Agenda and minutes

To confirm the appointment of the Leader of the Council as Chairman.

The Leader of the Council was confirmed as the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee.

The Clerk advised that Members of this Cabinet Committee should be mindful of their fiduciary duty as trustees and that their role was to make decisions in the interests of the Orleans House Trust and not in the interests of the Council.

There were none.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Members are requested to declare any interests orally at the start of the meeting and again immediately before consideration of the matter. Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and whether the interest is of a personal or prejudicial nature.

Members are also reminded of the requirements of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that they should declare and not vote on specified matters if they are two months or more in arrears with their Council Tax payments.

There were no declarations of interest.

This report asks Trustees to support an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a dedicated study room, restore the Octagon Room, provide disabled access to the mezzanine level in the main gallery, and implement enhancements to the internal and external aspect of the Octagon Room.

The Head of Arts introduced the report and highlighted that the proposed Phase 4 improvements enhanced work undertaken in Phase 1 and sought to make the Collection more widely available.  These enhancements which improved general public and disabled access to the building and the objects dovetailed with the remit of the Council and of the Trust.  She advised that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) would expect to see disabled access to the first floor and welcomed sight of Master Plans which included current details and areas for future work.  She further advised that HLF was likely to look favourably on the restoration of the Octagon Room as part of an overall package.

The Cabinet Committee considered that funds would need to be committed towards development of the Master Plan and requested that the Architect was briefed to ensure that proposals for Orleans House were also cognizant of the wider development brief for the riverside in Twickenham.

RESOLVED that:

1. The first three development phases of Orleans House Gallery completed between 2000 and 2008 and the improvements made to the site be noted;

2. A renewed Master Plan for the development of the Orleans House Gallery site be agreed;

3. The development of a phase 4 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) including the submission of a pre-application in 2012 based on the principle that the Trust would provide matched capital funding and meet the             development costs of the application, as set out in section 4 be agreed. 

This report sets out the planned and reactive maintenance needs of the Orleans House site, including the Grade I listed Octagon Room and Ionides art collection. 

The Head of Culture and Service Improvement introduced the report which sought a decision on the principles for emergency repairs, planned preventative maintenance and critical conservation incidents.

In discussion, the Cabinet Committee considered the recent history of remedial works and how urgent repairs for one part of the building could delay work needed in other areas.  The possibility of introducing a Trust Collections Policy was also considered to enable the acquisition of items sensitive to the original period of the property and therefore enhance its conservation status.

RESOLVED that:

1. Authority be delegated for any essential building maintenance up to a value of £20,000 per annum to the Head of Arts in consultation with the Head of Culture; 
2. It be agreed that decisions relating to essential building maintenance costing  more than £20,000 will be made by Trustees in planned meetings, or in emergency situations by electronic meeting or conference call; 
3. The proposed planned maintenance of the Octagon Room and main gallery set out in paragraph 3.3 be agreed;
4. It be agreed that the interior restoration of the Octagon Room is included in the Master Plan and Phase 4 development of the site;
5. It be agreed that the condition audits of the Ionides art collection be updated in order to prioritise conservation work on the collection
6. A Trust Collection Policy be drafted for consideration at a future meeting of this Cabinet Committee.   

This report updates Trustees on the financial position of Orleans House Trust at 31 March 2011. 

The Head of Culture and Service Improvement introduced the report and in response to questions advised that the Heritage Lottery fund would only consider cash balances and not asset values when considering any application made by or to which the Trust was a party.

RESOLVED that:

1. The financial position of the Orleans House Trust be noted.