Business Plan Summary Ryedale Folk Museum in the North York Moors National Park

Transcription

1 Business Plan Summary Ryedale Folk Museum in the North York Moors National Park Registered Charity No Company No Accredited Museum No 1360

2 Introduction The Ryedale Folk Museum Business Plan supports the delivery of the Museum s Business Transformation Project being led by the Director and Trustee-Directors. To date, the Museum has not taken a strategic approach to business planning. This plan presents a future operating model on the basis of the level of resources it can expect in the short and medium-term - or, more specifically, over the next 12 months and the next three years. It details the actions needed to transform and change the Museum s approach to governance, business, visitors, communities and development is a year of change, 2016 a year of stabilisation and improvement in order to provide a platform for development from The Director, in conjunction with the consultants, Pomegranate, has developed the plan and the Director has coordinated with the Trustee-Directors, staff, volunteers and a steering group. Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Ryedale District Council are supporting the Business Transformation Project. Background By early 2014, Ryedale Folk Museum had come to appreciate that it was facing a number of significant challenges including: declining visit numbers. These fell 35% between 2011and 2013; pressure on capacity, resources and finances created as a result of projects; the organic growth of the Museum site, activities and staff; the absence of a strategic vision, leadership and management processes, and a diminishing volunteer body With financial support from Arts Council England and additional help from Ryedale District Council and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Museum began a fundamental review of its purpose and operations. Pomegranate, the consultants, were recruited to support the Museum s trustee-directors through this process. For the Stage 1 review, evidence and information was gathered through the Museum s extensive background documentation and reports, and consultation. Twenty-one in-depth interviews were undertaken with Trustee-Directors, staff, local businesses, funders, peer organisations and local residents, and two focus groups were held with staff and volunteers. Initial findings were presented 2

3 and discussed with the Trustee-Directors in November The Stage 1 analysis sought to identify and understand the origins of the present situation, and assesses the Museum s organisational health, issues and challenges. The review of background documentation indicated that over the last four years, at least, the Museum has lacked, or had variable, foresight, direction, planning and that it has failed to monitor its performance. It had lacked procedures and ways of working that would enable it to function as a museum business. The consequences of this include the current financial problems, declining visitor numbers and loss of credibility amongst the local community and funders. The latter led to the commissioning of the Business Transformation Project. Looking ahead, core income from admissions and retail, the energy and commitment of the new Director and two recent Trustee-Directors indicate that the Museum has the potential to make change. The Museums perceived strengths are largely givens - its setting; its splendid site ; its comfortable size; its collections; its fantastic buildings; its ability to evoke stories, its proximity to centres of population and its volunteers. Consultees were less assured, however, of the Museum s ability, as distinct from its potential, to depict past rural life, and to represent what Ryedale is about. The Museum s main weaknesses were perceived to include its loss of local identity and belonging, its own attitude to change, management and resources - including its main assets, of buildings and objects. Consultees recognised that its possibilities for the future included attracting more visits, improving the quality of experience for visitors, and making the most of its collections. The analysis suggested that the Museum needed to revisit its core values and purposes before articulating its ambitions for the future. Whom it identifies as its market, how it treats its assets, and how it is managed and resourced and how it develops its income streams are all crucial for realising its potential. Transformation called for changes to how the Museum s approaches its finances, governance, collections and buildings and programming. At the end of the Stage 1 business review a series of recommendations were agreed and prioritised by the Trustee-Directors. The following Business Plan details how these recommendations and the Museum s development will be achieved. 3

4 Statement of Purpose The Museum was incorporated as a charitable company limited by guarantee in ember 2011 (charity number and company number ). The only objects for which the Company is established are the education of the public by the promotion or maintenance of collections and a museum of bygone chattels, books, manuscripts, coins, buildings or other erections, furnishings (whether Indoor or outdoor), Implements and other objects of antiquarian Interest as a reminder of British culture and history (Memorandum and Articles of Association of Ryedale Folk Museum 2011: Article 5) Prior to incorporation, the Museum was registered as an unincorporated Charity, The Crosland Foundation (Ryedale Folk Museum) established by a Trust Deed in Vision and purpose The Museum s vision is to discover, explore and communicate Ryedale s sense of place and the stories of its people. The Museum s purpose is to provide learning opportunities and other public benefits through the collection and conservation of Ryedale s cultural heritage. Values These are manifest in its: welcoming, respectful and inclusive attitude to its users, staff and volunteers; striving to provide quality visitor services, experiences and care of the collections, buildings; promotion and support of the Museum becoming a learning organisation; desire to make a positive contribution to the community; encouraging its constituencies, visitors and participants learning through its programme; culture of safety and accountability, and its respect for the environment, culture and the protected landscape of the National Park within which it is located. 4

5 Objectives These are to: operate as an energetic and effective business; provide visitors with valuable experiences, and exploit the buildings, objects and archives that make up its collections. Measures of success These are: the Trustee-Directors, staff and volunteers working together to achieve the vision; breaking even by year three; more visitors and educational visits; visitors enhanced understanding of Ryedale and its people; maintaining the collection; increased income, including that from retail, catering and general fundraising; achieving a greater spend per head, per transaction; and acting on information about the quality of visitors experiences. 5

6 Action plan A number of qualities are essential for securing the resilience and sustainability of the Museum, its Accreditation and its credibility with key grant funders, visitors and Ryedale s communities. These include strong and effective: governance; Museum operations; financial management and income generation; collections management and development; learning and interpretation; and communications and marketing. All these contribute to the Museum s objectives and measures of success. The following are the actions we are committed to undertaking during the Business Plan period. Each action has been given a timescale and a responsibility holder. Grant funding will be pursued to undertake some specific actions and some actions will only be undertaken, where sufficient external funding is available. 6

7 Governance Jan- Mar Jan- Mar Jan- Mar 1.1 Recruit a Chair of trustees Review and ensure all Trustee-Directors are aware of their responsibilities and legal requirements. Trustee-Directors ensure all staff and volunteers comply with Health and Safety requirements Establish and regularly review a Business Risk Register and means of identifying and mitigating future risks. The Trustee-Directors Finance subgroup works with the Director on planning and monitoring finances and income generation. Trustee-Directors are visible and regularly engage directly with staff and volunteers as part of Business Transformation. 1.7 Deliver Trustee-Directors annual fundraising plan 1.8 Establish criteria for identifying and recruiting Trustee- Directors and effective Trustee-Director succession. 1.9 Recruit new Trustee-Directors 1.10 Annual away day focused on business horizon scanning and forward planning Ensure regular turnover of Trustee-Directors Establish effective relationships with key current and potential future funders that build trust and confidence. Set up a comprehensive Trustee-Director induction programme Review and revise Charity public benefit statement Review Trustee-Directors meetings business agenda/minutes to align with the Business Plan and Business Transformation delivery on a rolling basis 1.16 Re-apply for Museum Accreditation. 7

8 2 Museum operations Jan- Jan- Jan- Mar Mar Mar 2.1 Review and implement a new staff structure to meet the needs of the Business Transformation with a follow up review of any new structure to ensure that it is fit for purpose for delivery of the Museum s success measures and Museum development Cost and establish pension scheme to comply with legislation. Review any new staff structure to ensure that it is fit for purpose for delivery of the Museum s success measures and Museum development. 2.4 Develop and implement a staff appraisal system Develop and implement a staff training and development plan to complement that of Trustee-Directors. Continue to work towards legal compliance in relation to Health and Safety. All staff and volunteers to be aware of their roles and responsibilities with regard to Health and Safety. Review and implement revised internal communications to support change management, successful delivery of Business Transformation and the Museum s success measures. Maintain effective HR support to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and delivery of Business Transformation. Review workspace arrangements to ensure staff can work effectively and deliver the Museum s success measures. Review IT systems to ensure the effective use of IT to deliver the Museum s success measures and future Museum development. Ensure all business systems and processes enable effective delivery of the Business Plan. Develop and implement a volunteer policy, reviewing volunteer s role and tasks, recruitment, benefits, coordination, satisfaction and fulfilment. Undertake an Environmental Audit to review efficiency and sustainability. 8

9 Jan- Jan- Jan- Mar Mar Mar 3 Finance and income generation 3.1 Ensure effective cost control, financial systems, processes and scrutinies are maintained. Embed full cost recovery across all Museum activities. 3.2 Ensure all grant and loan conditions and terms are met. 3.3 Establish a reserve, equivalent to six months operating costs. 3.4 Develop fundraising plan, embedded in the business plan which considers approach, capacity, fundraising costs and targets for visitor and individual giving, endowments, legacies, corporate fundraising and grants. 3.5 Review all liabilities and prioritise actions to reduce impact Implement recommendations from the retail products price structure and visual merchandising review. Front of house staff and volunteers trained in making sales and up selling. Review admission prices in relation to the market and competition to ensure admissions income maximised. 3.9 Review catering s viability Develop venue hire Identify income generation opportunities for all buildings and site. Undertake business case feasibility and implement options that will generate income on a full cost recovery basis. 9

10 4.1 4 Collections management and development Submit a full Accreditation return to ACE with compliant policies and plans, which meets any provisional award conditions Jan- Jan- Jan- Mar Mar Mar 4.2 Review, update, and ensure Accreditation compliance. 4.3 Resolve specific collection ownership issues. 4.4 Following resolution of the ownership of specific collections, the full realisation of the interpretation and learning potential of those collections. 4.5 Ensure succession planning for collections management. 4.6 Recommendations as to rationalization of collections arising from the new Acquisition and Disposals Policy to be actioned 4.7 Further develop the role of volunteers in supporting archive and collections care and management, building on current work. 4.8 Develop and implement a five-year building conservation, maintenance and site maintenance plan including potential sources of resource identified. 10

11 Jan- Jan- Jan- Mar Mar Mar 5 Learning and interpretation 5.1 A revised primary school offer is prepared and launched for the new school year, together with an effective marketing learning plan and the development of an evaluation plan. 5.2 Review and update record keeping systems to ensure capture of all relevant information required by the Museum to evaluate the formal learning offer and build the schools market. 5.3 Retain schools and the children s and informal learning programme during for the first year of Business Transformation as a basis to build on Develop and test the demand for adult informal learning programme for heritage craft courses on a cost benefit basis As part of Audience Development, design and implement a Learning Strategy and Plan. Deliver a programme of temporary exhibitions in the gallery and review the function and viability of the gallery. 5.7 Develop and implement an Interpretation Strategy and Plan driven by the collections, sense of place and audience development 11

12 6 Communications and marketing Jan- Jan- Jan- Mar Mar Mar 6.1 Develop and implement a communications plan for Business Transformation aimed at key stakeholders and constituencies Communications and marketing of the current programme targeted at key visitor market to increase visitor numbers. Communication and customer care training for all staff and volunteers on annual basis. 6.4 Renew the Museum s relationship with the village Collect and use information about visitors and their experience to develop and improve the visitor experience. Continue participating in the Museums Ryedale Group including joint marketing works. Develop and implement a Communications and Marketing strategy and plan including a review of the brand and Museum name, marketing to visitors and potential visitors, external relationships, quality standards, advocacy and visitor data collection. Identify and successfully apply for awards that demonstrate achievement across visitor provision and services. 12