Agenda item

The Head of Culture presented an update on the Tees Valley Heritage Feasibility Study.

In February 2024, Focus Consultants 2010 LLP were appointed by the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) as the lead consultants to deliver the development of the Tees Valley heritage sector vision, feasibility study and business plan. In collaboration with the project team, consisting of Purcell Architects, Blue Sail Marketing and archive consultant Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan, Focus reviewed the existing heritage offer and developed a comprehensive, compelling and sustainable heritage vision for the region. This included finding a long-term solution for the Teesside Archives.

To date, significant progress had been made through:

·        Extensive stakeholder engagement across the heritage, culture, and local authority sectors.

·        Thematic analysis identifying emerging themes and priorities

·        Market appraisal to understand current positioning and future opportunities.

·        Visioning workshops to explore ambition, delivery mechanisms, and the role of the archives.

·        Development of emerging options for heritage delivery mechanisms and the future of the Teesside Archives.

The independent assessment of the Teesside Archives service was noted as a professionally run archive service that had significant potential to serve the Tees Valley region given the quality of its collections, the aspirations and knowledge of its staff and the possible opportunities with other heritage and cultural activity in the region. However, it was noted as severely constrained by several serious factors including:

·        A fragmented and disinterested governance and funding environment

·        A lack of suitable and sufficient accommodation in which to serve the public, work effectively, collect and store Teesside’s archival heritage, access collections, generate income.

·        The lack of digital preservation system to assure the survival of Teesside’s modern experience as captured in digital records.

·        A very tight funding environment which constrains all public services.

·        A restricted public service offer, low or no profile with funders and residents, and limited relationships

The report considered the future of the Archives Service; costings, assessments of different building options, case studies and digital preservation.

It was noted that digital preservation was the digital equivalent of an archive function for paper records and was fundamental in ensuring the long-term survival, authenticity and accessibility of digital records through a digital preservation infrastructure and was a key element of Archive Service Accreditation.

Teesside Archives did not have a digital preservation system. A previous bid by Teesside Archives for installation and use of the Preservica system was rejected by the funding boroughs as unaffordable in the long term. In the meantime, the boroughs had no means of ensuring the survival of their records, fulfilling their legal obligations under the Local Government Act 1972 to make proper arrangements with respect to any documents that belonged to or were in the custody Teesside Archives had sought to undertake basic activity such as creating a Digital Asset Register but was unable to undertake more meaningful activity. The Local Authorities needed to invest in a digital preservation system to secure their own records and preserve the modern historical records of the region.

Following the application to remain an Accredited Service, Teesside Archives received confirmation in November 2024 that it had retained its accredited status. This status was provisional, and its retention depended on Teesside Archives being able to satisfy some requirements by 7 November 2026 and on keeping the Accreditation Panel apprised of developments at the service in the interim.

The Head of Culture advised that the final report is expected at the end of March 2025.  Members were of the view that an additional meeting of the Joint Archives Committee should be arranged in order to discuss the findings of the Tees Valley Heritage Study.

AGREED that:

·        The information was received and noted.

·        The Archives Manager would draft a letter on behalf of the Committee, to the Secretary of State/Department for Culture, Media and Sport in regards to potential partnerships/guidance on statutory responsibilities of public bodies and the maintaining of documents.

• A meeting of the Joint Archives Committee would be scheduled for 7 May 2025, 5pm to discuss the final report of the Tees Valley Heritage Study.
• Tees Valley Combined Authority and Teesside University would be invited to the meeting.