27 February 2004
MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES OF NORTHERN IRELAND
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on Friday 27 February 2004 at 1000 hrs in the Kennedy Room at Cultra Manor at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
Present:
Mrs M Elliott (Chairman)
Sir K Bloomfield
Mr T Shaw
Mr H Bicker
Mr S Neeson
Miss L Beers
Dr A Walker
Professor E McLaughlin
Ms W Osborne
Mr B Montgomery
Ms P Flanagan
In attendance:
Mr T Cooke (Chief Executive)
Mrs K O'Dowd (Director of Finance)
Mr M McKee (Director of Operations)
Mr J Gilmour (Director of Development)
Mrs Heather Henning (Committee Secretary)
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Mr M Adair, Mr D Harvey and Dame G Keegan.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 19 December 2003
The minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2003, previously circulated to Board members, were agreed as a true record of the meeting. The minutes were subsequently adopted by the Board and signed by the Chairman.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 19 December 2003
Sea Britain 2005
Trustees noted there was nothing further to report on the Sea Britain 2005 initiative at present. Mr Neeson agreed to update members of the Board as information became available.
4. CHAIRMAN'S BUSINESS
Appraisal of Board Members
The Chairman advised Board members of all Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) were to be appraised. Copies of the correspondence and appraisal document would be forwarded to Board members in due course.
Resignation of Chairman of Staffing Committee
The Chairman advised the Board that regretfully Professor McLaughlin had tendered her resignation as Chairman of the Staffing Committee as a result of increasing personal work commitments. On behalf of the Board, the Chairman thanked Professor McLaughlin for the time and commitment she had given to the Committee and its business. Trustees noted that Mr Shaw had agreed to stand for election as Chairman of the Staffing Committee. A motion to this effect was formally proposed by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield and seconded by Mrs W Osborne.
5. BUSINESS OF EXECUTIVE
On behalf of the Executive Team, the Chief Executive expressed his appreciation to Professor McLaughlin for her effort and commitment to Staffing Committee business.
Development Issues
Board members noted that a further meeting had been arranged with the Permanent Secretary on 2 March 2004 to discuss a number of development issues pertaining to MAGNI. The Chief Executive agreed to update the Board in due course.
'A Place of Sport' Exhibition
The Chief Executive reminded Trustees that the launch of 'A Place of Sport' exhibition would be held on 9 March 2004 at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
Launch of Manifesto for Museums in London
The Chief Executive referred to the launch of the Manifesto for Museums document in London on 9 March 2004 designed as an advocacy document around the contribution and benefits that museums bring to society at large. He said that although Northern Ireland was playing a relatively small part he hoped that some of material could be used for advocacy around MAGNI's position in Northern Ireland.
40th Anniversary of Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Trustees noted that 2004 was the 40th anniversary of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum opening to the public. A number of possible events were under consideration and would be advised in due course.
Official Opening of The Presbyterian Meeting House and The Pound Forge
Trustees noted that an official opening of the Presbyterian Meeting House and the Pound Forge at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum was currently being planned. Details of this event would be notified to Board members in due course.
Appointment of Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development
The Chief Executive said that discussions were ongoing with DCAL concerning the regrading of the Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development post.
5.1 Executive Summary
The Chief Executive said that MAGNI had enjoyed a record number of visitors to its various sites during 2003. The Dinobirds exhibition currently on show at the Ulster Museum was proving to be very popular with visitors and had helped to boost weekend visitor figures to almost 1,000 per day. Similarly the Arctic Traditions exhibition of the Inuit collection at the Ulster Museum was also proving popular with visitors, together with the family workshop on traditions associated with St Brigid's Day. The Storytelling Festivals at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and the Ulster American Folk Park were again extremely popular. Armagh County Museum opened a display drawn from the larger 60s Art and Fashion exhibition shown previously on 5 February 2004. The Conflict exhibition currently on show at the Ulster Museum was continuing to attract considerable interest and comment of a positive nature.
The Director of Development announced that MAGNI's application to the NITB for PEACE II Funding had been successful and would enable MAGNI to undertake a number of small capital projects and a programme of international marketing. MAGNI would be appointing an International Marketing Officer, for a three-year period, to promote the museum nationally and internationally. Trustees congratulated the Director of Development and Head of Appeals on securing this significant and important funding.
5.2 Draft Business Plan 2004/2005
The draft Business Plan for 2004/2005 was reported under Reserved Business.
5.3 Museums, Libraries and Archives (formerly Re:Source)
Approval of Policies on Acquisition and Disposal
The Director of Operations reminded Board members that MAGNI had been given only provisional registration by Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) registration in April 2003 and was required to revise its Acquisition and Disposals Policies in accordance with the MLA Registration Scheme Standards and Guidelines by April 2004. The MLA's approval of the draft Acquisitions Policy had yet to be confirmed however the document was known to meet all of the requirements previously outlined by MLA. The development of a common documentation policy, MAGNI wide procedures and standards and an integrated MAGNI documentation action plan had been identified as a high priority task within the 2004/05 Business Plan. The Board of Trustees formally approved the draft Acquisition and Disposals Policies.
Nomination of Senior Advisor
Trustees noted that MLA registration required the nomination of a senior advisor within MAGNI. In the absence of a director with responsibility for collections, the Chief Executive nominated Mr Marshall McKee, Director of Operations to undertake this role in the interim. The Board of Trustees approved the nomination.
5.4 Disposals from the Ulster Museum Collections
Trustees approved the disposal of a waterproof cape from the Applied Art Collection under Category 4 and a Columbian Press from the History Collection under Category 3 of the MAGNI Policy on Disposals from the Collections.
6. TRUSTEES' SUB-COMMITTEES
6.1 Audit Committee
6.1.1 Approval of minutes of meeting held on 30 January 2004
The Board of Trustees approved the minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 30 January 2004.
6.2 Staffing Committee
6.2.1 Approval of minutes of meeting held on 18 November 2003
The Board of Trustees approved the minutes of the Staffing Committee meeting held on 18 November 2003.
6.2.2 Verbal report of meeting held on 10 February 2004
Professor McLaughlin, Chair of the Staffing Committee said that the draft minutes subsequently presented at the previous Board meeting was subsequently approved at the next Staffing Committee meeting on 10 February 2004. The February Staffing Committee discussed four main items of business, a finalized terms of reference for the Committee, the staff protocol, equality issues and her resignation as Chairman of the Staffing Committee.
6.3 Marketing, Development and Fundraising Committee
6.3.1 Approval of minutes of meeting held on 13 January 2004
The Board of Trustees approved the minutes of the Marketing, Development and Fund-raising Committee meeting held on 13 January 2004.
6.4 General Purposes and Finance Committee
6.4.1 Verbal report of meeting held on 30 January 2004
Mrs Elliott, Chairman of the General Purposes and Finance Committee, reported that the main items of discussion were the implications of the industrial action by NIPSA members, the 2004/2005 draft Business Plan and the funding required to exhibit the "Art in the Garden" exhibition at the Ulster Museum later this year.
7. Whowhatwherewhenwhy (W5)
7.1 Minutes of W5 Board meeting held on 19 December 2003 The Board of Trustees noted the minutes of the W5 Board meeting held on 19 December 2003.
7.2 Minutes of W5 Board meeting held on 30 January 2004 The Board of Trustees noted the minutes of the W5 Board meeting held on 30 January 2004.
7.3 Verbal report of W5 Board meeting held on 20 February 2004
This item was discussed under "Reserved Business" as it was deemed by the Board to contain commercially sensitive information.
8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
None.
