Issue - meetings

Report of Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Wellbeing and Culture

RESOLVED THAT:

1. the updated Interim Collections Development Policy (2025-2027) attached as Appendix 2, which will run for a two-year period to end of March 2027, is approved;
2. the two supporting policy statements - the Interim Collections Care and Conservation Policy and the Interim Collection Documentation Policy attached as Appendices 3 and 4 – are approved;
3. the specific section of the Collection Development Policy in relation to archaeology, whereby the Wilson will no longer accept archaeological depositions from outside Cheltenham borough boundaries – see Section 5 – is endorsed;
4. Tram 21 is deaccessioned*, subject to a viable plan being agreed which secures the tram’s future in Cheltenham, makes it accessible to the public and allows its story to be told– see Section 6

[*deaccession in the context of arts collections is the process whereby a work of art or other object is permanently removed from a museum's collection to be disposed of.]

Introducing his report, the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Wellbeing and Culture thanked Richard Gibson of CBC, Lisa Edgar, Director of Arts and Heritage at the Cheltenham Trust, and Philippa Turner, Senior Curator at The Wilson, for all their work in cataloguing the entire official collection at the Art Gallery and Museum.  He said this fascinating collection of documents demonstrates the enormous wealth of artefacts, history and art that we hold in trust for the people of Cheltenham, from items donated by famous Cheltenham families to priceless collections of textiles, ceramics and a world class Arts and Crafts collection.

He invited Members to approve the Interim Collections Development Policy, and two supporting policy statements:  the Care and Conservation Policy, which allows for rationalisation of the collection, and the Collections Documentation Policy, which removes the requirement to catalogue every single item where appropriate.  Members were also asked to endorse the decision to no longer accept large depositions from outside CBC’s boundary, although finds of significant interest will still be accepted, and to deaccession Tram 21, the last operational tram in Cheltenham, and develop a viable plan to bring it out of storage and into public view.

In response to a Member’s question about how frequently the various collections held by the Art Gallery and Museum are viewable, the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Wellbeing and Culture said an assortment of items are brought out and displayed throughout the year.  In addition, the BIG Museum project this year invites everyone in Cheltenham to engage, giving a view on what most interests them and what they would like to see on display.  People can take part on line or in person. 

RESOLVED THAT:

1. the updated Interim Collections Development Policy (2025-2027) attached as Appendix 2, which will run for a two-year period to end of March 2027, is approved;
2. the two supporting policy statements - the Interim Collections Care and Conservation Policy and the Interim Collection Documentation Policy attached as Appendices 3 and 4 – are approved;
3. the specific section of the Collection Development Policy in relation to archaeology, whereby the Wilson will no longer accept archaeological depositions from outside Cheltenham borough boundaries – see Section 5 – is endorsed;
4. Tram 21 is deaccessioned*, subject to a viable plan being agreed which secures the tram’s future in Cheltenham, makes it accessible to the public and allows its story to be told– see Section 6

[*deaccession in the context of arts collections is the process whereby a work of art or other object is permanently removed from a museum's collection to be disposed of.]