runnymede borough council · queen statue proposal and the runnymede magna carta legacy ltd...

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Runnymede Borough Council

MAGNA CARTA 2015 SUB-COMMITTEE

13 January 2015 at 7.30pm

Members of the Councillors P B Tuley (Chairman), A Alderson, D A Cotty and P Taylor Sub-Committee Present: Members of the Sub-Committee absent: Councillors Miss M N Heath (Vice-Chairman) and H W V Meares FIRE PRECAUTIONS The Fire Precautions were noted. NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES TO SUB-COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP The Group mentioned below had notified the Chief Executive of its wish that the change listed below

be made to the membership of the Sub-Committee. The change was for a fixed period ending on the day after the meeting and thereafter the Councillor removed would be reappointed.

Group Remove from Membership Appoint Instead

Conservative Councillor P I Roberts Councillor D A Cotty

As Councillor Cotty was not a Member of Corporate Management Committee the change also

applied to that Committee being the parent Committee of the Magna Carta 2015 Sub-Committee. The Chief Executive had given effect to this request in accordance with Section 16(2) of the Local

Government and Housing Act 1989. MINUTES The Minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 11 November 2014 were signed as a

correct record. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were recorded from Councillors Miss M N Heath and H W V Meares. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillors D A Cotty and P B Tuley declared non-pecuniary interests in matters concerning the HM

Queen statue proposal and the Runnymede Magna Carta Legacy Ltd commemorative coin and the legal advice was noted.

MAGNA CARTA LOCAL PROJECTS UPDATE The Sub-Committee was updated verbally on the local projects and events planned to

commemorate the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta in 2015. The Council was the lead co-ordinator and/or funder of or participated in a number of different

projects and the Chief Executive outlined the eight different bodies related to Magna Carta on which he was the Council’s main representative. These were:-

• Magna Carta Trust • Magna Carta 2015 800th Anniversary Committee • Magna Carta Project Board • Magna Carta Delivery Board • Magna Carta Stakeholders’ Group • Magna Carta Sub-Committee

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• Magna Carta Local Partnership Group • Magna Carta Local Planning Group

The Chief Executive explained that each of these required significant input and a time commitment,

often outside of the borough, which reduced the time he could devote to other matters. He agreed to supply the Sub-Committee with details of how these groups related to each other and what their remit was.

River Relay

Officers advised that a website had been set up by Thames Alive and potential participants could register to take part in The River Relay through another website set up by event brite. Officers confirmed that the Gloriana taking part could not be guaranteed. If available there was a possibility that it would only be used to accommodate the royal household but this was not finalised. There was a discussion regarding the participation of motorised craft in the relay. However, the additional cost might make this unfeasible for Spelthorne Borough Council to take part. It was noted that a Magna Carta event to possibly include a re-enactment was being planned by Spelthorne Borough Council, to take place in Lammas Park between 5 -8pm on Saturday 13th June. This being the case, Spelthorne Borough Council Officers were still negotiating what their Council’s contribution would be. Officers were awaiting an updated version of a draft agreement for the relay from Thames Alive to be signed off.

Pageant

Members noted that Past Pleasures would deliver the Pageant and that the services of a sufficient number of professional actors had been engaged. Officers were asked to obtain a copy of the pageant script in advance to check for historical accuracy which Members considered an important detail. Officers were currently investigating supporting entertainment activities throughout the day. The Sub-Committee was advised that a plan showing the event layout to scale on the Pleasure Grounds would hopefully be presented to the next meeting. There were also details to be finalised regarding the re-enactment at Runnymede in terms of catering and car parking which would be advised to Members at a future meeting. The Sub-Committee discussed the licensable activities that could be taking place and were advised of the relevant licensing requirements, the numbers that could be accommodated under a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) (no more than a total of 500 on site in one or more together of the licensable areas at any one time) and a Premises Licence, on site at any one time and what each licence would cost. It was noted that the Council would have to apply for a licence, being the organiser of the event and would need to do so in a timely manner in order for the necessary approval from the Corporate Management Committee to be obtained and any objections to be considered when the application was advertised. It was agreed to clarify what, if any, licence the café on site held and whether a refund might be allowable should a TEN be sufficient instead of a Premises Licence. Officers were instructed to consult Surrey Police, who had expressed a wish to assist, with regard to security and marshalling arrangements.

Pop-up Visitor Centre

Officers confirmed that a donation had been agreed to the United Church of Egham to use their church as a pop-up visitor centre. Members were pleased to note that there would be a high level of participation by local schools, colleges and Runnymede Art Society,


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including the creation of a series of banners telling the Magna Carta story to be displayed on Magna Carta Day in Egham. It was planned for the exhibition to be open from May to July 2015 and any updates would be given at the next meeting. In the pop-up exhibition the public would be directed to the exhibition at Chertsey Museum.

Borough Guide Officers circulated a first draft mock-up of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary souvenir edition of the

Borough Guide, on which comments were invited. It was hoped that it could still delivered by the end of February and the delivery arrangements were being finalised. Members were pleased to see as requested the historic account of Magna Carta that had been published in a previous edition. It was noted that the guide was heavily reliant on advertising. Officers confirmed that the guide would also be available on-line.

The Sub-Committee agreed that a calendar of Magna Carta events should be included in the new

guide rather than producing a separate leaflet. However, they asked that Magna Carta events be publicised as widely as possible, giving people the opportunity to plan how they wanted to celebrate the 800th anniversary.

Spread the Word

Officers were disappointed to report that no expressions of interest had been received from the foreign schools despite a lot of time being taken in organising the project. For example, agreeing all the required promotion and forms, having them all translated into five different languages, and sent abroad. It was agreed that as the Magna Carta Trust was contributing £15,000, to match the contribution of £7,500 each from this Council and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM), the preferred choice would be to continue the project as is, with the approved budget contributions remaining (prize money to implement the winning idea was £20,000), but also open it up to the local schools and the schools in the other Magna Carta Charter Towns using the 800th Commemoration Committee contacts. This would be subject to discussion with the Magna Carta Trust. It was understood that Stephen Zack of the American Bar Association would support the competition in schools in the USA. The key issue was time constraints.

Music Festival The Sub-Committee was pleased to note the following performances had been confirmed and that more were still to be finalised:-

- Sunday 7 June, Egham Band, in Chertsey Hall, 2.30pm - Thursday 11 June, Treble Clef Choir with Royal Holloway Gospel Choir and Absolute

Harmony (Royal Holloway's a-capella choir), in Chertsey Hall, 7.30pm - Saturday 13 June, Magna Carta evensong at Royal Holloway Chapel, 4pm - Sunday 14 June, Egham New Singers, at Royal Holloway South Quad, 1pm

Members were advised that a diverse range of music from rock to classical would form the

festival; the programme would be made available once finalised and details of dates and how to get tickets would be publicised. It was understood that the music festival would be free.

Magna Carta Day and Food and Wine Festival Members noted that arrangements were in hand for an extended road closure order for Station Road

North in Egham for the Food and Wine Festival. However, it was still to be confirmed if one company would deliver it or whether a number of stallholders would be approached independently. Officers reported that various new acts had been provisionally booked and it was hoped that Dame Penelope Keith would be available to open the event. Officers were seeking programme sponsorship and progress was being made with advertising.


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Sports Festival The Sub-Committee was informed that all local schools had been contacted to assess initial interest

which had resulted in a positive response but final numbers needed to be determined. Six National Governing Bodies had been signed up to deliver activities for the Secondary Schools event (Rugby, Lacrosse, Golf, Futsal, Hockey, and Tennis). In addition, Cheerleading and one other sport was expected to be added. Two hand-eye skills training days would also take place from 2 – 5 June 2015. A Mini-Olympics event for Primary schools was planned for 8 – 12 June and further thought was needed in respect of a Magna Carta Trophy or cup. All the events would likely take place at Royal Holloway.

Street Theatre

Officers confirmed that an individual had been commissioned to develop the theatre work using the giants created by local schools in June 2014, in conjunction with the Runnymede Confederation of 18 schools in the borough. The individual would be working with this wider group of schools to develop a set of short pieces using the existing puppets due to be performed at Egham's Magna Carta Day and at Royal Holloway's Great Charter Festival on 13 and 14 June respectively. The project would also involve working with the schools to create three new puppets to support the creation of a longer piece that brought the figures together.

Community Talks Members were pleased to note that the following speakers for the community talks were confirmed, although some of the venues were still be finalised:

• 15.4.15 Julian Harrison (British Library) Strode's College, Egham • 29.4.15 Will Self • 15.5.15 Professor Nicholas Vincent (UEA), venue in Egham • 27.5.15 Professor David Carpenter (KCL), Jubilee High School, Addlestone • 4.6.15 Professor Nigel Saul (RHUL), venue in Chertsey • 10.6.15 Anthony Barnett (to be confirmed) (OpenDemocracy, New Statesman, Guardian),

venue in Chertsey or Egham In addition, the Council Chamber had been booked for Friday 5th,12th and 26th June for Student Question Time events. The curator of Egham Museum, Dr Matt Smith was approaching schools and colleges in Egham, Chertsey and Addlestone to take part.

Volunteers Week Officers reported that Royal Holloway, Strode’s College, and Brunel University student volunteers

were successfully being recruited to ‘spruce up’ the High Street – including painting street furniture and planting flowers. Royal Holloway and Brunel University student volunteers would also be recruited to deliver community workshops with elderly residents in residential homes and Further Education workshops to help create street banners and bunting showing what the Magna Carta means to them, and what it means in a modern day context. In addition, there had been contact with Egham Chamber of Commerce to encourage local businesses to engage with this work. Members were informed that a mosaic artist had been commissioned to facilitate a mosaic incorporating two large panels and six smaller panels being installed through local schools and college involvement in the new walkway between High Street and new development in Egham. The Mosaic was due to be installed in the week commencing 23 March 2015.

Flower Festival

The sites for the displays in Royal Holloway's Chapel and Windsor Building were now confirmed with each display allocated to a particular flower arranging group and lead arranger. The displays would be set up on Thursday 11 June ready to be open to the public on Friday 12 June. They would remain open until the end of Tuesday 16 June. Members were advised that Royal Holloway was also having a fair on Sunday 14 June including music, poetry and talks on pictures in its collection on the theme of liberty and freedom.


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Chertsey Museum Officers outlined the various strands of Chertsey Museum’s involvement in the celebrations. It was

confirmed that the 11 interviews on the notion of freedom under law, highlighted at the last meeting were videoed before Christmas and had been edited into a short film. This would be shown in sections throughout the exhibition, and at a later date be made available to purchase in the shop, distributed to schools, and put on the internet. Invitations were about to be despatched for an evening viewing of the exhibition for 5 February. The Museum’s curator had been able to secure loans from the National Portrait Gallery, arriving in time to open to the public at the end of January and other loans from Penguin Books and various local museums were already on site awaiting installation. Loans from the British Library and National Trust were arriving in April and June to add interest throughout the year. It was also noted that The Friends of Chertsey Museum were also running an event at the museum on the afternoon of 21 March about King John with a re-enactor dressed up.

In order to attract funding for the celebrations a sponsorship leaflet had gone out to 1,500 local

businesses and the deadline for bids was 26 January. In view of the additional workload this high profile project attracted it was agreed that employing an

individual to assist with the delivery of the Magna Carta celebrations was sensible and arrangements were in hand to seek the necessary Committee approval for a supplementary estimate for temporary assistance to the Head of Strategy.

Members requested a local events calendar to be provided when available. With regard to other events, Officers were pleased to announce that an exhibition produced by the

American Bar Association was going to be displayed at the Civic Centre for two weeks in June and Councillor Cotty advised that he had ordered a Magna Carta timeline which would be useful for schools.

The HM Queen Statue was also discussed. The Magna Carta Legacy Limited had received a

number of pledges from sources. Their financial support was largely dependent on the Company obtaining charitable status which had not yet happened. It was noted that progress with the application to the Charity Commission could be followed up at the end of January and the Sub-Committee could be advised accordingly. The design of the surrounds, possibly paving and the addition of floodlights was noted. Members confirmed that encouraging discussions had taken place with the Environment Agency who were mindful of due process being followed. Members were reminded that formal approval was still to be secured from the Community Services Committee as trustees of the Pleasure Grounds and a report would need to be prepared, if appropriate, updating them on progress with funding and to address issues regarding maintenance, ongoing costs and insurance which would need to be considered and approved. The Members of the Sub-Committee also involved with the Runnymede Magna Carta commemorative coins agreed to meet separately to discuss a marketing plan. Members were urged to consider the use of Social Media in this regard.

Recommend that:- A Standing Order 42 be drawn up in consultation with the Chairman of Corporate

Management Committee, if required, to approve a supplementary estimate in the sum of up to £2,000 to apply for a premises licence for Runnymede Pleasure Grounds to be met from the Magna Carta budget for the licensable activities associated with the Magna Carta celebrations

DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS The following dates were noted for the remainder of the Municipal Year, to be held in the Committee

Room at the Civic Centre at 7.30pm:- Wednesday 11 February 2015 Tuesday 10 March 2015 It was noted that an April date would need to be set at the February meeting of the Sub-Committee.

Chairman (The meeting ended at 8.38pm)


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