ECAB/P(07)115

DATED 16 JUN 08

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ARMY BOARD

POLICY FOR NATIONAL, REGIMENTAL AND CORPS MUSEUMS


(A paper by AG)

ISSUE

1.Army policy for the support of National, Regimental and Corps Museums.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. ECAB is invited to:
  1. Note that the national, regimental and corps museums of the Army continue to play

a valuable role keeping a favourable image of the Army in the public eye. Through their footprint and individual identity, they provide important support for recruiting and a focus for veterans, (Para 5).

b.Note MOD’s responsibility to preserve the Army’s military heritage, (Paras 6 & 9).

c.Note the contribution made by Local Authorities, benefactors, museum trustees and others in the form of funds, expertise, and voluntary support, (Paras 14 and 17).

and agree:

d.the updated policy and objectives for national, regimental and corps museums, (Paras 10, 11 and 12).

TIMING

3.For consideration by ECAB, out of committee. Responses by 25 Jul 08.

BACKGROUND

4. Heritage. Collections reflecting the national military heritage are found in national and local museums across the country. Regimental and corps museums hold unique collections of images, documents and objects sharing the rich and diverse history of the British Army and its men and women. These contribute to our national, regional and local heritage. Until the late 1960s, most households had a direct and personal link with the Services. With the ending of national service and reductions in the size of the three Services, this association has declined markedly. Thus the record of Army history that these museums hold becomes increasingly important if future generations are to understand the Army as part of the fabric of the nation and its place in society. In addition, at a time of high operational tempo, the museums have a special role for the serving soldier, helping to show the ethos of the regiment, or corps within the Army, and demonstrating the continuity of history, service and comradeship which underpins the sense of pride and belonging. Telling the story about our heritage is fundamental to sustaining our reputation and links directly to the components of fighting power and to our operational effectiveness.

5.Military Museums. Military museums provide a network through which we can portray the Army in the context of its past, present and, of increasing importance, its future. Museums present an important opportunity to improve the knowledge and awareness of the general public about the Army. This applies particularly to young people and those who have had no personal or family contact. Experiencing the individual and team actions that the Army has experienced across the world, either in the museum or on line, is a significant and cost effective means to support the National Recognition and the Army in Society.

6.Government Policy. Government policy[1] is that museums provide a way to connect our past with our present and our future. They are centres of knowledge, education and regeneration and they are a significant focus and reason for overseas visitors to this country. The MOD recognises the Army's role in promoting and presenting the country's heritage.

7Key StakeHolders. The key stakeholders include: the Army chain of command, the National Army Museum (NAM), the Army Museums Ogilby Trust (AMOT), Regimental and Corps Museums. Wider Government interest is effected through the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. Further details are at Annex A.

8.Museum Categories. The museum categories are:

a.National Army Museum. A Royal Chartered Body and Registered Charity funded by Parliament through the MOD and classified as an Executive Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) for policy and administrative purposes.

b.Designated Museum. A museum with a nationally pre-eminent collection. Listed at Annex B.

c.Funded Regimental and Corps Museums. There are 69 museums that receive funding support from the MOD towards operating costs and, in some cases, accommodation. Listed at Annex B.

d.Other Regimental Collections. There are 61 other regimental and corps collections, many of which are located on MOD estate. They are listed at Annex C.

ASSUMPTIONS

9.In updating current policy the following assumptions have been made:

  1. The roles of the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), Museums,

Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) will remain broadly unchanged, though adjustments may be expected in response to policies adopted by the devolved authorities.

  1. The MOD will continue to provide national, regimental and corps museums with

financial support within the limits of funding constraints. For their part, national, regimental and corps museums will continue to be dependant on funding from other, non-MOD sources.

ARMY POLICY FOR THE SUPPORT OF NATIONAL, REGIMENTAL AND CORPS MUSEUMS

10.Policy Intent. Current policy to support regimental and corps museums, including the role of the NAM in their support, was established by the Army Board in 1998[2] and refreshed in 2004[3]. In brief, the policy's purpose is to ensure that our museums continue to play a valuable and valued role in the Army and Defence interest; sustaining a favourable image of the Army in the public eye; enhancing knowledge and understanding about the Army's heritage, values and current profile; and playing an important role in recruiting and retention. The policy will be reviewed periodically and at least every 5 years.

11.Policy Components. The policy is supported by four components:

a. Army Objectives.

b. Governance.

c. Support to museums.

d. Resources.

12.The Army's Objectives. The Army’s objectives for museums are to:

a.Maintain and enhance the Army’s connections with society, with communities and with local and regional bodies and opinion formers, especially in those areas outside the representational footprint of the regular Army or TA.

b.Present the country’s military heritage and provide an academic research resource to promote military scholarship.

c.Contribute to the education of children and adults, including educational outreach and support to the National Curricula. This key activity will make new generations aware of the Army and its achievements.

d.Make a substantive contribution, directly and indirectly, to Army recruiting.

e.Educate, train and inspire the current generation of service men and women, particularly during initial training and development.

f.Underpin the Army's Values and Standards in attracting, retaining and sustaining soldiers.

  1. Provide a crucial contribution to the role of the Regimental/Corps Home in

maintaining a sense of belonging, inculcating regimental/corps ethos, and providing a focal point for members of regiments and corps, both serving and retired and their heirs and successors[4].

h.Assist museums in adopting a current Acquisitions and Disposals Policy.

13.Governance.

a.Management. The Adjutant General (AG) chairs the Army Heritage Committee (AHC) and provides the policy lead for the Army. Director of Personal Services (Army) (DPS(A)) provides the staff function. AHC Terms of Reference (ToRs) are at Annex D. DPS(A) chairs the Army Museums Panel (AMP), charged with providing policy direction, guidance, advice, coordination and support to regimental and corps museums, a role that encompasses those museums not directly sponsored by the MOD; AMP ToRs are at Annex E. Heritage Branch provides advice and support to Museums on a day to day basis. Complementary to these objectives are the obligations placed on the museum trustees through their trust deeds. Detailed instructions about the implementation of Army policy will be included in AGAI 115, and promulgated in Dec 08.

b.Audit and Public Exposure of Museum Finances. The majority of the museums and collections are registered charities, regulated by the Charity Commission. The Charities Act 1993, section 47 allows for public inspection of annual reports, accounts and other matters on demand. Regiments and Corps make use of regimental funds for the operation of their museums, in addition to those that are declared to the Charity Commission.

14.Support for Military Museums. Every year over 4 million people visit military museums and there are also over 4 million web-based visitors. In recognition of this the MOD provides accommodation, some funds for museum staff and specified operating costs. The MOD-funded staff and associated operating costs are provided in accordance with an agreed Customer Supplier Agreement (CSA). The trustees of these museums require stability to operate and develop the potential of their museums and have invested in their museums on the reasonable understanding that the existing conditions will continue.

a.Conditions for Provision of MOD Support. To qualify for MOD support, museums are required to:

(1) Gain accreditation with the MLA.

(2) Enter into a CSA with the MOD to deliver specified museum services in exchange for MOD funding as directed in AGAI 115. CSAs will be initiated by Heritage Branch and negotiated with museum trustees/boards of management and Arms and Services Directorates. CSAs will require museums to produce forward plans. Progress in response to the plans will be reviewed annually and monitored through performance indicators described in AGAI 115. These will be agreed between museum trustees and MOD.

b.Criteria for allocating MOD Funds. MOD funds are allocated to museums which satisfy the following criteria:

(1) The military objectives for regimental and corps museums outlined in paragraph 12 are met.

(2) Where a number of museums are located in the same site, they will be encouraged to coordinate complementary operations.

(3) Regimental and corps museums make a contribution to the public awareness of the Army in areas of the United Kingdom in which there is a limited Army presence.

c.MOD Owned Land. The MOD has provided accommodation, together with its associated costs, for those museums that are sited on MOD estate. The services are detailed at Annex F. Defence Estates has agreed that in those locations in which the MOD is prepared to commit buildings and estate to long term museum use, museum trustees will be offered the opportunity to lease their museums from the MOD. Applications to lease MOD estate are made to Heritage Branch, which negotiates agreement to the proposal with the relevant TLB and subsequently develops the application with the relevant Arm or Service Directorate and the Defence Land Agent of the Division in which the museum is located. Such leases would be subject of a joint application to Court under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part 2 as amended by the Law of Property Act 1969 or similar Acts within national regions. The duration of tenancies will be of significant length, normally in the region of fifty years, for a yearly rent of one peppercorn[5]. These leases will include clauses that allow them to be terminated:

(1)In the event of a national emergency when the premises are required for military purposes.

(2)Should it be necessary for the MOD to dispose of the estate on which the museum is sited. In these circumstances, MOD will provide alternative comparable accommodation for the museum and will fund the packing, moving/storing of the collection and fitting out costs. The accommodation will be to the same standard that currently exists and taking account of the monies invested in the existing site.

d.Crown Estates. The MOD is permitted to occupy Crown Estate without lease or the payment of rent as an Old Land Revenue Property. As such, the MOD is not able to offer leases to museums in these sites though the museums may presume on the continuance of the existing arrangement. Museums that seek an assurance of security of tenure in order to satisfy the requirements for a bid to the HLF or similar body, should apply to Heritage Branch so that Defence Estates can develop a statement with Crown Estates that will respond to the need for a confirmation of security of tenancy. In due course it will be appropriate for all the museums in accommodation on MOD-occupied Crown Estate to develop such a statement.

e.Museums that are not located on MOD Estate or Crown Estates. The MOD will provide MOD-funded staff and associated operating costs in accordance with an agreed CSA.

f.Museums not funded by the MOD or located on MOD Estate. In recognition of their potential to contribute positively to the Army’s Image Projection, elements of non-financial support [7] may be provided by the MOD where feasible and appropriate at the discretion of the Head of Heritage Branch and advised, as necessary, by the Director AMOT.

g.Military Collections. Regimental and Corps collections which are sited on MOD estate where the premises in which the collection resides is primarily committed to military use, may be accommodated at no charge. These collections are normally kept in drill halls or messes of the Territorial Army.

15.Additional Support for Military Museums. In order to sustain the esprit de corps of TA units and to respond to its responsibilities to former regiments and corps of the Army, Heritage Branch, on the advice of the Army Museums Panel, will provide the following support for all museums listed in paragraphs 14 e-g above:

a.Continuing Care. Proper care and interest in the circumstances of all museums and collections of former regiments and corps. The key features of this responsibility are:

(1) To provide a focal point within the MOD in order to sustain a continuing link with the museums listed.

(2)To assist in the preservation of collections that are threatened with dispersal.

b.Annual Conference. Support to the annual conference organised by AMOT for the trustees and curators of all these museums.

c.Inclusion in Communications and Newsletters. All regimental and corps museums will be included in relevant MOD(A) museum-related communications and, where possible, in newsletters such as those produced by the AMOT.

d.Visiting Programme. Heritage Branch will maintain a museum visiting programme.

  1. Internet. Regimental and corps museums are encouraged to use the MOD UK, MOD (A) and AMOT Web sites to publicise their museums. Details are available from Heritage Branch.

16.Availability of Military Property. Surplus MOD equipment, uniforms, accoutrements, insignia and prototypes may be gifted to museums as advised by Heritage Branch. Where possible, equipment that is taken out of service will be provided Complete to Equipment Schedule (CES).

RESOURCES

17.Financial Planning. National, regimental and corps museums have on average been allocated 0.15% per year (currently approximately £10M) of what was the HQ LAND and HQ AG TLBs and now the HQLF Budget in the past 5 years. Through Arms and Services Directors, the MOD will provide the trustees of all museums for which funds are given with details of the level of funding for the coming year and the projected funding for the coming four-year period. This information will be provided on the completion of each Planning Round. Museums located in non-MOD accommodation are in particular need of this data in order to allow them to maximise opportunities with their hosts. Trustees can also apply for additional funding including HLF, MLA and European Union grants if the scale and quality of the projects are suitable.

PRESENTATION

18.This paper updates and informs all stakeholders on Army policy and support to Army museums, and there is no fundamental change to the policy. Judging from past parliamentary correspondence, it is likely that Army museums will continue to generate interest at national and local levels.

Annexes:

A.Key StakeHolders.

B.MOD Funded Regimental and Corps Museums, including Designated Museums.

  1. MOD Unfunded Regimental and Corps Museums and Collections.
  2. Army Heritage Committee (AHC) Terms of Reference.
  3. Army Museums Panel (AMP) Terms of Reference.
  4. MOD Support for MOD Museums on MOD Estate.

1

ANNEX A TO

ECAB/P(07)115

DATED 16 JUN 08

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

1.Army. The Adjutant General (AG) chairs the Army Heritage Committee and provides the policy lead for the Army on the Advice of the Director of Personal Services (Army) (DPS(A)). DPS(A) chairs the Army Museums Panel (AMP), charged with providing policy direction, guidance, advice, coordination and support to regimental and corps museums, a role that encompasses those museums not directly sponsored by the MOD. Heritage Branch provides these functions on a day to day basis.

2.National Army Museum. At the national level, the National Army Museum (NAM) is funded by Parliament under the National Heritage Act 1983, by means of an MOD Grant-in-Aid. Army policy towards the NAM reflects MOD policy on the principal service museums but is articulated only by means of a Financial Memorandum[6] setting out the conditions attached to the Grant-in-Aid. The NAM provides a focal point for the Army’s material heritage through its collections, website and outreach services. NAM provides a pastoral care service , available to all military museums and collections, combining curatorial advice with first class design services. NAM makes a major contribution to education, reaching over 100,000 people annually in the context of Lifelong Learning[7] and contributes to training and education. The NAM Council has amended the NAM’s Acquisitions and Disposals Policy[8] to include a strong presumption that no further Regimental or Corps Collections can be accepted in their entirety.