Meeting held Friday 6 June 2008
Present
Peter Scott (Chairman)
Simon Burke
Professor David Ekserdjian
Mark Getty
Lady Heseltine
Professor Dame Julia Higgins
Michael Hintze
Patricia Lankester
John Lessore
Lady Normanby
Ranjit Sondhi
Apologies
James Fenton
Lord Kerr
Professor Mervyn King
In attendance
Dr Nicholas Penny (Director)
Martin Wyld (Director of Conservation)
Kate Howe (Secretary to the Board)
David Jaffé (Senior Curator) for items 1 and 2
Jill Dunkerton (Restorer) for item 1
Bruce Minty (Interim Director of Resources) for items 5 and 6
Pictures for treatment
1. The Board agreed that 'Straw Weavers at Settignano' by Telemaco Signorini (M1293) and 'Birds, Butterflies and a Frog among Plants and Fungi' by Melchior d’Hondecoeter (NG1222) were ready to go on display. The Signorini would be reframed before going on display.
The Board saw in the course of treatment 'Christ Crowned with Thorns attributed to Lo Spagna' (NG691); 'The Virgin and Child with Two Angels, Workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio' (NG296); 'The Virgin and Child', Italian, Umbrian (NG6572); 'The Man of Sorrows', Italian, Umbrian (NG6573); 'A Distant View of the Dordrecht, with a Milkmaid and Four Cows, and Other Figures (‘The Large Dort’)' by Albert Cuyp (NG961) and 'Saint Bavo about to receive the Monastic Habit at Ghent' by Peter Paul Rubens (NG57) and it was agreed that the Board should see NG961 again in the course of treatment.
Loans out
2. The Board noted the report on loans out as amended by a tabled Addendum; Professor Ekserdjian declared an interest in the loans requested for the 'Correggio' exhibition at the Galleria Borghese Rome, as a contributor to the Catalogue.
Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
3. The Board approved the minutes of the meeting held on 11 April 2008. They were later signed by the Chairman.
Matters arising: The Chairman confirmed that it did not seem appropriate for the Audit and Finance Committees to have oversight of the financial performance of the NGT and NGT Foundation which were independent charities, subject to oversight by the Charity Commissioners.
The Director confirmed that he had spoken to the former Director of the Gallery concerning the latter’s History of the Gallery and had confirmed that subject to any changes of text being passed by the Director for approval, the copyright in the work would then be assigned to the former Director.
Director’s report
4. The Board expressed their thanks to the Development Committee for securing sponsorship for the forthcoming 'Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian' exhibition.
The Board noted the receipt by the Gallery of a substantial bequest for picture purchases and asked that when it was put towards the acquisition of a painting, details of the bequest should be included on the label.
Laptop policy
5. The Board approved the Laptop Policy, after confirmation from the Interim Director of Resources that it applied to all electronic items with memory.
Quarterly Management Report
6. The Board noted the Quarterly Management Report. The Interim Director of Resources expanded on the reasons for the year end surpluses, which were in part due to the fact that interest income and sponsorship income in the year were higher than budgeted; in addition, there had been an under spend (against budget) on staff costs, due to unfilled vacancies and an under spend (against budget) on picture acquisitions.
Appointments to sub-committees of the Board etc
7. The Board agreed to accept the resignation of Peter Scott as a member and Chair of the Investment Subcommittee and the Remuneration Committee with effect from 10 August and to appoint Mark Getty to those Committees to act as Chair with effect from 11 August.
The Board further agreed to accept the resignation of Peter Scott as a member of the Audit and Finance Committees with effect from 10 August and to appoint Mark Getty as a member of those Committees with effect from 11 August
The Board further agreed to appoint Mark Getty to the AFNGL Board as a Class A Director, with effect from 11 August, to replace Peter Scott; the Board further agreed to propose Mark Getty for membership of the Boards of the NGT and NGTF to replace Peter Scott in due course.
Minutes of committees of the Board
8. The Board noted the Minutes of the meeting of the Nominations Committee on 6 May. The Chairman reported that the panel conducting the search for a new Trustee to fill the Communications slot had met and conducted the sift of applications on 5 June.
Picture movements
9. The Board noted the report on picture movements.
Report of the remuneration committee
10. The Board approved the recommendations of the Remuneration Committee.
Any other business
11. The Artist Trustee suggested that the Board might at some future date receive a report on the work of the framing department. This was agreed. Consideration would be given to re-instituting the mention of significant frames on picture labels.
Information has been excluded under s41 and s43 FOI 2000.
Copies of previous Board minutes can be obtained from the Libraries and Archive department.
Confidential and sensitive information has been excluded from these published minutes in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000