2024-03-31-accounts

Minutes

Minutes	Minutes	Minutes
Department / Division:			Brighton & Hove Division
Name:			Old Police Cells Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Location of Meeting:			Via Teams Only
Date:			Wednesday4thSeptember 2024
Time:			10:00 to 12:00
Chair:		Mark Streater (MS) (Honorary Secretary)
Attendees:		Chief Superintendent Rachel Carr (RC) (Honorary Chair) John Eagles (JE) (Honorary Treasurer) Nick May (NM) (Trustee) Sean Nolan (SN) (Trustee) Peter Castleton (PC) (Trustee) Bob Wilkins (BW) (Trustee) Ian Borthwick (IB) (Tour Guide/Volunteer) Mark Ireland (MI) (Auditor) Andrea Wood (AWO) (Partnership Manager) Meagan Robinson (MR) (Senior Secretary – Minutes/Actions)
Apologies:		Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex – Mr Andrew Blackman (AB) (President) Mr Peter James (PJ) (Vice President) High Sherif of East Sussex – Mrs Lucinda Fraser (LF) Under Sherif for West & East Sussex – Mr Kevin Smyth (KS) Jane Derrick (JD) (Trustee) Mr Derek Oakensen (DO) (Volunteer) Mr John Coleman (JC) (Tour Guide/Volunteer)
Item				Owner
0 1	Introductions The Chair welcomed the Vice President, Trustees and members of the OPCM to the ofcial AGM for 2024.			Honorary Chair
0 2	Apologies The Honorary Secretary mentioned those members that were not able to attend the meeting today and had passed their apologies.			Honorary Secretary
0 3	Minutes of AGM 18th September 2023 The Chair reviewed the minutes from 18thSeptember 2023 and asked if anyone had any comments or amendments. All agreed that the minutes were correct and true.			Honorary Chair

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0 Chairman’s Report incorporating Trustee’s Report 4

Honorary Chair

MS began the meeting by stating at the end of the 2023 AGM period we had Emma Pickings (EP) and Rachel Ng (RN) moving on from their shared role as Curator which left a very substantive gap in the museum despite the fantastic work they had both done to keep the museum functioning. Since then, our Partnership Manager Andrea Wood (AWO) has done a magnificent job sourcing funding from both Sussex Police and the OPCC as well as put together a substantive job description for the new Museum Manager role and ensuring that we were advertising strictly for someone that suited the role. This took a lot of time to put together and interviews were conduced over the summer months ending with our chosen candidate Ollie Knight (OK) accepting the role. OK comes from the Imperial War Museum in London and looks to come on board with his first day on 07/10. AWO and Nick May (NM) intend to meet OK for coffee before he commences the role and AWO will be his Line Manager until the official changeover to the OPCC.

The current status of the museum is that we have a collection that is ageing, and it is being displayed in a very challenging environment. We need to ensure that before we consider opening again that it is completely fit for purpose for all future visitors.

MS thanked Angelica Blake-Lawson who is a Volunteer Student that assisted with the Education tours and social media. Rosie Hughes, who is a specialist Volunteer for the collection, Stuart Mullins, who is still with us, and has done a magnificent job of the collections and the oversight of what we display in the museum. Our Tour Guides Ian Borthwick (IB) and Peter Castleton (PC) have also done a wonderful job in assisting in keeping the museum running for as long as possible.

As we have not had a Curator/Manager in place and the health and safety concerns withing the cells, it became a risk to bring people down into the museum and it was officially closed in early summer as we could not go on with the risk and it was imperative to get the new hire in place to assess what the museum needs and also begin to work with the volunteers to ensure that the museum is opened again in a totally safe environment and that the collection is displayed in the correct manner and not to appear at all tired and worn. We did look at the numbers of visitors and for the year there had been 746 shown around the museum and 437 pupils and young people for education tours. Even with these low

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numbers it is proof that the museum still remains a significant and vital asset for Brighton & Hove, Sussex Police and the OPCC.

IB: The museum is definitely looking very tired and it needs to be smartened up and updated before we can think of opening again. For example, the lights in the display cases do not work so therefore it is almost impossible for people to see what is encased. It also needs a total deep clean.

PC: Would like to sincerely thank all of the Guides and Volunteers that worked up right to the end of Spring, especially with the education side of the museum. Angelina has been brilliant and Ian has also done a sterling job as it was basically down to IB, PC and Nick May (NM) overseeing and managing. Admittingly it was looking like the museum was going to be on its knees and it’s not at all a good representation of Sussex Police or the OPCC. PC is also really looking forward to working with OK and AWO and seeing what ideas and recommendations that OK will bring to the plate for the future of the museum.

It was testing over the Summer as there was no budget to recruit for the calibre of candidate we required for the Manager role and its fantastic news that we were able to secure the additional funding for the role and we are looking forward to getting OK on board. He has a huge task ahead of him and will need support. He will need to get familiar with the history and context of the museum quite quickly and will be working over the winter months with an optimistic view of reopening in spring 2025. We will need a game plan on how to get all of the exhibits and collections maintained properly before opening. We can only reopen the museum once we are certain that we can offer a decent and sufficiently working vehicle to the general public.

NM: Realistically we could be looking at an early spring 2025 opening for the museum. NM and AWO will be meeting with OK before he commences his role on 07/10 and PC will be his contact on his first day. He is fully equipped to slot in and work at the museum and has already done so in terms of a forward plan he has devised on what the museum could look like and how he would achieve it. He attained all this information from the job description and worked from there. NM feels that this alone shows what a forward-thinking candidate he was and NM definitely feels that we have hired the right person for the manager role. He has already mentioned looking at retail offerings and membership schemes,

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which is something that we have not considered before, and he has successfully integrated these into his current workplace at the Imperial War Museum in London. NM stated that it is very frustrating that the museum is not currently open but feels it is best that we hold fire over the winter period (and the museum has always closed over the winter months) and then we look at a tentative opening in the spring and move forward from there.

SN: Asked if it were possible for the Trustees to obtain a copy of OK’s CV to review his history to date. AWO confirmed that we do not hold an actual copy of his CV as the recruitment process generates a standardised version. AWO will ask him once he has commenced and if he agrees, will share with the Trustees.

Old Police Cells Museum: Moving Forward:

MS started this section of the meeting by announcing that an approach had been made by the OPCC, mainly due to the background and sense of urgency around future funding from Sussex Police and the OPCC to keep the museum going. The museum was founded by volunteers including past officers and staff from Sussex Police as well as Mrs Pat Drake (PD) (who is a past Councillor and Mayor of Brighton and Hove and whose Husband also served for Sussex Police). The museum is in a position where it needs to be consolidated to become a more viable entity and to ensure that it can move forward and grow. This has not worked viably for us to date and we have been looking at other police museums working models to see what we can emulate with better input and funding.

Our Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne (KB), looks after the heritage estate for Sussex Police and she also has a personal interest, so wanted to approach the Trustees at our recent meeting in August with a proposal to ensure that the legacy and security for the museum to grow would be greatly benefited by her offer to sponsor and lead the museum into its next phase. At the meeting KB offered in her lead caretaker role of the heritage estate, to take the museum ‘under the wings’ of the OPCC for Sussex Police and would look to further grow and invest where possible and also use the skill and resource of our incoming manager and volunteers and linking them in with the resource that she has under the OPCC in resourcing, co-ordination and administration roles to consolidate a new home for the museum. KB has also stated that she will liaise with our current Chair, Chief Superintendent Rachel Carr (RC) and other senior officers to take the museum back into the ‘family fold’

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within the OPCC/Force but it will be transferred to OPCC under her leadership.

The Trustees considered this and deemed for the interest of the museum overall, this is the best opportunity that we have to secure its legacy. KB on the back of this will write formally to the Chair (RC) and Trustees to offer this proposal. Once the offer has been made then it will be handed to the Solicitors to make the formal changes for the swap over from being a charity to being a museum that will be publicly funded. The charity will be dissolved and the responsibility of the collection would simply return to the OPCC for full management and they will also look to work with BHCC (as owners of the Brighton Town Hall where the museum is located) and our new manager and volunteers and assist in coordinating the way forward. The OPCC has volunteer co-ordinators who can also liaise with OK and assist in training new volunteers. The OPCC has a huge interest in making a success of the museum and to see it reopen and thrive. That is the current status of the situation and from MS’s role as Honorary Secretary and CEO for the OPCC, he will continue to articulate KB’s vision for the museum. It was agreed that the museum would be at an advantage being with the OPCC as they have the vital network for funding and administration that we have struggled with in the past.

Open forum for feedback and comments:

NM: Is very supportive that to achieve the ongoing success of the museum and to reinvigorate it and make it sustainable for the future, it would thrive under the proposed management of the OPCC. We have all seen in the past how difficult it is to sustain the energy for running the museum and for both Trustees and volunteers to have the time and energy to put into the museum when we have had such limited funding as well. These challenges were also heightened by the closedown throughout COVID and with the change in Curator and other roles (including EP and RN), but NM feels we have the reassurance that we needed from the OPCC to offer a better bedrock for the future of the museum.

BW: Stated that he supported this decision at the last Trustee meeting in August and thinks the offer has come as a good time as KB has just been re-elected as Commissioner and that should ensure that she will be able to manage the museum as a priority for another few years, giving it the lifeline that it needed. BW wanted to know if OK was aware of the pending changes

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and if not, when will it be discussed with him. NM confirmed that it had not been discussed with OK as yet as we wanted to get the AGM out of the way and ensure that we are on the right track to the next stage before he is advised. He will be reassured that this is only good news for the longevity of museum (and also for his role).

SN: We need look at the overall protection of the collection, promote the legacy of the museum and its modernisation and also ensuring the sustainability and that this proposal from the OPCC hits all three buttons. SN is very familiar with KB from prior roles and knows that she will respect our trust in handing over the museum as she holds the potential for the museum to be steered in the right direction moving forward. SN agrees that OK should be advised of the proposed changes as soon as possible and also stated that the process from moving the museum from a charity to a public funded organisation should be a smooth and transparent process. SN wanted to know if the Trustees discussed at the last Trustees meeting (as he could not attend), was there any discussion about the possible change of location for the museum and would there be any implications in such a move? KB has met with Jess Gibbons (CEO of BHCC) and Bella Sankey (Leader of BHCC) and they have plans on how they would like to promote the history of the city and both want to support and assist with the museum and were looking at possibly reinvesting in the cells of the museum as they desperately need rejuvenation.

AWO: Confirmed that OK has not been advised about the OPCC proposal, but this will not negatively affect his contract as he is currently on a two-year fixed term contract with Sussex Police, and this proposal would ensure longevity for his role, and it is likely his contract would become permanent. He is super keen to start his role and has not questioned at all the charitable side of the museum and how that is managed. He lives in Brighton (approximately a 20-minute walk from home, opposed to his travel to London to the Imperial War Museum) and AWO thinks that he will be very interested in being involved with the decision making and move to the OPCC and the public funding status that it will bring the museum.

MS: Confirmed that all employment contracts are managed under the same people process at OPCC as at Sussex Police, and OK will be updated on the outcome.

MS: Stated that KB has not mentioned anything about a

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possible change in location (after SN’s comments about Jess Gibbons and Bella Sankey’s discussions), but she is fully aware that we will need a proper contingency plan for the museum.

IB: The museum suffered greatly when the previous Curator (EJ) and RN and EP left. Wanted to know if we had a contingency plan should OK also decide to leave after a year and how would we apply for any grants if we are losing our charitable status.

MS: Confirmed that we would love for the museum to be in a position where we can generate income and more funding to ensure we have the resilience to keep staff and also be able to keep sponsors and funders for posts, but there could be risks in losing grants as we would be coming out of a charity based organisation to a public funded one but we may be able to go after grant funding from BHCC or other Local Authorities/Partners.

AWO: Wanted to ensure all that she does not think that OK would leave after a short period as he has long term plans and interest in the role and he has clearly expressed that in his application and interview.

PC: Bella Sankey has mentioned that she is keen to keep the history of Brighton Town Hall and the museum would be considered as well due to its history, but it is known that the basement location is a difficult environment to maintain and manage. BHCC may be more flexible with resourcing of the space and keeping us there once the museum is secured under the OPCC public funding.

MS: The museum needs to have a cultural planner and once everything is set up and OK is on board, we can look at a joint meeting to discuss future idea (MS/OK/NM/PC). We may be giving up some income streams (i.e. grant funding) no longer being a charity but becoming an entity held under public funding should be a beacon for future funding and the right way forward to ensure the preservation of the collection and the legacy of the museum. Until the formal exchange of letters, the charity status will remain in place. MS will liaise with the Force Solicitors to draw up the letters on behalf of the museum and the collection is already owned by the Heritage Estate so it is likely it will be seen as the museum is ‘gifting’ the collection to the OPCC and hopefully the museum will be able to stay within the Brighton Town Hall for the foreseeable future. Closer to the exchange date when it is announced, MS is proposing that we hold an event before the ‘next stage

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	of the journey of the museum’ and KB would love to recognise all the eforts, commitments and hard work that has been done by the Volunteers, Trustees and staf members to date. It has also been pitched to possibly set up a ‘friends of the museum’ group for those past and present to connect with the museum. NM: OK has already discussed bringing in membership schemes, community groups etc for the Imperial War Museum with great success and NM feels he is the right person to work with MS/KB. The OPCC ofce can closely identify with the museum too that we have been able to achieve in the past. We of course have had some success, but being embedded in the OPCC will give the museum a greater opportunity to be a long running success and more impactful with the community, particularly in such areas as social media, which to date has been managed on an ad-hoc by our volunteers to the best of their ability but they are not media or communications experts. Action: MS will link in and commence discussions with OK to emulate his thoughts on membership schemes going forward with the museum once he is on board in October.
0 5	Curators Report Not discussed at this meeting due to the museum being closed down and no one positioned in the role for that period.
0 6	Financial Report As at end of fnancial year (31/03), the museum has a defcit of £4.5k, this is due to payment of additional costs for volunteer work and this can be seen in the accounts. The OPCC and Sussex Police have agreed to pay back £5.1k and the defcit will then be wiped out. The overall funds in the bank have gone from £21k to £16k but that too will be replenished back to £21k by the OPCC and Sussex Police. Going forward we need to refect on what has happened in this previous year as we had grant income streams coming in thanks to EP and RN. MI: Confrmed that the accounts have been fully audited and stated for the minutes that JE continues to keep a brilliant and correct record of managing the accounts and nothing from them has been bought to his attention as concerns or for need of discussion.	Honorary Treasurer

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	SN: Stated for the minutes that he on behalf of all Trustees wanted to thank JE and MS for all of their outstanding and continued support of the museum in the past 12 months, especially through these last few months which have been very testing for the museum. Finance Paper Approval: Proposed: Mr Sean Nolan (SN) Seconded: Mr Bob Wilkins (BW)
0 7	Election of Trustees The OPCM’s two longest trustees (SN/BW) were asked to state if they wish to step down from their Trustee roles and if not, if they are happy to be reappointed. Both have stated that they would like to continue in their respective Trustee roles. Re-election of Trustee: Mr Sean Nolan (SN): Proposed:Mr Nick May (NM) Seconded:Mr John Eagles (JE) Re-election of Trustee: Mr Bob Wilkins (BW): Proposed:Mr Nick May (NM) Seconded:Mr John Eagles (JE)	Honorary Secretary
0 8	Election of President and Vice President President: Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex Mr Andrew Blackman (AB) wishes to remain the President. Proposed:Mr Sean Nolan (SN) Seconded:Mr Peter Castleton (PC) Vice President: Mr Peter James (PJ) wishes to remain the Vice President. Proposed: Mr Nick May (NM) Seconded: Mr Bob Wilkins (BW)	Honorary Secretary
0 9	Election of Chair Chief Superintendent Ms Rachel Carr (RC) wishes to remain the Chair.	Honorary Secretary

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	Proposed:Mr Sean Nolan (SN) Seconded:Mr Peter Castleton (PC)
1 0	Election of Deputy Chair Mr Peter Castleton (PC) wishes to remain the Deputy Chair. Proposed:Mr Ian Borthwick (IB) Seconded:Mr John Eagles / Ms Andrea Wood (AWO)	Honorary Secretary
1 1	Election of Honorary Treasurer Mr John Eagles (JE) wishes to remain the Honorary Treasurer. Proposed:Mr Sean Nolan (SN) Seconded:Mr Peter Castleton (PC)	Honorary Secretary
1 2	Election of Honorary Secretary Mr Mark Streater (MS) wishes to remain the Honorary Secretary. Proposed:Mr Bob Wilkins (BW) Seconded:Mr Nick May (NM)	Honorary Chair
1 3	Appointment of Auditor Mr John Eagles (JE) has confrmed that Mr Mark Ireland (MI) wishes to remain the Auditor.	Honorary Secretary
1 4	Any Other Items of Business agreed as a matter of urgency by the Honorary Chair There were no items of business that were raised for this agenda item.	Honorary Chair
1 5	AOB IB: Queried the status of the plaque for Mr David Rowland for the museum as this had been an action from last years AGM. MS apologised for this oversight and has asked IB to email him with all of the fner details (including words to put on the plaque and positioning etc). NM will review the other plaques in the museum once OK is on board and then a decision can be made at a future Trustees meeting for further plaques for other people that have had an instrumental role within the museum includingfounder Pat Drake.	Honorary Chair

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Action: MS will update Pat Drake about the discussions that have been held to date about the future of the museum with the involvement of the OPCC.

Action: MS will advise of a possible exceptional Trustees Meeting before the reins are handed over to the OPCC.

Action: MS will ensure that the plaque for Mr David Rowland is made up once he has all the details from IB. He will also chase up the police hat that belongs to Mr Roger Birch that is currently in the possession of Pat Drake.

There was no further business raised, therefore the Honorary Secretary closed the meeting at 11:25

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Old Police Cells Museum Accounts for the 12 months ending 31st March, 2024

Income Grant Income Donations Hire of cells Museum Donations and Sales Spnsorship Interest Acquisitions Employee Expenses Curators Expenses Grant Expenditure Expenses including Subsriptions Hire Expenses Environment Just Giving Subscription Publicity Web Site Insurances Excess Income(-) over Expenditure Balance at start of year Represented by: Business Premium Account Community Account John Eagles CPFA Honorary Treasurer April 2024	2023/24 £ -2,000.00 -4,164.18 -39.22 -10.70 -6,214.10 5,118.35 2,741.31 2,353.18 350.72 144.00 10,707.56 4,493.46 -20,824.55 -16,331.09 -899.38 -15,431.71 -16,331.09	2022/23 £ -1,300.00 -2,050.00 -4,086.46 -560.46 -1.93
		-7,998.85 2,859.93 2,086.17 379.98 821.71 216.00 300.00
		6,663.79
		-1,335.06
		-19,489.49
		-20,824.55
		-888.68 -19,935.87
		-20,824.55