committee as the Museum was promoted in all tourism information published/printed by the Borough Council.

The Chair tabled examples of tourism information published by the Borough Council promoting the Borough.

The Chair highlighted the importance of attendance at the Tourism Annual General Meeting on 17 November 2021 as there would be a workshop on the Tourism Recovery Plan 2021 to 2025, a five year action plan informed by local, regional and national businesses to encourage more visitors/residents to the area.

It was noted that the tourism information was also published on Visit West Norfolk and Visit Norfolk and Visit East of England websites

The Chair drew attention key issues set out in the report.

In response to questions from Councillor Tyler on UK Holiday packages to King’s Lynn, the Chair explained such holidays were published in the special coach supplement and that there was usually an itinerary to visit West Norfolk including King’s Lynn, Hunstanton, Cromer and Great Yarmouth and explained she could obtain the rnumber of visitors from the Senior Tourism Support Officer.

Following questions on the Observatory in Hunstanton, the Chair explained that consultation and workshops with residents of Hunstanton had taken place and undertook to ascertain the details from the Senior Tourism Support Officer.

Councillor Bubb made the following observations on the West Norfolk Guide:

·         Not all photographs had captions containing details of where the photo had been taken.

·         Page 6 – Information relating to Museums, could future publications include opening times and that there was free entry to Lynn Museum from October to March each year.

·         No visitor information on Downham Market.

To note the date of the next meeting is 13 December 2021 at 2.15 pm in the Assembly Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Area Museums Committee will take place on 13 December 2021 at 2.15 pm in the Assembly Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.