Decision details

Heritage Services Business Plan 2017-2022

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

The report introduces the second update of the five-year Heritage Services business plan adopted by Cabinet in February 2015.

Decision:

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

 

1)  Approve the Heritage Service Business Plan 2017-2022 with a slight amendment to the Business Strategy section under “Roman Baths” to read:

 

Increase admission charges in 2018 potentially with further increases in the other four years to be agreed with the relevant Cabinet Member and recognising the excellent value for money rating given by visitors.”

 

2)  Confirm that it wishes Heritage Services to continue to work to the business principles agreed by the Council Executive in 2004, as amended;

 

 

3)  Approve the deferral of £100k of Approved capital expenditure on the implementation of the new Visitor Management System from 2017/18 to 2018/19;

 

4)  Note that at its February meeting Cabinet gave Provisional Approval to the following capital projects:

a)  Archway Centre Public Realm improvements at a cost of £226k to support funding already identified through the Roman Baths Infrastructure Programme and the Public Realm Improvement Programme to deliver essential safety and public realm works in the immediate area of the new Archway Project;

b)  Roman Baths & Pump Room Infrastructure Programme totalling £495k including replacing heat-exchange equipment (£250k) and existing electrical distribution equipment that is at maximum capacity and no longer fit for purpose (£45k).
 

5)  Note the investment contained within the Business Plan and approve the procurement of goods and services necessary to carry out this investment.

 

Reasons for the decision:

Heritage Services operates as a business unit, with annual profit targets and investment levels agreed corporately on a rolling basis. The business strategy to achieve these targets is detailed in a Business Plan ('The Plan'), reviewed and revised each year. The Plan provides a fully integrated approach to income generation and the investment necessary to achieve it, and is aligned with the Council's corporate aims and objectives.

In 2010 the Audit Commission commended Heritage Services for its achievements in value-for-money and for the business systems that enable these to be made as part of their assessment of the Council's ‘Use of Resources’. A review of governance by the Council’s internal audit service in 2013/14 rated the current arrangements as ‘excellent’.

Alternative options considered:

The process of revising and updating the Business Plan has involved consideration of a number of different pricing, marketing and investment options. The financial and business effects of these options were modelled and evaluated. The business strategy attached recommends a coherent and integrated series of decisions that are most likely to enable the Service to meet the targets required of it by the Financial Plan and sustain this level of performance in future years.

Another option would be for Heritage Services to cease functioning along the business lines of the past eleven years and return to being a conventional local authority museum service. The absence of investment would lead to a loss of focus and competitiveness and result in falling revenues to the Council. This course of action is not recommended.

Report author: Stephen Bird

Publication date: 12/04/2017

Date of decision: 12/04/2017

Decided at meeting: 12/04/2017 - Cabinet

Effective from: 22/04/2017

Accompanying Documents: