Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Safer & Stronger Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/101

Contact: Martyn Brown, County Heritage and Arts Officer Tel: (01993) 814114

Report by Director for Social & Community Services (CA10).

The Soldiers of Oxfordshire are seeking to build a new museum within the grounds of The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, following agreement in principle by the Cabinet in September 2008. SOFO have raised £4 million towards the project and have initiated some significant community and learning programmes with Oxfordshire schools. This report seeks approval for the legal and property details, including the lease, to be concluded, so that work may start on site in September.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)              authorise the County Council’s Assistant Head of Property to agree a Development Agreement for the whole project and the grant of a lease on the site within the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum to SOFO on terms to be agreed;

(b)              authorise the demolition of the Pratten Building and a Development Agreement for the new SOFO museum on the site; and

(c)               authorise the County Solicitor to agree suitable agreements with SOFO for future shared and joint management arrangements on the museum site

Mr Tim May Vice Chairman of the SOFO Trustees spoke in support of the proposals which would be beneficial to both sides. He referred to the money raised by SOFO for the project and to other bids currently underway. However there were risks for SOFO and in particular a need to be able to prove they would be there for some considerable period of time, with guarantees over future access to the site. Without these it would be difficult to recommend acceptance of the scheme by SOFO.

The Cabinet Member for Safer & Stronger Communities referred to the long history of the scheme and commented that despite the frustrations there had been a successful partnership forged. The proposals would increase the footfall to the Oxfordshire Museum so were of benefit to both SOFO and the County. She recognised that both sides had identified risks but that there would be a detailed agreement to address these. The intention was to negotiate with staff to ensure that staffing was complementary across the two museums

Martn Brown added that although there were risks identified around the lease and access both sides were convinced that the proposals were in the best interests of botth sides.

Generally Cabinet members welcomed the proposals.

In the light of the comments made an additional recommendation was proposed and agreed that if agreement was not reached then the matter should come back to Cabinet for further decision.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)       authorise the County Council’s Assistant Head of Property to agree a Development Agreement for the whole project and the grant of a lease on the site within the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum to SOFO on terms to be agreed in accordance with the County Council’s obligations for disposal of land contained in the Constitution;

(b)               authorise the County Solicitor to agree suitable agreements with SOFO for future shared and joint management arrangements on the museum site; and

(c)               agree that should agreement not be reached in respect of either (a) or (b) above then the matter should come back to cabinet for further decision.