FIFTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

Lancashire Record Office, Monday 11 December 2000 at 2.00pm

Present: Jim Grisenthwaite, (ACALG), Chairman

Nigel Hardman (Business Archives Council)

Bruce Jackson (Society of Archivists, NW Region), Secretary

Peter McNiven (Standing Conference of National and University Libraries)

David Stoker (Merseyside Archivists Group)

Jonathan Pepler (NW County Archivists Group), Treasurer

Michael Willis-Fear (British Records Assoc.)

Richard Hoyle (Royal Historical Society)

Kevin Mulley (Greater Manchester Archivists Group)

Colin Phillips (co-opted)

Brenda Smith (Federation of Family History Societies)

Frances Thomson (Consortium of University Research Libraries and NW Regional Library System)

Maryann Gomes (Film Archive Forum)

In attendance as Observers: Ian Taylor and Paul Parry (NW Museums Service); Janette Martin (National Museum of Labour History); Susannah England (Local Heritage Initiative Advisor, Countryside Agency) for Item 1.

Susannah England of the Countryside Agency made a presentation on the operation of this scheme, which was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Nationwide Building Society. The initiative was for 3 years, but it was hoped that project could have a life span up to 10 years. 25 Pilot programmes had been undertaken, (6 in the North West) and the scheme was now being rolled out nationally. Although the aim was to foster and record all aspects of local distinctiveness, it was important that professional advice and support was available to the schemes, and many local record offices were functioning as advisors. Information packs were circulated to those present giving full information on the scheme.

Alan Crosby (British Association for Local History), Caroline Williams (Liverpool University Centre for Archive Studies), Steven Jones (PRO), John Gurney (HMC),

Katie Norgrove, Archive Development Officer for the Regions.

The Chairman welcomed Maryann Gomes to her first meeting of the RAC as representative of the Film Archive Forum, which was now in full membership of the National Council on Archives (NCA)

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Item 6.2 The Draft had not yet been circulated due to delays in producing the Project Report.

Item 8.2 The Secretary (BJ) apologised for not yet having prepared a letterhead, and undertook to do so before the next meeting.

The Regional bid document, entitled "Our Mutual Friends in the North" had now been completed and submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. This was a major achievement within the time scale since the last Meeting of the RAC, and members expressed their gratitude to Jan Hargreaves, Catherine Clark and Katy Goodrum who had prepared the bid, and to Janice Taylor who had provided invaluable guidance.

A decision on the success of the bid was expected in May or early June. The Chester and Cheshire Archive Service is serving as the "lead" and so employees would probably be based there. The North West Sound Archive would not now be taking part in the bid, due to the integrated nature of their catalogues.

There was some discussion about the importance of the website carrying the A2A project material being sustainable in the long term, and also the importance of websites pointing to the existence of uncatalogued material.

A paper giving the proposed timetable, project budget and contribution from participating organisations was circulated [copy attached].

A note by Katie Norgrove (KN) on emerging issues associated with Regional Archive Strategies was circulated for consideration [copy attached]. This paper, in conjunction with the work already carried out by Nigel Hardman (NH) in the region, and the draft strategies already produced by the South West and East Midlands regions will be of great assistance in preparing the strategy. Jim Grisenthwaite (JG) advised the meeting that the post of Strategic Development Officer (Museums, Libraries and Archives) had now been advertised and it was hoped to appoint in the early weeks of 2001. The timetable for completion of the strategy was very tight.

In discussion, questions were made about user input to the development of the strategy (particularly within the timescale), and how it would link in with the Regional Cultural and Regional Development Strategies. It was agreed that the strategy must make clear the disparities between the level of services in archival units across the region. In response to a question on progress in making appointments to produce the strategy in other regions, it was said that West Midlands had filled the post by secondment, while Yorkshire and Humberside had advertised and were a few weeks ahead of the North West in terms of the process.

7 National Issues

7.1 Re:source

JG tabled a letter dated 8 December from Resource [copy attached] which outlined the level of financial settlement available to Re:source for 2001 - 2004. From 2002/3 there would be a significant increase in the level of funding from central government, rising from £18.92M in 2001/2 to £25.27M in 2002/3. Re:source intend to devote this increase to investing in Regional Collections and services, promoting capacity within the Regions and making an effective contribution, on a cross-sectoral basis, to the developing regional Agenda. This will involve looking at the present Museums Designation Challenge Fund to consider its extension on a cross-sectoral basis, establishing an innovation fund, and possibly regional funding units.

JG also tabled a further letter from Re:source on the second tranche of funding for regional cross-sectoral bids to be made early in 2001.Bids will be regional and aimed to address strategic needs - supporting strategic planning, organisational developments to advance cross-sectoral working, and meeting user and potential user needs.

It appeared that the question of the "structure" of the regional cross-sectoral bodies would have to be addressed in about 2004, after the pilot in the North East.

7 National Issues (cont.)

7.1 Re:source (cont.)

JG also informed the meeting that Re:source was extending its "Free Modem" scheme to include Record Offices and Archives. He will be the regional contact for vouchers (etc.)

Attention was also drawn to Re:source's recent discussion paper, Regional Collections: Towards a Sustainable Future.[available on the Re:source Website]. Although primarily based on Regional Museums issues, the intention is to look also at the other sectors, and to seek to stimulate debate on these issues. All members were advised to read the document, which will probably be of long term importance in setting the discussion, although it is not yet clear how it is intended that this should evolve.

As previously reported, the launch date had now been delayed until January 2001. There was nothing else to report at the moment.

Attention was drawn to the next National User Survey, which would be held in February 2001.

Interviews were being held in the second week of December, but there was no evidence that the nominee put forward by the RAC had been approached.

Member's attention was drawn to the consultation stage "Action Plan" recently produced by the PRO as a follow-up to the Government Strategy for Archives issued in December 1999. It was agreed that a response to this should be discussed at the next meeting of the RAC.

8.1 Appointment of Regional Strategic Development Officer

This had been dealt with under item 6 above

The Treasurer (JP), recommended opening an account with the Alliance and Leicester plc, and it was agreed to do so. The Officers signed the necessary forms. JP also informed the meeting that he hoped to be able to organise some clerical and administrative support, based at Chester, and that he was in the process of drawing up a budget for the £3100 allocated by Re:source for the current year. m In view of the immediate likelihood of receiving funding of £3100 via NCA, it was agreed that the RAC should:

Both organisations were currently undergoing re-structuring to address the new cross-sectoral environment. The new Board of the Area Museum Council will meet in March 2001 with a more strategic and cross-sectoral remit. The Regional Library System is proposing to re-establish itself as "Libraries North West", and it is hoped that the new proposals will be agreed at an EGM in early 2001. The new board will be more streamlined, but also more representative.

The RCC had last met in Salford in November, when consultants were appointed to prepare the Regional Cultural Strategy and carry out a mapping exercise (with the RDA). The Sectors have now been approached for information, and Focus groups will be formed in early 2001. A Cultural Business Manager has been appointed.

Paul Parry of the North West Museums Service (PP) spoke to the meeting about the regional initiatives with regard to skills development in Tourism and Creative Industries. The RDA has funded each of these sectors for 2 years with £300,000 each.

PP has been working to ensure that the definitions of both Tourism and Creative Industries are broad enough to include the Museum, Library and Archive sectors. 20 demonstrations are to be backed over the next 2 years, with consultants preparing a forward brief. Two new initiatives aimed to facilitate the developments are the establishment of regional cross-sectoral groups on Regional Diversity and IT. Details of these were not yet forthcoming.

9 Any Other Business

9.1 Kevin Mulley (KM) informed the meeting that Salford Archives had now relocated to Peel Park.

9.2 BJ reported that the Film Archives Forum and the National Council for Conservation-Restoration had now come in to full membership of the National Council on Archives. As yet no nomination had been received from the latter body to serve on the RAC.

As previously agreed, the next meeting would be held at Lancashire Record Office in Preston on 5 February, and, the subsequent meeting on 2 April at Preston. All meetings would be on Monday at 2.00pm.