Decision details

On 11 May 2016 the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services agreed the selection and evaluation criteria to be used in the identification of organisations with whom the county council could enter into negotiations for the transfer of the 5 museums identified for closure.

The county council has received four applications from organisations wishing to take over the 5 museums, and these applications have been evaluated in accordance with the agreed criteria.

This report provides details of the evaluations, and provides a number of recommendations for a way forward. 

County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, the Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services agreed:

1.  to the closure of the 5 museums (Judges' Lodgings in Lancaster, the Maritime Museum in Fleetwood, the Museum of Lancashire in Preston, Queen Street Mill in Burnley and the Helmshore Mill in Rossendale on 30 September 2016, and move all of the 5 museums into a 'care and maintenance' regime;

2.  that negotiations commence with the organisations who have submitted applications in respect of taking over the museums;

3.  that the negotiations at 2  above be concluded  as quickly as possible, with a view to effecting transfers as soon as practicable, with a target date of 31 December 2016;

4.  to note the non-compliant application received from a number of Museum's Service staff in relation to one of the museums, and ensure that their interest is taken into account as negotiations for the transfer of that museum progress;

5.  that subject to the negotiations at 2 above being satisfactorily concluded, a report be prepared for the Deputy Leader to agree to the asset transfers taking place.