Decision details

To recommend that the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Housing, Heritage Arts and Tourism make the decision on behalf of Wiltshire Council as sole trustee of the Edwin Young Collection and the John Creasey Museum (the Charitable Trusts) to:

1. Merge the Edwin Young Collection (EYC) and John Creasey Museum (JCM) into a new single charitable trust to be called The Young & Creasey Gallery Trust.

2. Delegate authority to the Director, Communities and Communications to conclude all necessary formalities relating to the merger of the Trusts into the new single charitable trust including entering into all legal documentation and liaising with and complying with any requirements of the Charity Commission.

Decision Made

I approve to:

1. Merge the Edwin Young Collection (EYC) and John Creasey Museum (JCM) into a new single charitable trust to be called The Young & Creasey Gallery Trust.

2. Delegate authority to the Director, Communities and Communications to conclude all necessary formalities relating to the merger of the Trusts into the new single charitable trust including entering into all legal documentation and liaising with and complying with any requirements of the Charity Commission.

The Merger will:

1. Ensure the long term viability of the Charitable Trusts.

2. Provide a new governance structure for merged Charitable Trust.

3. Create a single fit for purpose organisation in line with sector advice.

1.       Merge the Charitable Trusts under the name the Young & Creasey Gallery Trust.

2.       Continue with two separate charitable trusts (i.e. do nothing).

3.       Subsume one charity trust into the other.

Wiltshire Council as sole Trustee has consulted with the relatives of John Creasey on the proposed merger and received their approval. There are no known relatives of Edwin Young. Since publication of the intention to make the decision the council has received a representation with background questions and expressing support for the merger. The questions related to capital value of buildings, the merger decision making process and the management committees of the trusts. These matters have been considered as part of the decision making.