Agenda item

Joint report of the Acting Director for Place (Staffordshire County Council) and Director of People – Assistant Chief Executive (Stoke-on-Trent City Council)

The Committee received a joint report (Schedule 1 to the signed minutes) updating them on the Staffordshire History Centre consultation findings.  Following the development of a 10 year vision for the service in conjunction with staff, partners, Friends’ groups, local history groups and volunteers of Staffordshire Archives and Heritage, nine initial options for delivery were reduced to four options which were taken forward for wider public consultation over an eight week period in the summer of 2015.

Members noted that responses to the options and about priorities for the future service were gathered via a survey. The survey was also discussed with 450 people at eleven drop in sessions at public venues and with a forum of representatives from organisations that have archives deposited with the service (21 attendees).   Promotion of the process was wide with 10,000 leaflets and 1,000 posters distributed at community venues across all eight districts, local press coverage and extensive social media coverage as well as links from the Service’s online pages.  The consultation was commended by the National Archives for the lengthy period and extensive process undertaken by the County Council.

A large number of comments were made on each of the options and on the proposals as a whole. The majority of responses were overwhelmingly supportive for Option A with 196 people commenting that the option was good, realistic or viable. The next popular comment was that it was important to retain the character of and access to the William Salt Library. However people did express concerns around travelling to Stafford and parking in the town. There was also disappointment that the current Lichfield Record Office would close although the replacement access point was welcomed.

Since the Project Board meeting in early September Option A had been developed further to add more detail to the proposal. The William Salt Library Trust (the main project partner) was currently receiving mentoring and support from the Princes Regeneration Trust (PRT). PRT facilitated a workshop with trustees, Friends of the William Salt Library, representatives from Stafford Borough Council (for planning and building conservation), an architect from a local firm working pro bono and some Archive Service staff to look at the options for the site in the light of Option A as the preferred option. The workshop explored the issues facing the service and also the space in Stafford town centre identifying challenges and opportunities for the project. 

Members noted details in the outline proposal for the activity programme for the Staffordshire History Centre including: the community offer; digital offer; community history area to be developed at Lichfield Library; exhibitions offer; and a fall back option would be developed in parallel with Option A if the Archive Service do not get HLF funding.  Members were shown draft designs for Option A and the Chairman asked that costings for the William Salt Library area proposals be shown separately. They noted that the HLF application would be submitted by 10 December 2015, considered by the Board in March 2016 and the decision would be made soon after.

RESOLVED – (a) that the results of the consultation be accepted and noted by the Committee.

(b) that the Joint Archive Committee approves the development of Option A for first stage submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in December 2015.