Eastleigh Borough Council Eastleigh Museum Joint Management Committee Meeting

Resolved- The minutes of the meeting held 11/12/2020 were agreed as a correct record.

Emma Banks, the Community Manager representing the Hampshire Cultural

Trust presented a report on activities at, or relating to, Eastleigh Museum. December only open for a short period before third lockdown, had good visitor figures with events such as the Christmas Tree Festival. Regarding collection care, Emma and the Community Experience manager have been looking at an audit of collections that are related to Eastleigh that also link with the Options appraisal process. Horizon activity 2020 continued with face-to-face sessions at the Bridge Education centre and remote sessions such as creative boxes and CPD sessions. The Industrious mind project which started in November has had to be paused as could not continue working with partners during lockdown, hoping to start again in May. Eastleigh Connections Options Appraisal has continued throughout lockdown working with an online consultation with a full break down in point 5.2 of the agenda. Individuals from the consultation were invited to form story groups as the next part of the process. They have had 3 meetings in which they have discussed the design brief and future roles of the museum with 2 further meetings scheduled for the near future before the project ends in March/April. The options appraisal report will then be submitted to the trust in April and will look to choose a date in April to share with those involved. The Trust are consulting with how it can continue to work with the story groups.
Aiming for a reopening date of the 28^th May starting with a photographic exhibition then leading into the summer with a family friendly exhibition.
Action: The Trust, One Community and EBC to share events list for the summer months.

Consideration was given to the finance report presented by DN outlining the financial state of the museum ending in the third quarter.
Programming funding in the report to continue into the next financial year as projects have continued throughout lockdown. Income is lower as there have been fewer opportunities for trading. For central support there has been no allocation of budgets for Central Fundraising, which will be carried forward to 2021-2022, as the Trust are waiting for the options appraisal’s outcome. Bottom of the report details funding secured in aid of Covid recovery, for example, furloughed staff, including the job retention scheme, and the safe reopening of the site with provisions to allow this such as hand sanitiser etc.
Normally the museum receives half of capital from fundraising and the other from income such as retail and admissions. Recovery fund is to support this loss of income in the last year.

Part of the marketing budget invested in newly created online platform Culture on Call which has showcased exhibitions online and continued to keep engagement within the local community.

Thursday 15^th July 2021 11:30, Location TBC.

To commemorate the 100^th year anniversary of the Royal British Legion in Eastleigh it was noted that it would be good to celebrate this in November by, for example, decorating Eastleigh Town Centre. Jean stated that One Community could help with the decorating.

Eastleigh Borough council are working with a small commission of architects to address how the town can be decorated. EBC will narrow the brief and share the result with other community stakeholders. Hoping to bring low or no cost community-based art into this package as well. 

GR stated that EBC had resources to invest in a thank you event after Covid and for other events. 
It was noted that a plan to have an exhibition reflecting people’s positive achievements and creative solutions throughout lockdown could be a positive outlet for the local community.