Agenda item

The Joint Committee considered the performance and planning information for the 4th Quarter.

In the ensuing debate, the following principal points were raised:

·         Philippa Tinsley commented that the Joint Service was on target to achieve the change of hosting arrangements albeit with a few remaining logistical difficulties to be resolved. The key element was that there had been no impact on service users

·         In response to a query, Philippa Tinsley acknowledged that visitor numbers had not significantly increased at the Commandery since the alterations to the building. However the aim of the project was to increase visitor numbers from outside the City. It was very difficult to increase income at the same time as increasing visitor numbers. She emphasised the challenging nature of the business plan for the Commandery. She suggested that it would be appropriate to revisit the business plan targets after 12 months. She also proposed a members workshop be arranged in the Autumn to consider issues associated with the Commandery

·         It was important that future performance indicators were consistent with those of the City and County Councils 

·         The City Council had requested that the joint service's performance information be made available to it before consideration by the Joint Committee. If this approach was agreed, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee should have sight of the information in advance. Philippa Tinsley responded that wherever possible she would meet this request but it depended upon whether the requisite performance information would be available in time

·         Philippa Tinsley acknowledged that the performance of the Art Gallery and Museum had deteriorated but this should be seen in the context of a lack of serious investment in the building over a number of years. In particular the welcome to the building was not good and should be the next priority for the joint service

·         There were a number of ways of improving the performance of the Art Gallery and Museum including the better use of space and Sunday opening. In addition, the Regimental Museum had expressed an interest in using space in the building

·         The improvement of the entrance to the Art Gallery and Museum was important but the public needed to know about the building in the first place. It was not helped by visitors having to go upstairs to access the museum. It might be worth revisiting the feasibility study to see if anything was worth pursuing albeit acknowledging that there was no possibility of City Council staff moving out of the building in the foreseeable future. The perception of the building being at the wrong end of the City was not helpful in this respect

·         It was possible that the Art Gallery and Museum could be included in the City Council's Tourism Strategy

·         Proposals were being drawn up to improve the office accommodation and consideration should be given in these plans to the impact on and possible improvement of the Art Gallery and Museum space. Andrew Round added that whatever proposals were forthcoming there should not be an impact on the visitor experience

·         Were there any plans to improve the Café at the Commandery? Philippa Tinsley advised that funds had already been used to smarten up the Café. In the longer term it was proposed to increase its size and possibly open up a frontage to the canal

·         It should be remembered that the role of the Joint Service was to provide support to all museums in the county. Had the Joint Service provided any support to the Worcester Porcelain Museum? Philippa Tinsley responded that the Joint Service had committed a day a week of her time to provide to support to the Museum

·         Had any consideration been given to a joint promotion of the Porcelain Museum and the Commandery? Philippa Tinsley advised that conversations had been held regarding joint promotion with the Porcelain Museum. As part of these plans, the Tourist Information Centre would be selling joint tickets for the venues.

RESOLVED that the performance and planning information provided for the 4th quarter 2017-18 be noted.