“The Milton Rooms is a key community facility and performing arts venue for the towns of Malton and Norton and the wider Ryedale district, which operates in accordance with the attached vision statement that was agreed with the Council;
It is Council policy to support the Milton Rooms as a community venue and hub for the arts in Southern Ryedale, and for this purpose it has allocated in its budget the sum of £340,000 for improvements;
The main negative public perception of the Milton Rooms is the age and condition and inaccessibility of the venue’s main toilets, and the refurbishment and modernisation of, including a lift to provide disabled person access to, the toilets is therefore urgently required;
In February the Milton Rooms applied for the drawdown of funds for the cost of refurbishing the foyer and toilets;
The Council’s office has checked this application and provided its own estimate of the cost of the work required;
The Milton Rooms has repeatedly assured by the Council that this matter would be considered. It was considered at the meeting of P&R on 26th September, but the decision was in effect deferred for at least another six months.
In the circumstances, and due to the fact that the toilets are inaccessible to many elderly and non-abled bodied people, the Council hereby resolves to sanction the refurbishment of the toilets and foyer at a cost not exceeding the Council’s estimate. This work to be expedited immediately in order to prevent further damage to council’s reputation and to ensure the Milton Rooms is accessible to all people, regardless of age, or disability.”
MILTON ROOMS VISION STATEMENT
Vision
The Trustees vision is to become a hub for the performing and visual arts in Southern Ryedale with the ambition and potential to attract performers and audiences from a wide area to enjoy high quality events. We also recognise the importance of the Milton Rooms as a community facility, and we intend the Milton Rooms to remain at the heart of life in the two towns. Our vision for the future of the Milton Rooms is tempered by what we think can realistically be achieved by a group of volunteers, working in a time of financial austerity. We will therefore prioritise the financial sustainability of the Milton Rooms whilst at the same time modernising and improving the facilities, and widening the programme on offer.
· Modernise – tickets sales, office and administration arrangements, website, social media
· Improve – new seats, new toilets, brighter surroundings, catering facilities
· Cultural programme – widen the programme on offer, to become a cross-artform arts centre, embracing different genres and more challenging work
· Develop the audience – through gaining better understanding of the audience and potential audience, better marketing and advertising, aim to increase tickets sales, and be able to guarantee a large, enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience for all types of events in the Milton Rooms
· Financial acumen – make the best possible use of the finance available from a wide range of sources, including our own income from ticket sales and venue hire, in conjunction with grants and donations
Minutes:
The following motion was not moved and seconded and therefore not debated.
The content of the motion would be considered by the Milton Rooms Working Party as agreed under the questions and answers under the Leader’s Statement.
“The Milton Rooms is a key community facility and performing arts venue for the towns of Malton and Norton and the wider Ryedale district, which operates in accordance with the attached vision statement that was agreed with the Council;
It is Council policy to support the Milton Rooms as a community venue and hub for the arts in Southern Ryedale, and for this purpose it has allocated in its budget the sum of £340,000 for improvements;
The main negative public perception of the Milton Rooms is the age and condition and inaccessibility of the venue’s main toilets, and the refurbishment and modernisation of, including a lift to provide disabled person access to, the toilets is therefore urgently required;
In February the Milton Rooms applied for the drawdown of funds for the cost of refurbishing the foyer and toilets;
The Council’s office has checked this application and provided its own estimate of the cost of the work required;
The Milton Rooms has repeatedly assured by the Council that this matter would be considered. It was considered at the meeting of P&R on 26th September, but the decision was in effect deferred for at least another six months.
In the circumstances, and due to the fact that the toilets are inaccessible to many elderly and non-abled bodied people, the Council hereby resolves to sanction the refurbishment of the toilets and foyer at a cost not exceeding the Council’s estimate. This work to be expedited immediately in order to prevent further damage to council’s reputation and to ensure the Milton Rooms is accessible to all people, regardless of age, or disability.”
MILTON ROOMS VISION STATEMENT
Vision
The Trustees vision is to become a hub for the performing and visual arts in Southern Ryedale with the ambition and potential to attract performers and audiences from a wide area to enjoy high quality events. We also recognise the importance of the Milton Rooms as a community facility, and we intend the Milton Rooms to remain at the heart of life in the two towns. Our vision for the future of the Milton Rooms is tempered by what we think can realistically be achieved by a group of volunteers, working in a time of financial austerity. We will therefore prioritise the financial sustainability of the Milton Rooms whilst at the same time modernising and improving the facilities, and widening the programme on offer.