Decision Details

Authority is sought for approval to submit a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant application together with approval of identification of match funding of 10% of the total project cost.

Approval is also requested to delegate (if successful) the of acceptance of the grant award to the Strategic Director of City Operations.

This will enable the Council and Birmingham Museum Trust (BMT)to progress the phase 1 programme of refurbishment to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) including the refurbishment of front of house galleries, public toilets, tearoom plus back of house offices and welfare facilities and the installation of new gallery exhibition display equipment/ furniture to support the full opening of BMAG by July 2029

On 12 November 2024, Cabinet:-

1. Approved the submission of a Stage 1 bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a potential capital scheme totalling £10.056m and delegated authority to submit a bid to the Strategic Director City Operations;

    

2. Noted that officers will report back to Cabinet on the outcome of the Stage 1 submission, which is scheduled to be announced in April 2026, to seek authority to progress the proposal to a Stage 2 bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund;

    

3. Approved the expenditure of £0.065m, of which £0.036m will come from the Council’s Museums Repairs and Maintenance budget and the balance of £0.029m will be funded by Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT), to fund the RIBA Plan of Work Stage 1 which is required for a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid;

    

4. Noted the requirement for a match funding contribution of 10% and requires officers when bringing back a report on the outcome of Stage 1 to set out how any such contribution, to be capped at £1m, could be delivered in the context of the council’s financial position at that time;

    

5. Noted the Outline Business Case in Appendix 1, to the report, at an estimated total cost of £10.056m apportioned between refurbishment works £2.320m and fit out/exhibitions £7.736m inclusive of fees and contingencies;

    

6. Noted the delivery of a successful scheme and the full re-opening of BMAG removes the compensation costs paid by the city council to BMT for closure and also enables BMT to drive the commercial activity required to deliver the income streams in their draft 5 year business plan; and

    

7. Authorised the City Solicitor & Monitoring Officer (or their delegate) to execute and complete all necessary documentation to give effect to the above decisions.