City and County of Swansea West Glamorgan Archives Committee
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CITY AND COUNTY OF SWANSEA NOTICE OF MEETING You are invited to attend a Meeting of the WEST GLAMORGAN ARCHIVES COMMITTEE At: Committee Room 2, Civic Cent re, Swansea. On: Thursday, 12 December 2013 Time: 11.00 am AGENDA Page No. 1 To receive any Apologies for Absence. 2 To receive Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests from Members. 3 To approve and sign the Minutes of the West Glamorgan Archives 1 - 4 Committee held on 13 September 2013 as a correct record. 4 To consider the Report of the County Archivist. 5 - 23 5 Date of Meetings for 2013/14. 14 th March (Neath) - 11.00am. Patrick Arran Head of Legal, Democratic Services & Procurement 5 December 2013 Contact: Gareth Borsden - 01792 636824 Agenda Item 3 CITY AND COUNTY OF SWANSEA NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE WEST GLAMORGAN ARCHIVES COMMITTEE HELD AT THE CIVIC CENTRE, PORT TALBOT ON FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2013 AT 11.00 A.M. PRESENT : Councillor D W Davies (Vice-Chair) presided Representatives of the City and County of Swansea : Councillor(s) : Councillor(s) : P M Meara R V Smith Representatives of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council : Councillor(s) : Councillor(s) : Councillor(s) : J Dudley P A Rees A Wingrave Representatives of the Associated Organisations : Canon S J Ryan - Diocese of Llandaff Mrs J L Watkins - Neath Antiquarian Society Officers : K Collis, D Michael, W John and G Borsden 13. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Mr D B Lewis (Lord Lieutenant), Councillors K E Marsh, J A Raynor, C Thomas and Venerable R Williams and Dr L Miskell. 14. DISCLOSURES OF INTERESTS In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by both Authorities, the following interest was declared. Mr D Michael - Officer Interest in report relating to Neath Mechanics Institute referred to in the County Archivist’s report and left prior to discussion. Page 1 Minutes of the Meeting of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee (13.09.2013) Cont’d 15. MINUTES The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 th June 2013 were agreed and signed as a correct record by the Vice-Chair. 16. REPORT OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVIST Mr Kim Collis, County Archivist reported on the following matters: 17. SERVICE ISSUES The County Archivist detailed the proposals for the Service’s approach to achieving the new Archives Accreditation Standard which is to be rolled out across the UK in the next three years. The results of and issues identified by a recent IiP inspection in Swansea and Neath were outlined. The County Archivist detailed two non-user surveys that had recently taken place in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot respectively. The need for a further non-user survey in Neath Port Talbot was detailed as a result of the lack of response to the initial survey. A proposal to purchase a whiteboard for use in the archive searchroom during school visits was outlined and the potential for grant aid available was indicated and discussed. An oral history collection policy was submitted for approval by Committee. Some issues were raised relating to the provision of copies of sound recordings. Further discussion relating to the new policy to be undertaken before the next meeting with a resubmission of the policy incorporating a revised text if necessary to the next meeting. AGREED that a whiteboard be purchased to support the work of the Archives Education Service. 18. SERVICE PERFORMANCE The County Archivist reported on the statistics for the last quarter relating to usage of Archive Service facilities. 19. SERVICE OUTREACH The County Archivist indicated that the book launch for the Bernard Morris memorial volume will take place in October 2013. Page 2 Minutes of the Meeting of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee (13.09.2013) Cont’d He outlined preparations for a World War I exhibition by the Service which will be held in Neath Civic Centre in August 2014 jointly with Neath Port Talbot Library Service. He detailed sessions held with the various schools during the quarter. 20. PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS AND PARTNERSHIP WORKING The County Archivist reported on the local history and professional meetings attended by staff during the quarter. 21. STAFF The County Archivist reported that the Archive Trainee for 2013/14 will be Catherine Stewart, a history graduate from Cardiff University. 22. ACCESSIONS OF ARCHIVES The County Archivist reported on the various accessions received by the Service during the last quarter and indicated that arrangements are in hand to receive the extensive South Wales Evening Post Archive during September. He outlined the agreement reached with the Evening Post relating to the reproduction and purchase of photographs. He referred to the discussions at the previous meetings relating to the potential purchase of the Neath Abbey Ironworks Collection and updated Committee on the current position, particularly relating to the grant aid secured towards the purchase. AGREED that the Archive Service purchase the Neath Abbey Ironworks Collection using the Archive reserves up to a total of £20,000. 23. NEATH MECHANICS INSTITUTE The County Archivist reported and outlined the current position relation to the future of the Mechanics Institute in Neath following a report to Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council’s Cabinet. He indicated that he and the Antiquarian Society had submitted written submissions to the report author as the report contained some factual inaccuracies. Page 3 Minutes of the Meeting of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee (13.09.2013) Cont’d It was indicated that the report was part of a wider consultation on all NPT buildings and no decision on the future of the Mechanics Institute had been taken. Mrs Watkins indicated that it would not be possible financially for the Society to take over the insurance or maintenance of the building. The meeting ended at 12.10 p.m. CHAIRMAN S: West Glamorgan Archives Committee - 13 September 2013 (GB/KL) 16 September 2013 Page 4 Agenda Item 4 CITY AND COUNTY OF SWANSEA DINAS A SIR ABERTAWE AND NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL CYNGOR BWRDEISTREF SIROL CASTELL-NEDD PORT TALBOT Report of the County Archivist West Glamorgan Archives Committee 12 December 2013 The purpose of this report is to outline the work of the Archive Service during the period September to November 2013 1. 2014/5 budget settlement and service issues The Archive Service is facing a 14% budget cut to reach an overall figure of around £285,000 in financial year 2014/5. Since the non-salaries part constitutes only 15% of the overall joint budget, it is proposed to meet the bulk of this saving by staff reductions, although the manner in which this will be carried out, and which part of the service will most be affected has not yet been finalised. The outcome of the ongoing consultation between Neath Port Talbot Council and the Neath Antiquarian Society (who hold the lease for the Neath Mechanics Institute) over the proposed transfer of the cost of repair and insurance of the building to the Antiquarian Society will have a bearing on the future viability of maintaining a service point in Neath. On 28 October, two officers from Welsh Government agency CyMAL: Museums Archives Libraries Wales visited the Neath Antiquarian Society Archives as part of an information-gathering exercise about the nature of the collection, the way the collection is cared for and the public service provided there. The Service was successful in its grant application to purchase a whiteboard for use by school groups in the Swansea searchroom (see minute 17 of meeting 13 September last). Page 5 2. Purchase of the Neath Abbey Ironworks collection The purchase of the above collection was completed on 16 September and all promised grant monies have now been paid. The acquisition of the Neath Abbey Ironworks collection was chosen as the subject of the Archive Service’s contribution to the UK nationwide ‘Explore your Archive’ campaign in the second half of November (see paragraph 4 below). 3. Service performance Statistics for September to November 2013 The number of members of public using the Service on-site, September to November 2013, was 2,859 and the total number reached by the Service on and off-site was 4,818. Number of on-site visits at Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot 2,859 (2,510) (figures in brackets represent the same quarter last year), comprising: Swansea 1,554 (1,572) Neath 716 (671) Port Talbot 94 (141) Group visits 495 (126) Number in audiences for off-site visits 1,559 (473) Total numbers for on and off-site visits 4,818 (2,983) Number of pupils reached by the Education Service 1,544 (249) Numbers reached at events ca400 (n/a) Number of documents issued in Swansea and Neath 2,620 (2,717) Number of post and email enquiries dealt with 268 (333) Number of web-hits (March/April/May) 8,572 (9,506) 4. Service outreach Publications Members of the Archives Committee previously agreed to support the publication of a memorial volume for Swansea local historian Bernard Morris (see minute 30 of meeting 15 March 2013) by providing a guarantee against loss of £2,000 from the Archives reserves. This book was launched on 19 October and £1,500 has already been repaid to the Archive Service from the proceeds of book sales. Explore your Archive campaign In the second half of November 2013, the Archive Service took part in a nationwide campaign to raise the profile of archives, co-ordinated by The National Archives and the Archives and Records Association of Great Britain and Ireland. Archives across the UK and the Republic of Ireland created a Page 6 range of events and news releases which were branded with the ‘ Archi’ve Explored ’ strap-line ( Archifau ar Gael in Welsh).