MINUTES of a Meeting of the HERITAGE CENTRE COMMITTEE held on THURSDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2007 at 7.00 pm in the Heritage Centre, Barnstaple.

PRESENT:                   Councillor            Miss C Upcott (Chairman)

                             Councillors:         S Upcott, Mrs S Haywood, Mrs V Elkins,

                                                          J Phillips, Mrs J Hunt

Also present:     Cllr S Harvey, The Town Clerk, Denise Teague (Heritage Centre Commercial Manager), Julie Parker (Heritage Centre Creative Manager), Claire Parsons (Corporate Services Manager)

HC11         APOLOGIES

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D Brailey.

HC12         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No declarations of interest were received.

HC13         MINUTES

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meetings held on 24 May and 5 July 2007 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

                                                                                                                             (4.1abs)

Cllr Mrs Hunt joined the meeting at 7.03 pm.

HC14         PRESENTATION FROM COUNCILLOR HARVEY: PROMOTING THE HERITAGE CENTRE

Councillor Harvey addressed the Committee with his suggestions on ways that the Heritage Centre may be promoted.  Councillor Harvey told the Committee that he had visited the Heritage Centre for the first time during the summer, and was very impressed.

The suggested ways in which Cllr Harvey thought the Heritage Centre could be promoted were: advertising the Heritage Centre on the Barnstaple to Exeter trains, the distribution of Heritage Centre leaflets to a wider audience at major tourist attractions, the Heritage Centre to be advertised in the Museum of North Devon leaflet, advertising via sandwich boards in the High Street or road markings pointing towards the Heritage Centre, special organised events, and asking local business to sponsor the Heritage Centre logo on their carrier bags.

The Town Clerk thanked Cllr Harvey for his interest and support of the Heritage Centre, and explained that the suggestions he had made had already been investigated or were being carried out.

Advertising on the trains had been researched but the cost had proved to be too expensive.  A distributor was used to distribute the Heritage Centre leaflets.  If the distributor did not cover a certain area, then this would explain why the leaflets were not be at certain tourist attractions.  Councillors were also welcome to distribute leaflets if they wished.

The Museum of North Devon leaflet had been too expensive to advertise in, however, South West Schools leaflets were being produced to link in with school curriculum, and these were being produced at a reasonable cost.  The Town Clerk explained that advertising via sandwich boards was in fact illegal, but good coverage of the Heritage Centre was given on Lantern Radio, and  in the local editorials.

Special events were organised to promote the Heritage Centre, such as the Heritage Days and also the recent Countywide Heritage Day held on 8-9 September 2007. Carrier bags were a good portable way of advertising, and carriers were already produced bearing the Heritage Centre logo for purchases made in the shop. The possibility of canvas bags was being investigated, but the cost per bag was felt to be costly.

The Town Clerk informed Cllr Harvey that his points and the ones addressed would be considered in the next year's marketing review.

Cllr Harvey informed the committee that he was surprised and impressed that so much was happening behind the scenes at the Heritage Centre, that he was unaware of, and thanked the committee for allowing him to put forward his suggestions.

The Town Clerk asked that thanks to the Heritage Centre staff and volunteers for their hard work at the centre be recorded.

Cllr Harvey left the meeting at 7.20 pm

HC15         REPORT ON BARNSTAPLE HERITAGE DAYS 22 & 23 JUNE 2007

The Commercial Manager gave a report on the Barnstaple Heritage Days, which had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting.  The Heritage Days had been very successful and had worked very well split over two days at the Guildhall and the Heritage Centre.

The Commercial Manager thanked the Mayor for her attendance on the day and also thanks was given to Cllrs Windsor and Haywood.

RESOLVED that the Barnstaple Heritage Days report be noted.

                                                                                                                             (NC)

HC16         BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT APRIL 2007 - AUGUST 2007

Copies of the Budget Monitoring statement for the Heritage Centre were circulated prior to the meeting

  RESOLVED:                That the Budget Monitoring Statement be received and noted.

                                                                                                                                      (NC)

HC17         REGULAR STATISICAL REPORTS

 Copies of the statistical report for the exhibition and shop were circulated prior to the meeting together with previous year's figures for comparison.

 RESOLVED:                That the statistical report be received and noted.

                                                                                                                                     (NC)

HC18         COMMERCIAL AND ADVERTISING REPORT

Copies of the Commercial and Advertising report from the Commercial Manager was circulated prior to the meeting.

  RESOLVED:                That the Commercial and Advertising report be received and noted.

                                                                                                                                      (NC)

HC19         REPORT FROM TOWN CLERK

The Town Clerk reported that there had been two expressions of interest for use of St Anne's Chapel, if it could be brought up to a useable standard.  These had come from the Royal Albert Museum in Exeter and also the North Devon Theatres Trust for use during the North Devon Festival for fringe events.  A meeting with architects would be arranged to work up a plan to work on what the two parties concerned would like.

The vandalism at St Anne's Chapel had resulted with the suspect being arrested and the case going to court.  The Town Council's costs would now go forward.

The Countywide Heritage Days had been very successful and busy, with good feedback being received, praising the Heritage Centre.

The market stall was still in operation.  The pre Christmas market trade would be exploited after a short break.

RESOLVED: That

The report be received and noted.

Definitive talks go ahead with the architect, to work up plan for use of St Anne's Chapel

Staff and volunteers be thanked for their hard work during County Heritage Days

(NC)

The Chairman proposed, and it was unanimously agreed that the following item be taken in the absence of the Press and Public as it contains exempt information as defined by the Local Government Act 1972 Sch Part 1 (1)

HC20         STAFFING ISSUES

The Town Clerk reported that Staff No.973 had resigned from post and would be leaving employment at the end of the month.  The post had been advertised, and interviews would take place on 14 September, with a starting date for the second week in October.

RESOLVED:   That the report be noted.

                                                                                                                                      (NC)

The meeting ended at 8.00 pm

CHAIRMAN