Issue - meetings

That the Committee supports the approach to ensuring sustainability of the Archives and Museums Services that aims to result in no major loss of service provision.

The Chair welcomed Sophie Fish, Principal Museums Officer, and Claire Harrington, Principal Archivist, to their first meeting of the Committee.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1) introduced the report, and gave a brief overview of the two services and how their size impaired their ability to make savings without having a real impact on service delivery. The Chief Officer then invited his colleagues to provide details of their respective services.

The Principal Museums Officer reported that her service had a budget of £0.063m, with 0,8 of a full time equivalent, her own 4 day a week post. She explained how they had looked at a number of savings options, including linkage with an existing charity such as that at the Greenfield Valley or being part of the leisure and libraries employee led mutual. It looked as if the latter would be a more feasible home for the service.

The Principal Archivist gave an insight into her service, which had recently received accreditation. The Flintshire Record Office had been established in the mid 1950s, and as the successor to the former Clwyd was a larger facility than might be expected for the current size of the Authority.  A consultancy firm, Creative Cultures, had been commissioned, utilising a Welsh Government grant, to look at enhancing collaboration and reducing costs across the six North Wales authorities’ archives functions. They would be looking at digitisation, locations of offices, buildings occupied, and staffing levels.

Councillor Chris Bithell supported the approach being taken with both services.  Members of the Committee evinced strong support for both services, commenting specifically on the role of volunteers in developing services and making suggestions for improvements. A Member asked whether the Flintshire Archives was maintaining records which could be disaggregated to other adjoining authorities which had established their own archives services after local government reorganization in 1996. 

Following discussion, the Chief Officer emphasised the enabling role of the Museums services, with the Principal Museums Officer commenting on some specific work relating to marine, colliery, and World War One history.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee supports the approach to ensuring sustainability of the Archives and Museums Services that aims to result in no major loss of service provision.