Minutes of the ninety-sixth meeting of the Board of the Northern Ireland
Museums Council, 3rd February 2015, held at the offices of the Northern
Ireland Museums Council
Present:
Mr Johnny Glendinning (Chair)
Mr Patrick Barr
Cllr Robert Burgess
Dr Riann Coulter
Ms Roisin Doherty
Mr Clifford Harkness
Mr Roddy Hegarty
Cllr Stephen Huggett
Cllr Olive Mercer
Mr Robin Morton
In attendance:
Mr Chris Bailey, Director, NIMC
Apologies for absence
15/01/01
Apologies were received from Elizabeth Crooke and Carol Walker
Chairman’s Business and Declarations of Interest
15/01/02
The Chairman welcomed members to a special meeting of the NIMC Board to
consider the matter of relocating the Council’s offices.
The Board joined the Chairman in congratulating Chris Bailey on winning the
Arts Board Member of the Year Award at the 2015 Allianz Arts and Business NI
Awards.
Clifford Harkness, as a member of staff at the National Museums Northern
Ireland (NMNI), declared an interest regarding the proposed co-location of
NIMC and NMNI.
Relocation of NIMC Offices
15/01/03
Referring to the previously circulated report, the Director summarised the
current position on the lease which NIMC has on its current offices, the forecast
budget reduction the Council will receive in the next financial year from the
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, together with the substance of recent
meetings held with the Department concerning its review of arm’s length bodies,
with the landlord, and with NMNI.
The Director provided members with details of the business case, with projected costs, that
looked at the costs, benefits and risks of retaining the current NIMC offices and relocating the
offices to a National Museums Northern Ireland site. He stated that preliminary investigations
suggested that a move appeared feasible and that it could be advantageous, in light of the
financial outlook.
The Board embarked upon a detailed discussion during which it examined and interrogated
the strategic advantages and disadvantages of NIMC co-locating with NMNI, the
consequences of co-location in relation to further joint working with NMNI, the costs of removal
and of the remedial works required under the conditions of the current lease, the nature of any
agreement with NMNI to allow co-location, and the chronology of actions that would be
required for any move.
Following the proposal from Stephen Huggett, seconded by Robert Burgess, it was
unanimously agreed that, in light of the feasibility of co-locating with NMNI, NIMC would inform
the landlord in writing, by 10th February, of its intention to determine the lease on 6, Crescent
Gardens in August 2015.
Any Other Business
15/01/04
Foyle Valley Railway Museum
The Chairman stated that he had been contacted by representatives of the North West of
Ireland Railway Society regarding the Foyle Valley Railway Museum.
Robin Morton declared an interest in this item of business, as he has written on the matter for
the Steam Railway magazine.
Roisin Doherty informed the Board of the approach Derry City Council has been taking on the
development of the museum and the surrounding site. She stated that she had been in
contact with the Society to discuss matters of mutual interest, particularly the collection, and
that further research was being undertaken on its ownership status and its conservation.
In response to questions, the NIMC Director said that staff were aware of the concern of the
Society about the future of the museum, and would, in line with the Council’s remit, continue
to provide information, advice and guidance to it, the City Council and other parties with an
interest in the collection and associated public services.
Bank Mandate
The Board considered the substance of a mandate and agreed to instruct the Danske Bank to
carry out that mandate. The matter was proposed by Patrick Barr and seconded by Robert
Burgess. It was agreed unanimously.
Date, Time and Venue
15/01/05
It was agreed that the next meeting of the Board would be held on Tuesday, 24th March 2015.
______________________
Chairman