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Bank holiday information - Easter

Bank holiday information for our services, including opening times and emergency contacts. All recycling collections will take place on the usual days.

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3, Civic Centre, Port Talbot

Contact: Gareth Borsden - 01792 636824 

Items
No. Item

5.

Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.

Minutes:

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by both Authorities, no interests were declared.

 

6.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 309 KB

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

 

Minutes:

Resolved that the Minutes of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee meeting held on 14 June 2019 be approved as a correct record.

7.

Report of the County Archivist. pdf icon PDF 177 KB

Minutes:

The County Archivist presented a report which outlined the work of the Joint Archive Service during the period June - August 2019.

 

Use of the Service

 

He reported on the use of the Service for the quarter and also referred to the comparison of statistics for 2018/19 and detailed the background and rationale behind the statistics.

 

The vast amount of material that is available online now has also impacted on visitor numbers, although engagement with the public has increased due to the use of social media.

 

He referred to the co-operation that the service had given the UK Government’s Infected Blood Inquiry, who had visited several times to look at Health Authority archives.

 

Service Outreach

 

The County Archivist reported that the exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Swansea being awarded city status had been displayed, among other venues, during both the Royal visit of HRH Prince Charles to the Patti Pavilion, and the St Helens Road street party.

 

It was also available to be displayed around the City during the 50th anniversary year, and asked Members if they could promote and share this resource within their communities.

 

He referred to the hosting by the service in August of an exhibition prepared by the Jewish History Association of South Wales.

 

He outlined the schools that had received education sessions from the service during the quarter and those organisations that talks had been provided too.

 

The factors and influences that affect the number of school visits were outlined and discussed. The County Archivist indicated he would continue to promote the service via all appropriate channels within both authorities, and again asked Members who sat on school governing bodies to promote the services availability within their schools.

 

He outlined that the new Archive Service publication ‘A new, even better Abertawe: the rebuilding of Swansea, 1941-1961’ would be launched later in the day at Swansea Museum. He indicated that all Members of the Committee were welcome to attend the launch.

 

He referred to a proposal to utilise the remainder of the publications reserve to reprint ‘The Three Nights Blitz’ by Dr John Alban. He indicated that this was the most sought-after book by the public of those now out of print which had been published by the Archive Service and its predecessors over the years. A modest amount remained in the publications reserve after the publication of ‘Rebuilding Swansea 1941-1961’, which fund would then be exhausted and closed.

 

Resolved that the use of the publications reserve for a limited reprint of ‘The Three Nights Blitz’ be approved.

 

Staff

 

The County Archivist reported that both authorities are in consultation around  the future of the archives reserves.  A further update and report will be provided to the Committee in December.

 

He explained the background to and basis for the three different archive reserve funds.

 

He indicated that the Archive Trainee post had not been advertised this year.

 

The future of the post and issues/discussions around staffing levels within the service will continue throughout the budget setting process for 2020/21.

 

Professional Meetings & Partnership Working

 

He reported on the various meetings attended by staff during the quarter.

 

Archive Collections

 

He reported on the list of archives received by the Service during the quarter.