Decision details

Museums support society, their collections provide educational and wellbeing benefits set in an environment of culture and heritage. The museum environment should be one where the climate facilitates good custodianship of the collections, be welcoming and safe for people, one which stimulates learning and the experience leaves the visitors feeling positive about the visit, encouraging new and repeat footfall to the area. Done well, museums stimulate economic development and regeneration.

The Council owns and operates two museums (and associated heritage properties). A review of the condition of these museums has identified a significant backlog of repairs and, with a climate of reduced public funding, consideration has to be given to finding alternative ways to continue to support museum provision in the future.

The Cabinet report provides information about the current situation and asks Cabinet to authorise officers to look for alternative options that will ensure a sustainable museum presence in Margate and Broadstairs.

Cabinet agreed the following:

1.  To progress the following property and land through the disposal framework to achieve a capital receipt:

  i.  Hartsdown Land and Property Plot 1;

  ii.  40 Hawley Square, Margate;

  iii.  Land at Hartsdown (Margate Football Club);

  iv.  Land, Zion Place, Margate.

2.  To progress the following property and land through the community asset transfer framework.

  i.  Alpha Road Land, Birchington;

  ii.  Birchington Memorial Ground, Birchington.

3.  To progress the following property as regulated by statute under the Localism Act 2011 through the community asset transfer framework.

  i.  The “Old Look Out”, Broadstairs.

To support the corporate aims and the strategic asset management plan.

Retention, but this would not fit with the asset strategy and would result in unplanned repairing and management costs and risk destabilising the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Further reasoning is provided in the Cabinet report under each asset heading.