Asset Management, Culture & Housing Cabinet Member – Minutes – 19 June 2013

49 (49) STRATEGIC BID POSTS – NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE MUSEUM SERVICE – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval of the establishment of two fixed term posts of Archives Project Assistant and Exhibition Research Assistant at North Lincolnshire Museum.

A grant of £1,000,000 had been awarded jointly to North Lincolnshire Museums Service, Hull City Museums and East Riding of Yorkshire Museums.  In a previous report to the Cabinet Member, it was agreed that a report be submitted at a later date to establish the two posts funded by the grant (minute 46 refers).

The Arts Council England grant would fund exhibitions and events to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in 2014.  It would also provide the employment of a fixed term Exhibition Research Assistant.  This post would do much of the research needed for exhibitions held at Normanby Hall and North Lincolnshire Museum.

Part of the funding would also be used to improve the Imagine Archive.  The Image Archive currently contained 8,000 historic images from the Museum collection.  These were accessible via the council’s website.  There were a further 18,000 photographs in the collection, which were still to be put onto the system.  The additional funding would allow the IT system to be upgraded and set up a volunteer project to put more photographs onto the new system.  It was proposed that a fixed term Archives Project Assistant be employed to co-ordinate the project.

Resolved – (a) That the establishment of two fixed term posts of Exhibition Research Assistant and Archive Projects Assistant be approved, and (b) that the recruitment process to fill the two posts be commenced.

50 (50) NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE MUSEUM – LEARNING ASSISTANTS – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for changes to the establishment at North Lincolnshire Museum.

The council had a Learning Team based at the North Lincolnshire Museum.  Each of the Learning Assistants in the team was employed on an annualised hours basis for 6.25 hours per week.  They delivered a programme of 26 different National Curriculum based schools workshops.  The team also offered an extensive programme of family events and activities at Normanby Hall Country Park and the North Lincolnshire Museum.  Recently, the team’s work had diversified to include ‘Tots Time’ sessions for under 5s, reminiscence sessions as well as work with adults with learning disabilities and with dementia.

At present there were vacancies for two Learning Assistants.  Although there had never been any difficulty in recruiting to these posts in the past, problems had been experienced with staff retention.

Demand for the Learning Service was currently expanding beyond the team’s capacity to deliver.  An extensive training programme was required for each member of staff to ensure they were able to deliver the full programme of workshops, events and activities.  The last three Learning Assistants recruited resigned not long after completing their training.  This was not a good use of resources; therefore improvements were required in the council’s ability to retain staff in these posts.

Resolved – (a) That the proposal to delete the two posts of Learning Assistant (6.25 hours per week), and establish a new post of Learning Assistant (18.5 hours per week) be approved, and (b) that the recruitment process to fill the two posts be commenced.

51 (51) LAND TRAIN DRIVER – NORMANBY HALL COUNTRY PARK – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for the establishment of the post of Land Train Driver at Normanby Hall Country Park.

The council secured funding to re-introduce the land train at Normanby Hall Country Park as part of the 2013-14 capital programme.  An existing tractor would be used so the council would only need to purchase a carriage for the land train.

A procurement exercise was underway for the purchase of a suitable carriage. It was anticipated that the service would begin running during the school summer holidays.

The land train would be operated every weekend from April to September and every day during the school holidays.  The train would operate during the afternoons, from 12.30 pm until 4.30 pm.

It was proposed that a ticket price of £1.00 per person be charged.  Tickets would be sold from the Gift Shop.

At least two casual drivers were required, as the train would operate seven days a week during the school holidays.  Recruiting casual drivers allowed more flexibility and the land train could be operated in the most cost effective way. 

Resolved – (a) That the proposal to establish a new post of Land Train Driver be approved, and (b) that the recruitment process to fill the two posts be commenced.

The corresponding report of the following item (Minute 52 refers) contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

52 (52) PROPERTY TRANSACTION SCHEDULES – The Director of Places submitted a report for consideration, and where necessary, approval of a schedule containing the terms of all recently negotiated property transactions.

The schedules covered both operational and commercial property.

Resolved – That the schedules appended to the report be approved.

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Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.