‘Blue Light Museum’ Feasibility Study

Report: 12
Date: 3 September 2009
By: Chief Executive

Summary

Stuart Davies Associates have been commissioned by the Greater London Authority to investigate the feasibility of creating a Blue Light Museum which would bring together the heritage collections of the Metropolitan Police Service, the London Ambulance Service Museum and the London Fire Brigade Museum.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

1 At the January 2009 Strategic and Operational Policing Committee meeting members approved the relocation of a small section of the MPS Historical Collection. It was recognised that the relocation would allow public access to the Historical Collection and therefore provide a valuable insight to Londoners on the origins of policing and its development over the last 180 years. As a result, on 22 June 2009 the joint Recruitment and Heritage Centre was opened in an annex to the Empress State Building.

2 At the January meeting Members also noted the Mayors wish to set up a ‘Blue Light’ museum which would bring together artefacts from all of London’s emergency services. Members asked that discussions should take place with the London Ambulance Service (LAS) and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) regarding this possible co-location of collections.

3 In July 2009, Stuart Davies Associates were appointed by the Greater London Authority (GLA) to assess the feasibility of a Blue Light Museum. Whilst this work is being funded by the GLA, a project group has been set up to oversee the recruitment and management of the consultants. The project group consists of the GLA, MPA, MPS, LFEPA, LAS and Museum Libraries and Archives London.

4 The consultants have been asked to consider a number of issues as part of the feasibility study, including:

• a full appraisal of the current museums and what assets and resources they could bring to the new museum;
• an understanding of each service’s objectives for the new museum;
• governance arrangements;
• identifying a criterion for location; and finally,
• considering the next stage of the work, the development of a business case.

5 Stuart Davies Associates have provided the MPA with an update on their work plan. The feasibility study will initially focus on the following three key areas:

• an assessment of the existing documentation about the concept of a Blue Light museum and the key strategic heritage documents of each of the three services;
• interviews with key stakeholders. The MPA and MPS have provided Stuart Davies Associates a number of key contacts within both organisations with whom the consultants should meet. The principal purpose of the interviews will be to establish the strength of support for the concept, ensure that all suggestions about how the project can develop are captured at an early stage, identify individuals who wish to actively participate in the development of the concept and finally identify development options.
• visits to the existing museums and collections.

6 Stuart Davies Associates are also gathering data and information about museums which might form a model for Blue Light. Recent museum build projects form a valuable resource in terms of what works and what does not and will inform discussions about the feasibility of setting up a Blue Light museum.

7 The completed feasibility study will be bought to the 3 December 2009 meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee.

C. Race and equality impact

A key consideration of the feasibility study is to identify a criterion for the location of the new museum. This criterion will identify whether the museum should be located in central London or outer London and the type of facilities that will be required. In addition, the criterion will consider issues of accessibility to ensure that the new museum is accessible to all Londoners.

D. Financial implications

1 The costs to undertake the feasibility study are being met by the GLA.

2 As part of the scope of the feasibility study the consultants have been asked to identify funding streams which can be utilised for the next stage of the work - the development of a business plan.

E. Legal implications

1 The MPA has no express power to create or fund a museum. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 a local authority is empowered to provide and maintain museums within its administrative area (or elsewhere in England or Wales), may charge for admission to museums, may contribute towards the provision or maintenance of a museum by any person and may establish a fund for the purchase of objects for exhibition (Sections 12-15). However, the MPA is not regarded as a 'local authority' for the purposes of this Act. There is no specific or extended definition of 'local authority' in the 1964 Act. Section 270 Local Government Act 1972 defines a local authority as ‘a county council, a district council, a London borough council or a parish council’.

2 The question of whether there is an implied power to set up, fund or support a museum depends upon a consideration of the MPA's express powers, in particular, Section 6(1) of the Police Act 1996 which provides that, ‘every police authority established under Section 2 shall secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for its area.’

3 Counsel has previously advised that it is very difficult to argue that a museum which focuses upon the history of policing in London would ‘reasonably support’ the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force. Further, Counsel did not consider that the funding or support of a museum would be calculated to facilitate or be conducive or incidental to the discharge of the MPA's functions (Section 111(1) Local Government Act 1972). Such an activity would be too remote from the Authority's powers.

4 However, the funding or support of an exhibition relating to current policing issues would be within the MPA's powers as it could reasonably be said that educating the public about these issues assists the MPA in achieving its policing objectives. Also if the exhibition contained only an element of historical information so as to put the current issues in perspective, this would be permissible as it would be incidental to the discharge of the MPA's functions.

5 There is a further relevant power under Section 18 Police Act 1996 which applies Section 1 Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 to the MPA with modification for police authorities. This section enables the MPA to enter into an agreement for the supply to any person of goods or materials and any administrative, professional or technical services and the agreement may contain such terms as to payment or otherwise as is considered appropriate.

6 Therefore, it would be within the MPA's powers to supply goods and services to a third party which was involved in the setting up or running of a museum subject to the Authority's usual fiduciary duties and the reasonable allocation of resources. This would include the supply of exhibits and the services of MPA staff to act in an administrative, professional or technical capacity. However, Counsel has advised that the MPA would not be permitted to 'endorse' the museum as a whole as this would be outside its statutory powers but could endorse those aspects of the museum relating to current policing issues in the area covered by the MPA.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report author: Hamera Asfa Davey, Oversight and Review officer, MPA

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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