Management Rules
The current Museum Management Rules are:
The Inverclyde Council as the museum authority for Inverclyde in terms of Schedule 13, Section 5 of The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act, 1994 hereby make the following Management Rules in exercise of the powers conferred on them by Section 112 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, which shall apply to the provision of Museum Services by the Council in Museum Premises in Inverclyde.
Definitions and Interpretation
In these Management Rules “Council” means Inverclyde Council constituted under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994.
“Committee” means the committee which has been appointed by the Council for the management of art galleries and museums within Inverclyde.
“Museum user” means any person having the right, under these rules, to the use of Museums within Inverclyde.
'Museum/Museum premises' shall be taken to mean any public Art Gallery and Museum and shall Include The McLean Museum and Art Gallery, Greenock, grounds and such other premises as may be used from time to time by the Council for the provision of Museums Services and includes any land surrounding or used in connection therewith.
“Officer in charge of the museum service” means the Museum Curator or authorised member of staff.
The provisions of the Interpretation Act 1978 shall apply to the interpretation of these Management Rules as they apply to an Act of Parliament.
1. Access to Museums
a. The Museum shall be open to the public on such days and during such hours as the Council or Committee may from time to time determine and the Council or Committee may close the Museum wholly or partially during such times as they may think fit.
b. No person shall enter or remain in any part of the Museum which a reasonable person would or should know is prohibited to the public or remain in the Museum after the time fixed for its closing.
c. No person shall remain in the Museum after an emergency situation has been made known to them.
d. No member of the public shall enter or remain in any part of the Museum identified for staff or private use unless authorised by the Officer in charge of the museum service.
e. Any member of the public may view the displays held in the Museum but no materials may be removed from the Museum unless duly authorised.
f. The Officer in charge of the museum service shall have discretion as to the conditions under which members of the public may consult rare, valuable or fragile museum artefacts which are deemed unsuitable or too delicate for general display.
2. Conduct in the Museum
The normal standards of good conduct in public places will apply in Museums and Art Galleries. Undue noise or disturbance will not be permitted. The Council reserves the right to refuse admission or to expel any persons from the premises for any valid reason.
a. Any person who in the reasonable opinion of museum staff is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or who is unclean in person or dress so as to cause offence will be expelled or excluded in terms of Rule 2.
b. No person shall take, sell or distribute drugs in the Museum except in a case requiring first aid treatment where the administering of drugs is necessary and performed by an appropriately qualified medical practitioner or where the drugs are taken as part of a prescribed course of medication.
c. Except with the consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service, no person shall cause or allow any dog (other than a working dog accompanying a disabled person) or other animal belonging to them or under their control to enter or remain in the Museum. No person will be permitted to bring in any wheeled vehicle or conveyance other than wheelchairs, mobility scooters, pushchairs or prams.
d. Disorderly, violent or insulting behaviour including the use of indecent or offensive language towards other museum users or staff by any person will result in that person being removed and excluded from the Museum. If the person is aged under 16, their parent or carer will be informed.
e. Parents and carers are responsible for the supervision and behaviour of their children at all times within the Museum premises. Children aged eight years and under must be accompanied by a parent or carer when visiting the Museum. Children between the ages of eight and twelve must not be left unaccompanied by a parent or carer for any period exceeding one hour unless part of an organised activity.
f. Parents and carers must undertake to ensure that their children behave in an appropriate manner if attending an organised activity. The Museum staff reserve the right to remove a child from an organised activity if they are misbehaving.
g. Parents and carers of children must ensure that they do not run on Museum premises, climb railings, breach barriers or create excessive noise on Museum premises.
h. Museum users must comply with all directions given to them by Museum staff in the course of their duties.
i. At the discretion of the Officer in charge of the museum service, appropriate areas of Museum premises may be used for community, cultural, educational or social purposes. Such uses shall be controlled by means of a written agreement between the user and the Council.
j. Food or drink must not be taken into and consumed in the Museum premises with the exception of food or drink provided by the Museum at an event authorised by the Officer in charge of the museum service.
k. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted in Museum premises except as may be specifically authorised in connection with use as defined in Rule 2(j).
l. Photography, video or sound recording in Museums may be undertaken only with the prior permission of a senior member of museum staff. However the use of digital cameras for informal social shots is permitted. All professional photography, video or sound recording intended for broadcasting or use on the internet must be approved of in writing by the Officer in charge of the museum service.
m. Mobile telephones must only be operated in the foyer areas of Museum premises and are not permitted to be used in galleries within the Museum.
n. The use of equipment such as personal stereos or mobile telephones should not cause inconvenience or disturbance to others in the reasonable opinion of museum staff.
o. Bills, notices or leaflets may be displayed or distributed in any part of the Museum only with the consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service.
p. The Officer in charge of the museum service may from time to time regulate the use of accommodation, resources and equipment in great demand in order to ensure equal opportunity of use.
q. In the event of the structure, furniture, fittings or other contents of the Museum being damaged or destroyed, the person responsible shall be liable for the cost of making good the damage or for replacing the articles destroyed.
r. The Council shall have no liability in respect of the loss or theft of any item belonging to a museum user.
s. No trading or sale of goods shall take place in any part of any Museum except with the consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service.
t. Goods must not be removed from the Museum shop prior to payment.
3. Public Access Computers
a. Any person may use public access computers within the Museum. However, any person under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult and any person aged 9-11 must have written parental consent, as contained within the membership form. Anyone who is not a registered borrower with Inverclyde Libraries in terms of Clause 1 of the Management Rules for
Inverclyde Public Libraries must provide acceptable personal identification before he/she can use the public access computers. All users of the public access computers must do so in accordance with the Council’s Acceptable Usage Policy regulating the use of public access computers. The Acceptable Usage Policy is available from all libraries, museums and on all public access computers.
b. Any member of the public may consult information delivered via digital sources. Where a fee is payable for any service or facility, the user must abide by the terms of use prevailing at the time.
c. Museum users using Internet and computer facilities must abide by the terms of the Acceptable Usage Policy pertaining at the time. They should not access, download, transmit or print any obscene, offensive or illegal material. Museum staff may the right to terminate any Internet connection, which, in their reasonable opinion, does not meet this requirement. Any contravention of these terms of use may result in access to Internet and computer facilities being withdrawn. Where it is suspected that a criminal act or acts have taken place the Council shall immediately refer an internet user to the police and shall provide details to the police of all information accessed.
4. Use of Venue
Museum premises may be available for hire, at the discretion of the Officer in charge of the museum service, by appropriate organisations throughout the year subject to the nature of the hire not impeding the provision of public service or the safety and security of the museum and exhibits. The Watt Hall is also licenced for wedding ceremonies subject to availability. All hires are agreed at the discretion of the Officer in charge of the museum service.
a. The hire charge in force at the time shall be made to hirers. Inverclyde Council reserves the right to refuse any applicant the use of premises or part thereof without giving any reason. The premises shall not be sub-let.
b. Museum premises are not normally available for hire during the hours of public opening.
c. Smoking is strictly forbidden in the Hall, foyer and all parts of the Museum and Gallery building.
d. Hirers must abide by the regulations governing the use of the Watt Hall in force at the time of hire.
e. The layout of seating and equipment in the Hall will be organised by museum staff in accordance with the requirements of the hirer. The maximum permitted numbers indicated by Officer in charge of the museum service must be strictly adhered to.
f. Access to the Hall will be provided to hirers according to the hours booked and not out with these times. If events exceed the agreed hours by more than 10 minutes hirers will incur a half hour's extra charge.
g. Bookings will not be accepted for events which finish later than 10.00 p.m.
h. Hirers wishing to use a public address system or audio-visual equipment should discuss this with museum staff before the event to determine whether their requirements can be met. Hirers must operate their own equipment.
i. The hirer will be responsible for ensuring that all items of electrical equipment brought into the Museum or Watt Hall meet the current health and safety standards, for example by PAT testing, and that any persons operating the electrical or mechanical equipment are competent to do so with full regard to health and safety matters.
j. Fire precautions must be observed with regard to equipment used. No oil, candles or other highly flammable materials shall be allowed in any part of the premises.
k. The hirer shall be responsible for maintaining order in connection with the occupation of the premises and shall arrange that effective control is provided at all doorways which may be necessary so as to allow free access and exit.
i. Hirers using the Hall or Museum for events other than lectures or weddings must complete and return a Risk Management checklist with the booking application before a booking can be confirmed.
j. The hirer shall be responsible for any damage done to the premises or the fittings or furniture therein during the time of occupation and shall be bound to meet the cost of the same.
k. Nothing shall be done in the premises and nothing shall be taken into the premises which will involve extra risk to the premises or property of Inverclyde Council unless specially sanctioned and then only upon such conditions as to safety precautions and other matters as shall be stipulated
l. Any erections required in connection with the occupation of the premises by the hirer, including all outside erections, signboards and the like, shall be subject to the written approval of Inverclyde Council and shall be erected, taken down and removed all at the cost of the hirer.
m. No livestock will be permitted anywhere on the premises without the express permission of the Officer in charge of the Museum service.
5. Museum Grounds
a. No person shall throw down, deposit or leave any rubbish, refuse, litter or paper of whatever description in the Museum Grounds, other than that in a receptacle/location provided for that purpose.
b. No person shall wilfully, carelessly or negligently damage, injure, displace or remove any part of a, wall, fence, barrier, railing or any other fixture situated in or on or adjacent and ancillary to the Museum, or deface or destroy the same by cutting, writing or otherwise. Any person so doing will be held responsible for the cost of any replacement or repair.
c. Except with the express consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service, no person shall remove any plant in the Museum grounds.
d. No person shall enter or stand, sit or walk in or upon any flower bed, border or shrubbery within any park or in or upon any part of the Museum grounds where prohibitive notices are displayed.
e. No vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or otherwise, shall be permitted or allowed to enter the Museum grounds without the prior written consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service. This shall not apply to the use in the Museum grounds of any perambulator or similar vehicle drawn or propelled by hand for the use by a child or invalid or of any ambulance, fire engine, police vehicle and attendant vehicles as may be permitted by the Officer in charge of the museum service.
f. No person shall cause or permit a dog or any other animal belonging to them or otherwise under their control to enter or remain in the Museum grounds unless such a dog or other animal is under the full control of that person and effectively restrained from causing annoyance to any person, or from worrying or disturbing any wild birds or animals or from damaging any flower, plant, tree or shrub in the grounds.
g. No person shall cause or permit any dog or other animal belonging to them or otherwise under their control to foul in the Museum grounds or any part thereof.
h. No person shall light a fire, burn or do any action which might cause to be set on fire or burned in the Museum grounds any paper, rubbish, refuse, fuel or other substance.
i. No person shall, without prior written consent of the Officer in charge of the museum service, erect, occupy or use any tent or other structure in the Museum grounds.
6 Contraventions of Management Rules
The Officer in Charge of the Museum Service may
(i) if he has reasonable grounds for believing that a person has contravened, is contravening or is about to contravene any of the foregoing Management Rules, exclude that person from the Museum Premises; or
(ii) if he/she has reasonable grounds for believing that person is about to contravene any of the foregoing Management Rules, exclude that person from the Museum Premises. A person who persistently contravenes or attempts to contravene the foregoing Management Rues and is, in the opinion of the Council, likely to contravene them again shall be liable to be made the subject of an Exclusion Order by the Council for a period not exceeding one year, in terms of Section 117 of the 1982 Act. Any person who
(i) on being required to leave the Museum Premises by the Chief Officer who has reasonable grounds for believing that the person has contravened, is contravening or is about to contravene any Management Rues, fails to leave;
(ii) on being informed by the Officer in Charge who has reasonable grounds for believing that the person is about to contravene any Management Rue, that he is excluded from the Museum Premises, enters or attempts to enter the Museum Premises;
(iii) being a person subject to an Exclusion Order under section 117 of the 1982 Act enters or attempts to enter the Museum Premises to which the Exclusion Order relates shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 1 on the Standard Scale of Fines (the current maximum fine at the time of making these rules being £200) or such other amount as may from time to time be fixed by statue in terms of section 118 of the 1982 Act.
The foregoing Management Rules shall come into force on (1 October 2010).