The National Gallery Steering Group

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE BY SENATOR J.L. PERCHARD

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2007 Question

Would the Minister advise members –

1 . W ho the members of the National Gallery Steering group are?

2 . W ho appointed the members of the National Gallery Steering group?

3 . W hat the terms of reference of the National Gallery Steering group are?

4 . W ho was responsible for drafting of the terms of reference for the National Gallery Steering group?

5 . W hat support, if any, is being given by States departments or bodies owned or controlled by the States to

the National Gallery Steering group?

6 . W h ich, if any outside consultants are advising the National Gallery Steering group or States

departments over the proposal to develop a National Gallery on the Weighbridge site, the total estimated cost of all consultancy work in this regard and the mechanism in place for their funding?

7 . W ill the Minister make available any minutes of the National Gallery Steering group as an appendix to

the answer to this question?

Answer

1. The current membersofthe National Gallery Steering Group are: the Chairmanofthe Jersey Heritage TrustJurat John deVeulleOBE, the Deputy of Grouville , the Connétable of St Helier, the Directorof the Jersey HeritageTrust Mr Jon Carter, MrsMelissa Bonn, MrsSusie Pinel, MrJonathan Voak, Mr Robert Tilling, RI,MBE, Mr Ray Banks FRSA, the Curator ofArtof the Jersey HeritageTrust Ms Louise Downie and the Cultural Development Officer Mr RodMcLoughlin.Thegroupis chaired bythe Bailiff , Sir Philip Bailhache .
2. The membersoftheSteering Group were invited to join by the Jersey HeritageTrust.
3. The Steering Group was established, following a meetingof the Jersey HeritageTrust in December 1999, "to produce a detailed feasibility study, project definition statement and outline architect's brief, identifying among otherthings a siteand sources offunding".
4. The termsofreferenceabove were drafted bythe Jersey HeritageTrustwhich,as I have indicated, established the group. They follow a recommendationin the culture reportof2000commissioned by the then Financeand Economics Committee.
5. Administrative support is provided withinthe Bailiff 'sChambers. The Cultural DevelopmentOfficerof the Education, Sport and Culture Department was invited on to the group this year to assist in the developmentof a strategy document for the group,as I recognise that if the matterweretobeadvanced it would beforme,as Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, tobring forward any such proposals. This work, which is currently in progress, includes obtaining the views of the Economic Development Department, the EconomicsUnit.

6. Hopkins Architects are advising the National Gallery Steering Group on design matters. They are producing the following: a feasibility study report, an initial specification for the building, a three dimensional model,andperspectivedrawingsto illustrate the urban design and architectural concept. This is under a fixed£30,000contract with the Planning andEnvironmentDepartmentwhichis being funded though percentage for art contributions. The Economic Development Department has commissioned a report from Locum Consulting which is involved in a numberofotherprojectsrelatedto the visitor economy. The questionof the desirability of a gallery in this contextfeatured in the Locum Destination Audit published in November 2006. The cost ofthe Locum reporton the National Gallery is £7,500 which is being shared between the Economic Development Department and the Waterfront Enterprise Board.
7. As I have previously indicated, I intend to make public the strategy document when it is complete. I am advised that the Minister for EconomicDevelopment will also publish, with anaccompanyingnote, the Locum Consulting report. The minutesofthe National Gallery Steering Group,which date back more than sevenyears,areconfidentialtothegroupand it would be a matterof approaching the Chairman to seektheviewsofthegroupabout releasing them.