Report on Heritage Assets to Resources and Governance
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Manchester City Council Item 8 Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee 17 November 2011 Manchester City Council Report for Resolution Report to: Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 17 November 2011 Subject: Heritage Assets Report of: Deputy Chief Executive (Neighbourhoods) City Treasurer Summary This report is provided in response to a request from the Audit Committee for further details in respect of heritage assets. It sets out the Council’s approach to heritage assets and specifically how such assets are defined, maintained, monitored and secured. Recommendations Members are requested to comment on the report. Wards Affected: All Contact Officers: Vicky Rosin Richard Paver Deputy Chief Executive (Neighbourhoods) City Treasurer 0161 234 4051 0161 234 3564 e-mail [email protected] e-mail [email protected] Background documents (available for public inspection): The following documents disclose important facts on which the report is based and have been relied upon in preparing the report. Copies of the background documents are available up to 4 years after the date of the meeting. If you would like a copy please contact one of the contact officers above. Heritage Assets Strategy, May 2011 Statement of Accounts, 2010/11 70 Manchester City Council Item 8 Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee 17 November 2011 1.0 Introduction 1.1 At its meeting on 7 July 2011 the Audit Committee considered a report of the City Treasurer, which provided details of the accounting requirements relating to heritage assets. Heritage assets were defined as assets that were held and maintained principally for their contribution to knowledge and culture and could include historical buildings, gallery collections, works of art and civic regalia. There was discussion of the definition and management of heritage assets as opposed to community assets and Members considered that this would benefit from further clarification. The Audit Committee requested that the Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee carry out a piece of work on the definition of heritage assets, how the Council keeps track of its assets, the cost of maintenance and the measures in place to ensure the security of assets. This report is produced in response to this request. 2.0 Background 2.1 In defining heritage assets there are a broad range of potential assets that can be considered for inclusion. In a city with a rich history such as Manchester this definition could extend to buildings, monuments, parks, artworks, civic regalia and other collections. Heritage also extends to assets beyond the Council’s control that may be held by public or private sector organisations as well as private individuals or charitable trusts. This report focuses solely on those assets that are managed in the custody of the Council. 2.2 Within the Council alone there are a wide range of assets that are managed across a number of services. Those, such as artworks, are held for the cultural benefit of residents and visitors to the City whereas others, such as the Town Hall Complex, are used primarily as office space and some are a mix of the two. In simple terms the collections and ‘portable’ assets including artworks, rare books and civic regalia are managed by Neighbourhood Services whereas buildings are managed jointly by the Corporate Landlord and the services that occupy these properties. 2.3 Heritage assets are difficult to value, given their historic and cultural significance. They are also, in many cases, unique and irreplaceable. The Council values these assets for two purposes; for financial reporting and for the purposes of obtaining appropriate insurance cover. These are two different purposes so the approach taken, in accordance with standard accounting and insurance practices, results in very different valuations. 2.4 Given the rich heritage of Manchester, the wide range of assets in our custody, the distribution of management arrangements and the mixed use of many of our listed buildings, the approach to heritage assets is complex. This report sets out the key principles and approaches used in defining, managing, maintaining and securing these assets. 71 Manchester City Council Item 8 Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee 17 November 2011 3.0 Definition of Heritage Assets 3.1 Heritage assets are problematic to define simply as there are different definitions and interpretations of what the term includes. Principally these variations are between the definitions adopted by English Heritage and under recognised accounting practices. 3.2 English Heritage state that “there are a number of ways we can protect heritage assets to ensure they are passed onto future generations for their enjoyment. One way is by statutory protection through national designation. Different sorts of heritage asset are protected by different pieces of legislation and forms of protection.” They designate protected assets as a celebration of special interest, intended to ensure that the significance and character of the assets in question are protected through the planning system, to ensure they are passed on to future generations. Their responsibilities and definition applies to built and environmental heritage. They do not have a role with heritage of a ‘portable’ nature such as collections or individual, non-building items of historic or civic importance. 3.3 English Heritage holds a National Heritage List containing the following categories: Listed Buildings. Scheduled Monuments. Protected Wreck Sites. Registered Parks and Battlefields. World Heritage Sites. 3.4 Manchester has 84 listed buildings and related assets such as the Town Hall, Central Library, Heaton Hall, bridges and areas of parks. We also have custody of scheduled ancient monuments including the City Centre Hanging Bridge and the moated sites to Clayton Hall and Peel Hall. All of these are included in the Council’s definition of heritage assets. 3.5 The Council has also defined 18 Mancunian assets, which are buildings that are not listed, but are designated under the Council’s Heritage Asset Strategy to be of particular relevance to the heritage of the City. They include the Zion Centre, Heaton Park Boathouse and Queens Park Gallery. These are also included in the Council’s definition of heritage assets. 3.6 In accounting terms, heritage assets is a term that applies more broadly than buildings and includes items of a ‘portable’ nature. These include rare and valuable books, civic and mayoral regalia, statues, artworks and other assets from the galleries collection. They are included within the accounting definition of ‘community assets’ and the accounting values of these assets are reported in the annual Statement of Accounts. The community assets included in the accounts to 31 March 2011 included artworks, civic regalia, monuments, statues, fountains and listed buildings. 3.7 Overall, the Council’s definition of what constitutes a heritage asset as used to inform this report is based on the accounting definition, as assets which have 72 Manchester City Council Item 8 Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee 17 November 2011 historical, artistic, scientific, technological, geographical or environmental qualities that are held and maintained principally for their contribution to knowledge and culture. This encompasses the English Heritage definition but is extended to include the ‘portable’ heritage assets and Mancunian assets as defined above. In summary this covers historical buildings; monuments, statues and fountains; civic regalia; museum and gallery collections; rare and valuable books; and works of art. 4.0 Monitoring and Management of Heritage Assets 4.1 Given the breadth of different heritage assets defined by the Council, there are a range of systems and arrangements for their monitoring and management. The arrangements for property, parks and monuments; and galleries, artworks and collections are set out below. Property and Buildings Management 4.2 The Council has had a Heritage Assets Strategy since October 2006. This strategy was created to ensure that the Council is recognised as an exemplary owner of heritage assets, and is seen to be leading by example in ensuring the preservation of Manchester’s historic, notable and significant buildings and structures. The strategy has been updated to ensure that it remains relevant and reflects any changes to legislation, planning and conservation guidance. The last full update took place in May 2011. 4.3 Oversight of the strategy is provided by Corporate Property, reporting to the City Treasurer. Monitoring of building conditions and both planned and reactive improvements works are overseen by Corporate Property, the Corporate Property Board, City Treasurer and Executive Member for Finance and HR but all services who occupy buildings contribute to the active management of these assets. 4.4 The Council is the largest owner of listed buildings in Manchester with over 50 buildings in our custody. Within the City’s collection are some exceptional buildings, including the Town Hall complex, Heaton Park with its Grade One house, Platt Hall, City Galleries and a number of buildings within our cemeteries. A significant proportion of these buildings remain operational within the Council’s own portfolio or are leased out to third parties such as 103 Princess Street which is home to the National Labour Museum. Approximately 19% of the listed buildings currently owned by the