Andy McCartan, Assistant Director for Leisure, Libraries and Customer Engagement, and Jo Burns, Museums Manager, spoke to this report, which detailed the challenges and opportunities facing the service on reopening the Williamson Art Gallery and Birkenhead Priory to the public. Ventilation, to make the buildings Covid safe, and catering were particular issues which were being tackled, and consultation on the cultural strategy was to start toward the end of 2021.

Members questioned the officers and established:

·  The opening hours had been changed since before the lockdown and would allow weddings to be hosted in the evenings. Increased staffing would allow more opening hours

·  Catering offers would develop over time and would include card payments

·  There were aspirations for the Wirral Transport Museum although it was volunteer operated

·  Staff capacity had limited opportunities for income generation until the issues around ventilation allowing greater visitor numbers had been resolved. Updates would be provided as works and solutions developed

·  The temporary exhibition programme was to start before Christmas 2021

·  The digital offer was being enhanced to enable more searches online

·  Decarbonising was being tackled in different ways including investigating bus services and active travel.

Resolved:

That the contents of this report be noted and the ongoing work to increase high quality cultural engagement with Wirral Museums Service for residents and visitors be supported.