THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH MEETING OF
THE TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
19 SEPTEMBER 2013
IN THE BOARDROOM
MINUTES
Trustees present:
Lord Sterling
Chairman
David Moorhouse
David Quarmby
Linda Hutchinson
Sir Robert Crawford
Eleanor Boddington
Professor Geoffrey Crossick
Joyce Bridges
Eric Reynolds
Gerald Russell
In attendance:
Kevin Fewster
Margarette Lincoln
Andy Bodle
Sandra Botterell
Richard Doughty
Anupam Ganguli
Mike Sarna
Christopher Gray
Director
Deputy Director
Director, Operations and HR
Director, Commercial
Director, Cutty Sark
Director of Finance
Programming and Exhibitions Director
Museum Secretary
i.
Welcome of new Trustees
Lord Sterling welcomed Joyce Bridges, Eric Reynolds and Gerald Russell to the
Board of Trustees of the National Maritime Museum. Each was appointed by
the Prime Minister for four-year terms from 12 September 2013.
ii
Recruitment and appointments update
Trustees noted that the advertisement for the new Chair ran in the Sunday
Times on 25 August and applications closed on 16 September.
1.
Apologies
Received from Chris Lintott, Carol Marlow and Jonathan Ofer.
Declaration of relevant interests related to this meeting
None.
2.
3.
Draft Minutes of the previous meeting: 335 of 23 May 2013
The Board agreed the minutes to be a true record of the meeting and the
Chairman then certified the minutes accordingly.
4.
National Historic Ships UK
National Historic Ships UK is a government funded, independent organisation
which gives objective advice to UK governments and local authorities, funding
bodies, and the historic ships sector on all matters relating to historic vessels in
the UK. It is based at the National Maritime Museum.
The Director introduced Martyn Heighton, Director, National Historic Ships UK
who then gave Trustees a presentation on the work that had been undertaken in
the previous 12 months.
Trustees were very grateful for the comprehensive and interesting presentation.
5.
Stubbs acquisition
The Director took Trustees through the paper citing its acquisition rationale,
future plans for the display of the paintings and Traveller’s Tails - a new
collaborative programme of activities and initiatives to encourage new ways of
audience learning and participation.
The Board noted the very significant support pledged by the HLF and that of
the Art Fund which meant the fundraising target now stood at just over £1
million. Trustees agreed to proceed with the acquisition of the paintings with a
concentration of effort around further fundraising.
The Director stated that the timing of the acquisition would work very well with
a major new gallery of exploration to tie in with the 250th anniversary of Cook’s
first voyage to Australia.
At this point Trustees also discussed the Museum’s investment strategy and
how it is best aligned with short and long-term needs – a subject that Trustees
agreed was properly part of the Finance Committee’s remit.
6.
Turner & the Sea presentation
Trustees were grateful for the comprehensive presentation and briefing from
the team involved in all aspects of the Turner & the Sea exhibition.
The briefing included the project management, digital aspects, the design of the
space, the curatorial content, budgeting and admissions numbers, the
catalogue, retail, press (editorial content being a powerful motivation to visit)
and marketing.
Trustees considered the preparations and planning to be very good. Trustees
were confident that Turner & the Sea would be a “must-see” art show and that it
would also be a building block on the Museum’s growing reputation for special
exhibitions.
7.
Volunteers briefing presentation
Due to time pressures on the meeting Trustees agreed to postpone this
presentation to the November Board meeting.
8.
National Strategy (previously Regional Strategy)
The Director and Deputy Director introduced the Strategy by confirming that
the Museum’s national remit is taken very seriously and held very strongly –
and that this attitude is essentially part of the every-day business of facilitating
access to the national collection.
The Director stated, however, that the ambition of the attitude is necessarily
constrained by funding and resources. Nevertheless there was much work that
is and can be done with others on a collaborative basis. Trustees understood
that there is an appetite from the regions for inexpensive but world-class
touring shows that, within its own tight resources, with which the Museum
could work.
Trustees were pleased to see that the Museum was making its leadership role
manifest and agreed that there was also much to learn from the regions and
with often small and under-resourced venues.
Trustees were very supportive of the Strategy as it was in many ways the essence
of being a national museum.
The Board of Trustees then approved the National Strategy.
9.
Director’s Report with KPI’s to end of July
In reporting to Trustees the Director focussed on:
Visitor numbers:
The four sites had good visitation over the peak summer months. Trustees
noted that 2013 is the first ‘normal’ summer that the Museum has had since
opening the Sammy Ofer Wing, re-introducing charging at ROG and assuming
operational responsibility for Cutty Sark, thus it had been difficult to anticipate
performance during budget setting. However, overall visitor projections have
proved relatively robust currently running at 1% above target for NMM, ROG
and QH and 3% below target for Cutty Sark. Admission revenues are 5% and
9% below target at ROG and Cutty Sark respectively, largely owing to
differences in average yield caused by unanticipated changes to the visitor
profile at these venues. Gift Aid was successfully introduced at Cutty Sark from
29 July.
Visions of the Universe:
Visions of the Universe, which had just closed on 15 September, performed
particularly well with admission numbers being 63% above target and
admission revenues 50% ahead of target. Reviews were excellent and social
media had played a major part in ensuring such good visitation.
Ticketing:
Excellent progress had been made developing the new ticketing system. All
hardware had been purchased and the onerous task of data translation and
transfer was nearly completed. Staff training had commenced. The new system
is expected to go live on 1 October, allowing adequate time for the system to be
bedded in before Turner & the Sea advance bookings open.
Trustees noted the Director’s report and there were no other matters arising.
10.
Director of Finance & Enterprises Report
i. Finance Report Quarter ended 30 June 2013
The Director of Finance took Trustees through the management accounts, as
had been reviewed by the Finance Committee at its 25 July meeting. Trustees
noted and approved the statements.
ii. Revised forecast for 2013 – 14
Trustees noted and approved the revised cash operating surplus forecast
which reduced the forecast surplus from £373k to £200k.
iii. Strategic Risks as at 30 June 2013
The Board reviewed the strategic risks and had no further comments to make on
the Risk Register which was then approved.
11.
2012 – 13 Report to Board on Audit Committee Business
Trustees noted the report and agreed the 2013-14 Audit Plan. Trustees were
grateful to the Audit Committee and its Interim Chair for their work over the
year.
12.
Collections:
12.1 Disposal of Tulip Bank engine
On 9 July the Collections and Research Committee recommended that the
Museum dispose of this engine urgently on health and safety grounds. Details
were then emailed to all members of the full Trustee Board who agreed with the
Committee’s recommendation. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport
have since approved the proposed disposal, which has been set in train. This
item therefore was for the record and to allow the Board’s agreed decision to
dispose to be minuted.
12.2 Acquisition of Trafalgar Flags:
Union Jack from HMS Minotaur, flown at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805
Austrian Ensign, circa 1805, prize from the Battle of Trafalgar
Trustees noted that the Church’s Commissary General had finally approved the
sale and that the Museum has been fundraising ever since. Trustees were very
pleased and grateful to note that the Sir John Fisher Foundation has pledged
£50,000 and smaller amounts totalling £21,420 have also been promised.
Recently Peter Harrison very generously agreed to make up the shortfall of
some £185,000.
Subsequent to the approval from the Collections and Research Committee and
its recommendation, the Board then approved the acquisition of the two flags.
13.
Matters arising from Volume B
There were no matters arising from the information in Volume B.
14.
Arrangements for the New Year
David Moorhouse, as a long-serving Trustee, stated that Trustees and the
Executive considered Lord Sterling to have been an exceptional Chairman. He
had been a singular source of fundraising and the exhibitions spoken about
earlier in the meeting would not have been possible to mount without the
Sammy Ofer Wing and Special Exhibitions Gallery.
Lord Sterling’s incredible network and influence ran right through Parliament
to the Prime Minister and he had worked tirelessly throughout his period as
Chairman for the great benefit of the Museum and its public.
The Board and Executive had agreed that his Chairmanship should be marked
in perpetuity and they had decided that the entrance to the Museum estate at
King William Walk would become the Sterling Entrance. This will be marked by
a plaque and the “Sterling Entrance” will come into use throughout the Museum
and its literature.
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh had been invited by the Trustees to preside as
Patron over a stakeholder luncheon for some 100 guests to be given in February
2014 in the Great Hall of the Queen’s House to recognise Lord Sterling’s
remarkable Chairmanship.
Lord Sterling replied that he had been pleased to have the Museum act as a
catalyst for so much that had happened locally as well – especially the Cutty
Sark and the grant of Royal Borough status to Greenwich.
The Board also noted that this was the last meeting of David Moorhouse and
David Quarmby and wished its deepest appreciation of their work as Trustees to
be formally recorded in these minutes.
15.
Next Board Meeting:
Thursday 21 November 2013.
Distribution: Those present + apologies+ HIA
Minutes approved by Lord Sterling, Chairman
Date