Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Community Services

Summary

The report highlights the work of the Banbury Museum Trust Project Board in developing an independent organisation to run the service and the costs associated with this process

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To approve the selection of Mr Bob Langton to the role of Shadow Board Chairman.

(2)               To approve the Deputy Leader as the Council’s nominated representative on the Shadow Trust Board.

(3)               To approve a budget of £20,000 to enable the project to be delivered.

Approved

The Head of Community Services submitted a report which highlighted the work of the Banbury Museum Trust Project Board in developing an independent organization to run the services and the costs associated with this process.

Executive was advised that the Museum Project Board had agreed to seek trust status.  Following an extensive recruitment process, Mr Bob Langton had been recommended as an appropriate appointment for Shadow Board Chairman. In terms ensuring the probity of the transfer of the service to the independent organisation, specialist and independent advice must be made available to the Shadow Board, the costs of which would be met from a fund established specifically for that purpose.

Resolved

(1)               That the selection of Mr Bob Langton to the role of Shadow Board Chairman be approved.

(2)               That the Deputy Leader be approved as the Council’s nominated representative on the Shadow Trust Board.

(3)               That a budget of £20,000 to enable the project to be delivered be approved.

Reasons

The Executive at its meeting on 3 October 2011 agreed in principle the transfer of Banbury Museum to independent status, knowing this preserves a valuable and visited cultural asset for local residents whilst securing some financial benefit to the Council.

The first step towards independence is the creation of a Shadow Board. The interview panel for the Shadow Board Chairman considered the candidates against a range of stringent criteria covering previous experience and expertise in a comparable role as well as personal interest in the cultural sector.  They selected Mr Bob Langton as their preferred candidate having scored highly against the majority of the person specification for the role.

Specialist and independent advice must be made available to the Shadow Board to ensure the probity of the transfer, the costs of which will be met from a fund established specifically for that purpose.

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