Joint report of the Director for Economy, Infrastucture and Skills (Staffordshire County Council) and Director of Strategy and Resources (Stoke-on-Trent City Council)

A progress report on the development of the Staffordshire History Centre was considered. Key points to note were that the construction contract was expected to be awarded in early autumn 2022, the William Salt Library Collection had been successfully moved to a temporary location and staff and volunteers at both that Library and the Staffordshire Records Office had relocated to a temporary base at Eastgate House. Various projects and events were taking place as the service continued to be accessible to the public.

Updates on the temporary arrangements and communications about the History Centre project were regularly published.

The first tranche of Heritage Funding (£63,025.83) had been approved with other sources of funding continually being investigated. Stafford Borough Council had recently agreed a £250,000 bid in their UK Shared Prosperity investment plan towards the  public realm aspects of the History Centre (subject to Government approval).

The temporary closure of full facilities and services had necessitated the development of a Public Access Model whereby access would be permitted on one day per week where necessary to fulfil statutory or time sensitive requirements.  Volunteers and staff would have limited access to strong rooms throughout the period of the Project to enable them to provide copies of documentation where the client does not need direct access to any original version.

Proposed Branding for the project had been reviewed to take account of comments at earlier Joint Committee meetings. Various revised options were presented. Discussing those options, Members focussed on their flexibility to suit individual collections/exhibitions and compatibility with each Councils’ own branding.

Resolved- that:

a)   the progress report be noted

b)  the Public Access Model be approved

c)   approval be given to the Branding based on an ‘S’ as illustrated at Appendix 3 to the report.

Joint report of the Director for Economy, Infrastucture and Skills (Staffordshire County Council) and Director of Strategy and Resources (Stoke-on-Trent City Council)

Joint report of Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Families and Communities (Staffordshire County Council) and Director of Strategy and Resources (Stoke-on-Trent City Council)