Adults, Leisure and Culture Select Committee

Scrutiny Review - Preston Hall & Park

Draft Findings and Recommendations

Parks & Countryside

Park & Museum Master plan required, to include the following issues relating to park & countryside:

Grounds Maintenance, including review of land usage and maintenance issues

Publicity for eventsreview of all literature

Access issues (car parking, possible use of traffic lights & mini roundabout to alleviate traffic problems, park and ride, public transport, cycle paths)

DDA compliance throughout Park

Improvement of signage throughout the park, to include information for disabled visitors and people whose first language is not English

Anti-social behaviour and park security and safety issues

Possible uses of the river, including a bridge from Ingleby Barwick

Internal transport throughout the park

How Stockton’s history (Railway) might be reflected and represented in the park.

State and condition of all buildings, including the future of the Café (in consultation with Park users)

Aviary, menagerie and animal care and display issues

Recommendation: To create a Master Plan for the Hall & Park, with particular reference to the issues outlined above.

Collections and Museum

Park and Museum Master plan required, to include the following issues relating to the Museum and collections:

Publicity for exhibitions & review of all literature

State and condition of the building and suitability for storage/displaying of historical artefacts

Access issues in line with DDA

Improvement of signage throughout the museum

Improvement of the layout of collections and exhibitions, to achieve a more coherent experience, and to provide space for temporary exhibitions and a dedicated Education Suite

Collections should be rationalised to focus on local history and stories of Stockton, in particular:

  • Railway
  • Shipping/Shipbuilding/River
  • Sheraton
  • Walker
  • ICI
  • Stockton High Street

Issues relating to the Spence Bequest. Committee agree that the armoury should be displayed properly or not at all. If the armoury is to be displayed, Committee would support the suggestion outlined in the Cassella study.

Issues relating to the Clephan Bequest –review of the location of the Dice Players and maximise opportunities from possible loaning/swapping with galleries/museums.

Museum Shop – re-target stock-lines at adults in order to maximise profit.

Review Wedding Strategy to explore possible income generation

Recommendation: To create a Master Plan for the Hall & Park, with particular reference to the issues outlined above.

Community engagement and impact on local residents

General consensus that collection pieces should be taken into the community, perhaps via the following:

Loan boxes being created for use in schools/ community groups

Temporary exhibitions to go into doctors’ surgeries/libraries/council buildings/community centres/The Forum. Access issues exist for people trying to reach Preston from Billingham, for example.

Recommendation: Greater collaboration between the Museum Service, Events Team and various community settings.

Committee also find that:

Events impact on residents on both sides of the river (e.g. noise) needs to be considered via regular engaging and information sharing with local homes. This needs to be balanced, though, with the recognition that the park is there to be enjoyed by all residents of the Borough and beyond.

Park management group meets – communication better than it was but not perfect.

Recommendation:

Include neighbourhood reps on Park Management Group to ensure:

  • Greater engagement with local communities to produce a fair and flexible activities framework
  • Improve communication between service managers and the local communities.

General Strategic Issues

Entrance Fee – obliterating entry fee would result in an income reduction of around £35,000. Significant increase in visitor numbers as a (possible) result would also result in increased costs for the service (eg, staffing). Committee find that a suitable solution to increase visitor numbers is to improve the offer rather than lower the cost.

Recommendation: To retain the current entrance fee until further review.

Management Structure – needs more coherent approach to management of the Hall & Park

Recommendation: Request that CMT review estate management with the aim of providing a more coherent and ‘joined-up’ approach to working.